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Challenge > Personalities>
Committed to CHANGE |
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Committed
to CHANGE:
Interview with PS (PSD) Lim Soo Hoon |
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People remember her for
her anecdotes. But few know about the changes that have
shaped her over
the years.
Some have described Public Service Division (PSD) Permanent
Secretary (PS) Lim Soo Hoon as “fierce”. You may have
noticed how her no-nonsense countenance gives way to a
kneaded brow whenever she is deep in thought. Those who
have worked with her know that she holds firmly to her
ideals, is passionate about what she believes in, and
will not hesitate to speak her mind.
“One day, a man
threatened to commit suicide if we didn’t change a certain
policy. That was the first time I truly felt the impact
of our policies,” Ms Lim says wide-eyed, her thoughtful
face an expression of shock.
Ms Lim recalls how her two-year stint at the Ministry
of Labour1 many years back alerted her to the
consequences of government policies.
“When I
was at the Ministry of Labour, I couldn’t help but witness
how policies were operationalised because the operations
departments were physically located with the headquarters.
I’ve been taught to come up with only policies that can
be translated into practice,” Ms Lim explains.
That experience also taught the 48-year-old to be a firm
believer that those doing policy work must also be exposed
to operational work.
Reminiscing about her many postings, Ms Lim shares that
there is no job too big or too small. From arranging meetings
and taking notes as a young officer with the Ministry
of Trade and Industry, to the PS that she is today, she
remains true to her beliefs: “Like many civil servants
of our generation, we are good soldiers. You tell us where
to go, we’ll go.”
And a good soldier, in Ms Lim’s eyes, must be willing
to be small at times in order to achieve a bigger goal,
which is why she believes teamwork is the key to success
for the Public Service.
“Success is not about whether my voice is heard and
my suggestion implemented. It is about the big picture
and how I can contribute towards the jigsaw that finally
forms the Singapore we want to build,” she shares.
The emphasis that Ms Lim places on teamwork is clear to
PSD staff. One hour a week, on Thursdays, is dedicated
to Work Improvement Team Scheme (WITS) meetings in PSD.
“At the end of the day, it’s not just one individual
or one small group of people but always the combined effort
that makes things work,” she says thoughtfully.
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Success is not about whether my voice
is heard and my suggestion implemented.
It is about
the big picture and how I can contribute
towards the jigsaw that finally forms
the Singapore we want to build. |
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Ms
Lim Soo Hoon |
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For someone who has been in the Service early enough to
be part of the team responsible for the operation of the
first MRT train, Ms Lim has seen her fair share of people
to learn that we cannot deal with different kinds of people
in the same way.
Those who have worked with her have told her that she
speaks too fast for someone who asks many questions. Since
then, she has learnt to speak a little slower.
To Ms Lim, staff feedback is very important as it helps
her put things in perspective. Hence she is a firm believer
of the Staff Suggestion Scheme.
“It is the only
channel for staff, especially those at the junior levels,
to communicate their ideas directly to top management,”
she explains.
Her lesson is to always try and understand the perspectives
of her colleagues and speak their language for better
communication.
Ms Lim, who takes communication very seriously, is convinced
that it is critical to refreshing the PS21 movement —
one of her greatest challenges.
Since taking over the helm at PSD last year, she has often
heard remarks that PS21 is dead or should be abandoned
and that, she confesses, makes her feel “a little frustrated”.
She says: “Maybe we have not been so good in communicating
and implementing PS21. We have put in place many initiatives
and programmes, some excellent and some, perhaps not as
good. Unfortunately, what many people saw of PS21 was
just a series of initiatives, programmes, events, and
committees — good and bad all mixed together — and we
have probably forgotten the original intent of the movement.”
Recapping the rationale for PS21, launched in 1995, Ms
Lim says the movement is meant to be a response to the
fast-changing global environment and growing expectations
of better-educated Singaporeans.
The Public Service realised it could no longer operate
in the way it did; public officers needed to learn to
operate in an environment of change. Indeed, the PS21
movement is supported by three pillars of change: Anticipating
Change, Welcoming Change and Executing Change.
Says Ms Lim, “Welcoming Change is the most difficult because
we each harbour a certain element of fear of the unknown.
Being creatures of habit, it is human nature to be resistant
to change. Changing mindsets is always easier said than
done.”
And this, she points out, is especially true of the Public
Service: “All of us have been trained and are very good
at solving problems. What we’re perhaps less good at doing
is to be always looking out for and seizing opportunities.
“For many of us, the instinctive response to any
new idea, especially if it is from someone outside the
public sector, is to say: ‘This can’t be done because
of this problem and that’. Few among us have the instincts
to say: ‘Good idea. Now how can I overcome the obstacles
and make it work?’”
Ms Lim also stresses the need to think and act beyond
our comfort zone in Anticipating Change: “Sometimes we
don’t like to think of the unthinkable because we have
no solutions. And we dread the thought that we have
no solutions!”
In Executing Change, Ms Lim emphasises the need to go
beyond talking to acting upon it. “It is absolutely critical
to be able to communicate clearly when you execute change.
Otherwise it will lead to a lot of misunderstanding of
your intentions,” she adds.
Summing up her thoughts on the relevance of PS21 today,
she says: “I think the three pillars of change remain
as valid today as they were 11 years ago. Many of the
concerns and challenges we faced in 1995 are still valid,
and are perhaps even more pressing now. But what needs
refreshing is how we communicate and implement PS21.”
Ms Lim is one who advocates work-life balance. She agrees
that the organisation plays a part in enabling work-life
practices but how we take advantage of them or not depends
to a great extent on the individual.
“It’s very
hard for us to tell people how to balance their work and
life. We all have different priorities in life. You have
to know what you want, in order to have the balance, or
even to work toward that balance” she adds.
Despite her heavy schedule, Ms Lim will always make time
for her two teenaged sons, Russell and Samuel, who are
a constant inspiration to her.
Her love for them is evident in the picture that hangs
on the wall in her office. You can’t help but feel that
these boys are very blessed judging from their radiant
grins.
“I have had my fair share of reality checks.
I was forced to re-look at what matters to me most when
my son had cancer,” Ms Lim admits openly. Her older son,
Samuel, had a battle with cancer for a year when he was
14. The cancer has since cleared but he is being monitored
on a regular basis.
She muses: “Many times, we get so caught up with work
that we take many things for granted, some of which can
never be brought back once lost.”
Her journey has taught Ms Lim that life is about making
the right changes at the right time, for the people who
matter.
1
The Ministry of Labour was renamed Ministry of Manpower
on 1 April 1998 |
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By Calis Chuan, Editor Challenge
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| Copyright © 2006 PS21 Office,
Prime Minister’s Office, Public Service Division. All Rights
Reserved. |
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