Have a Compass to Commitment
“When the city shapes up beautifully, families have good homes, people’s lives improve and their aspirations are fulfilled, the sense of satisfaction is immense.”
Challenge yourself to keep finding meaning in public service work with tips and reminders from Ms Cheong Koon Hean, the first female Chief Executive Officer of the Housing and Development Board.
“Even a dream job will have its low points and ‘desert times’ – whether it is poor chemistry with the boss, a major boo-boo or a disappointment at work. Having a sense of purpose will help you stay the course.”
Ms Yeoh Chee Yan, former Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, shares how to be good to yourself and to others by knowing and prioritising what’s important.
“What I worked for comes down to one simple thing and that is when you see the sparkle in the eyes of the elderly whom you serve.”
Face-to-face interactions with citizens keep Ms Teoh Zsin Woon’s passion for the Public Service. After moving from the Ministry of Health to become Deputy Secretary (Transformation) at the Public Service Division, the energetic officer continued her volunteer work to help the elderly.
Leaders who Blaze a Trail
“These varied contributions were a stretch on our manpower all round, but our staff saw the meaning of their work and the significance of their contributions to the national effort.”
COL (Dr) Shalini Arulanandam, the first female Chief Medical Officer at the Singapore Civil Defence Force, reflects on the vital role of paramedics – and shares what she’s doing to help them be even better in their work.
In a traditionally male-dominated field, three successful female engineers take pride in their expertise and wish to inspire more young women to take on engineering roles.
“I have been lucky to have great mentors, so I see this mentorship as a form of paying it forward,” says Dr Tan Mei Hui, from Government Technology Agency’s Cyber Security Group. In her free time, she gives talks at girls’ schools about cybersecurity as a career option and provides one-to-one mentoring.
“I don’t really care what class of degree you have as long as you show me that you can be a good teacher.”
As then-Permanent Secretary of Education, Ms Chan Lai Fung tells Challenge why relevant skills and a positive work attitude can be more powerful than qualifications – advice that surely applies today and for the uncertain future.
Career Reflections
“I have not regretted making the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) my first and only job.”
URA’s Chief Planner Hwang Yu-Ning shares about daring to press on despite early rejections and how saying “yes” to every new posting has led to a fulfilling Public Service career.
“Singapore public officers have a fearsome work ethic. But a laudable sense of duty often comes at a price – the unwillingness to cede control.”
Get a reality check and tips from Singapore’s first Design Ambassador Agnes Kwek on how to work smart while helping others in your team learn and grow.