At our morning editorial meeting, we were told that a group of Penangites would be staging a demonstration outside the general post office to protest the hike.
I looked around the room and imagine the thoughts running through some of my colleagues’ minds, “Yes, those stingy Penangites, where one sen can be as big as a bullock cart wheel, doeth protest too much.”
What was interesting, however, was when the executive editor Wong Sai Wan asked if any of us still send letters by post. My hand shot up. No one else raised their hands.
Someone chipped in, “No wonder the Penangites are protesting”, alluding to the fact that for that morning meeting at least, I was the only Penangite present.
In recent days, I have been reflecting on the power of the written word. No, not about the articles we write, but more specifically the hand-written notes that are special only to the giver and the recipient.
My friend, Roshan Thiran, wrote an illuminating article in his column in StarBizWeek two days ago about great leaders and where they should spend their time.
According to Roshan, who is CEO of social enterprise Leaderonomics, many businesses have leaders who hardly spend time with their employees and are shocked and surprised when their top talents leave the organisations.
And it’s not always about money.
Roshan quoted the case of Jack Welch, voted Manager of the Century, who understood the value of engaging with his workforce. Welch spent more than 40% of his time internally with his people – teaching them, reviewing his people, talking to them, and even learning from them.
Among the ideas Roshan shared on how a CEO can engage with his workers, I found his first two interesting.
First, know each employee’s contribution to your organisation and let them know you know. Second, constantly reward your best performers even if it’s just a pat on the back or a recognition.
Roshan does not tell the CEO how to do it, but I would suggest that he or she should consider the hand-written note.
These days, communication from the top to the bottom is often through a memo on the company’s notice board or transmitted electronically. It may serve its purpose but it is highly impersonal.
Imagine, if you start work today, and are already feeling the Monday blues, and you see a Post-It note stuck on your computer screen that says, “Thanks for clinching the sale on Friday. Well done! – The Boss”.
When I was editor of Sunday Star, I had to work into the early hours of Sunday. When I reached home, there was always a special soup brewing in the slow cooker.
And a note from my wife, expressing her thanks to me for being the breadwinner. And she expressed it differently each week. It makes all the hard work worthwhile.
I am thankful that the postman does not just deliver me bills but I still get the occasional hand-written letters and cards from near and far that light up my life.
And I can only imagine how lives are lit up when we ourselves take the initiative to send out such letters.
·Deputy executive editor Soo Ewe Jin agrees with Roshan that people don’t leave companies, they leave managers. And the journey to become an engaging leader is easy – simply spend time with your employees. And Post-It notes are not that expensive, even for a Penangite.
Monday Starters - By Soo Ewe Jin
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