Managing A New Role
Tell us about your current role as a career development associate at Talentport. Were there any challenges or lightbulb moments?
I’m actually quite new at this job because I started since last September 2022, so it has almost been two years. While attending the Management Essentials back then, I managed one intern beside me, and I gathered many insights from that experience.
I was a little unsure of how to delegate jobs to the intern as I was still quite new as well. I felt that I couldn’t share my tasks with my intern because I was afraid she would do wrong things or add on to my workload after making mistakes.
After starting the sessions with NewCampus, I was given many chances to practice in class with my peers, like talking to them and learning how to communicate when I need to delegate something. I also gained work-related and professional problem solving skills, which will be perfect knowledge I can use for my next career in the future.
After starting the sessions with NewCampus, I was given many chances to practice in class with my peers, like talking to them and learning how to communicate when I need to delegate something. I also gained work-related and professional problem solving skills, which will be perfect knowledge I can use for my next career in the future.
Learning How to Delegate
You mentioned that one of the learning you got was from giving tasks and trusting your intern. Can you share more about that?
Sure. Because I’m a recruiter, I have several goals in my pipeline, and I need to share one of those goals with my intern so she can start sourcing for information from scratch. When I was explaining to her, I thought it was hard because I had to explain the entire goal from scratch with her. It took many times for her to understand what I’m saying and what the role is about.
After learning how to delegate in a professional way, I can finally share more about this role with her. It seems like she’s doing well. I’m still grateful because I could let her know how it worked, the structure and how to source for information from scratch.
A Shift in Mindset: Implementing a Flexible Leadership Approach
Was there a mindset shift that you got from NewCampus’ Management Essentials?
During those times, what I did was try to reach out to her and ask what she was confused about. Previously before NewCampus’ Management Essentials, I would let her do her own things, and figure it out by herself because I’m not someone who would keep telling and explaining to her. I would rather she come to me if she really isn’t able to find it.
After NewCampus’ Management Essentials, I believe that everyone has their way of working that makes them comfortable.
After NewCampus’ Management Essentials, I believe that everyone has their way of working that makes them comfortable.
Because my intern was older than me, I think that might have held her back from talking to me. After Management Essentials, I learnt that I need to do things differently for her. I’ll try to ask her privately and make it more casual, but still in a professional way.
It was a change in mindset that came after Management Essentials. Everyone is different, so we need to try to approach them in different ways.
I like hearing how this learning actually tightens the relationship between you and your intern. And does that also happen for your team or your manager?
Our teams are quite small, we have one manager in Singapore and two recruiters in Indonesia, so I work with that one manager only. As my other colleagues joined the second batch of Management Essentials, my manager pointed out that we have changed from before.
I know it takes time to change, I think we’re now more talkative when sharing insights and I’m not afraid to talk to her just because she’s my manager.
Previously, we’ve been afraid to share our thoughts about things, but now we are able to share what we are not comfortable with, and how each other can improve and grow in certain areas.
Previously, we’ve been afraid to share our thoughts about things, but now we are able to share what we are not comfortable with, and how each other can improve and grow in certain areas.
Working with Different Cultures Remotely
Since your colleagues also joined the Management Essentials, is there a shared idea or framework that you have with your colleagues?
We did it once because we work remotely and barely meet each other. But when I met her, we shared about the people we meet. In my group, there are lots of sales directors and sales managers from Singapore, Indonesia, and Philippines.
But on her side they are more from Vietnam and Myanmar. So we can discuss about the different cultures. It is also a good opportunity because we can learn from each other and apply this for the future when we become managers.
Takeaways from Management Essentials: Understanding Urgency and Importance
What are the golden nuggets you got from Management Essentials?
The main thing I have learnt is how we can prioritise our tasks with the Eisenhower matrix. It has made my work easier while I’m doing my tasks, especially for remote work. It has helped me differentiate what is important and good for the company, and what is not important but urgent, or what is urgent and important.
This has made a good impact on my work life, especially when I’m managing the tasks that I have. It makes my work more efficient and productive.
