AFTER serving Atlas Rotary for 24 years, Derek, 48, resigned                                                                                          
as QC manager, in a moment of anger. It pained him to think                                                                                           
that this was his first job. He also realised that it was                                                                                             
folly on his part to believe that loyalty and commitment in                                                                                           
his employer was the right thing to do.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
What triggered Derek to resign was the announcement by his MD                                                                                         
that he (Derek) will be transferred to Ho Chi Mink City as the                                                                                        
QC manager of the newly set up operation.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
In Derek's mind, the root cause of his troubles is the MD's                                                                                           
secretary. Jennifer. During a management meeting, Derek spoke                                                                                         
out against appointing Jennifer the new personal manager when                                                                                         
the post fell vacant. All the other department heads kept an                                                                                          
uneasy silence as they did not dare to offend Jennifer, who                                                                                           
happens to have an extraordinary relationship with the MD and                                                                                         
also notorious for her vindictive character.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
So, even after her appointment as personnel manager, Jennifer                                                                                         
schemed against Derek, his department and his suppliers. The                                                                                          
last straw for Derek was the announcement of transfer to                                                                                              
Vietnam.                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
Question: If you had to advise a young man or woman so that he                                                                                        
or she does not get into the situation Derek finds himself,                                                                                           
how would you do it?                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
# LOH WOOILIP, of Boustead Shipping Agencies, Kuala Lumpur,                                                                                           
writes:                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
DEREK, as QC manager at Atlas Rotary, has failed in the                                                                                               
following ways:                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
1. He under-estimated the influence Jennifer has over the MD,                                                                                         
or has been unaware of the negative actions Jennifer is                                                                                               
capable of taking. He realised the latter only too late to do                                                                                         
anything. So, out of frustration he resigned.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
2. He was insensitive to social politics that takes place in                                                                                          
organisations all the time. For instance, all the other                                                                                               
department heads were careful not to offend Jennifer as they                                                                                          
are well aware of her vindictive character.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
3. By speaking out openly against Jennifer during a management                                                                                        
meeting, Derek had singled himself out for vengeful acts by                                                                                           
Jennifer.                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
What Derek should have done was:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
1. As QC manager, he should minute down his subordinates                                                                                              
feedback. For example, when Johnny confided in Derek that                                                                                             
'some people in the personnel department were making life very                                                                                        
unpleasant" for him Derek should raise this issue during                                                                                         
regular department meeting.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
We can assume that with his loyalty and commitment to the                                                                                             
company, he (Derek) will get Es subordinates' support when he                                                                                         
take steps to be protective of them in this particular case,                                                                                          
Johnny. And should the "trouble-mak continue to harass or                                                                                        
irritate Jo Johnny, Derek should then bring the mat ter up                                                                                            
with the factory manager.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
2. After confirming that Jennifer is behind those irritating                                                                                          
acts Derek should get the factory managers' help i dealing                                                                                            
with the problem.  The crux d the matter here is that Derek                                                                                           
should call for the co-operation, support and unity of as many                                                                                        
colleagues as possible to deal with Jennifer.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Loh believes that if he had the co-operation and support of                                                                                           
the other department managers to voice their objection to the                                                                                         
appointment of Jennifer as their new personnel manager then                                                                                           
the MD would not be able to single out Derek for punitive                                                                                             
actions. In fact, if the management team speaks in one voice,                                                                                         
the MD would not HA supporting Jennifer and watch his                                                                                                 
organisation "split up" just because of one person.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
In conclusion I would advise those Who are young not to be so                                                                                         
naive as Derek. On the other hand, Derek's naivete may be the                                                                                         
outcome of his lack of exposure as Atlas Rotary was his first                                                                                         
employer and his career growth had been smooth all those 24                                                                                           
years.                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
# JIMMY TING, retired corporate executive, writes:                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
DEREK'S resignation was very impulsive. Even assuing he is                                                                                            
financially independent, few professional men his age would do                                                                                        
such a drastic thing.                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Based on my personal experience, individuals such as Derek                                                                                            
will have reason for regret after they cool down. And if they                                                                                         
do not get another job quickly, they will become very                                                                                                 
remorseful and bitter.                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Unfortunately, many experiences in life can only be learnt                                                                                            
through painful experiences. In this context, those who have                                                                                          
suf fared hardship early in their working life will learn to                                                                                          
be more realistic. They learn that loyalty to an organisation                                                                                         
is often misplaced.                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
A more practical form d loyalty (though not without its risks)                                                                                        
is loyalty to those in power. As a general rule, learn to                                                                                             
tread carefully in the political minefields of an                                                                                                     
organisation.                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Self-centred manager told to put factory back in order                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
CASE STUDY:                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
GAVIN, 36, the factory manager of TCP, was sitting in his                                                                                             
office in Petaling Jaya, staring out of the window.  The clock                                                                                        
on the wall read 5.15pm.                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
He had just got back after a short but very unpleasant                                                                                                
encounter with Lawrence, the manufacturing director of a large                                                                                        
multi-industry corporation in Kuala Lumpur.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
About two hours ago, Gavin received a rough rub-down for the                                                                                          
poor financial performance of the factory headed by him. The                                                                                          
more Gavin tried to defend his actions, the more he got shot                                                                                          
down. And just before he left the boss's room, Lawrence                                                                                               
warned: "You better make amends quickly or else ...."                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
Company Background                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
IN early 1994, Takcos Cement Products Sdn Bhd was acquired by                                                                                         
BRX Berhad, a well-established local conglomerate. TCP, a                                                                                             
manufacturer of prestressed and precast concrete products was                                                                                         
set up more than 15 years ago.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
During the past eight years, the plant had enjoyed healthy                                                                                            
profits and seen expansions in line with the buoyant                                                                                                  
construction industry.                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Prior to Gavin's appointment as factory manager in mid-1995,                                                                                          
TCP had a work culture that can generally be described as                                                                                             
cordial and co-operative. To outsiders, the relationship                                                                                              
between management and staff appeared easy-going.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
But work gets done. This was reflected in the consistent                                                                                              
achievement of the targeted annual production. And whenever                                                                                           
there were periods of exceptional high demand, the managers                                                                                           
and workers worked closely together to deliver the goods.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
So, there was much camaraderie among the department managers                                                                                          
and mutual respect between the managers and workers. They have                                                                                        
grown to know each other very well over the 15 years and                                                                                              
because of the positive work climate, absenteeism and staff                                                                                           
turnover is very low.                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Many factories in the neighbourhood were envious of TCP's                                                                                             
achievement in this respect as they had to deal with high                                                                                             
rates of resignations and absenteeism.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
The New Environment                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
LESS than half a year after Gavin took charge of TCP, things                                                                                          
slowly started to change. Being ambitious, impatient and                                                                                              
selfcentred, Gavin was not too happy with TCP's output,                                                                                               
managerial style, control measures and so on.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
He felt that the overall performance and profit position of                                                                                           
TCP could be increased by 10 to 15 per cent if he were to run                                                                                         
a tighter ship.                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
What basically he had in mind was to institute tighter                                                                                                
controls over expenditure, wastage, set higher production                                                                                             
targets on a quarterly basis, etc.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
So, in January 1996, during a meeting involving managers from                                                                                         
the sales, production, engineering, administration and                                                                                                
accounting, and logistics departments, Gavin confidently                                                                                              
announced his plans.                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
Not unexpectedly, the various managers looked at each other.                                                                                          
When the more outgoing engineering manager voiced his views,                                                                                          
Gavin replied: "I have been here only six months and almost                                                                                      
all of you have been here since the factory started, I can see                                                                                        
much latent potential in our people.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
"With proper management, and stricter control measures over                                                                                      
small issues such as punctuality, duration of tea and lunch                                                                                           
breaks and so on, we surely can meet the 10 to 15 per cent                                                                                            
increase in production.                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
"During the last few months, I have been monitoring our                                                                                          
factory workers' time-use and I can confidently say that if we                                                                                        
make them more disciplined in time management, our new targets                                                                                        
can easily be reached."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Sensing that it was futile to argue against Gavin's                                                                                                   
viewpoints, the managers nodded their heads in agreement. And                                                                                         
from then on, TCP's participative management style practised                                                                                          
by Gavin's predecessor was replaced by Gavin's autocratic                                                                                             
style.                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
By November 1996, not only TCP's work climate took a change in                                                                                        
the opposite direction. Gavin's planned higher output and                                                                                             
reduced production costs did not materialism.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
In December, when representatives from the external auditing                                                                                          
company came to do their annual checks, the leader of the                                                                                             
auditing team, Rosalind, sensed the change. The first person                                                                                          
she asked happened to be the production manager. Already in                                                                                           
his mid-50s and with an introverted personality, the manager                                                                                          
just smiled and did not say anything.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Curious, Rosalind took every opportunity to find out something                                                                                        
new about this gloomy work environment. By the time the                                                                                               
auditing assignment was over, she was pretty sure the man                                                                                             
responsible for this negative change was Gavin, a brash                                                                                               
mechanical engineer with an MBA and a personality most TCP                                                                                            
staff would describe as egotistic.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
Shelling From Manufacturing Director                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
IN early January 1997, Lawrence, the manufacturing director in                                                                                        
headquarters, summoned Gavin.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
"I have gone through the production statistics and the                                                                                           
statement of accounts and what I see is a rather dismal                                                                                               
picture. Not only output is down, the operating costs have                                                                                            
gone up by eight per cent. Now, I have also had a word with                                                                                           
our human resource manager and I must say I was impressed by                                                                                          
your past 10 years' track records. Tell me what had gone                                                                                              
wrong," said Lawrence.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
Gavin tried to be defensive. He narrated briefly his                                                                                                  
observation about TCP's latent potential and his plan that                                                                                            
output can be increased and costs reduced with better                                                                                                 
management.                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
The conversation continued with intermittent sharp questioning                                                                                        
from Lawrence. The more Gavin tried to defend his managerial                                                                                          
approach the more Lawrence became agitated.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
After 10 minutes, Lawrence remarked: "Are you aware that the                                                                                     
shop-floor workers and the five department heads find you                                                                                             
unreasonable and difficult to work with. one of their main                                                                                            
complaints against you is that you are so self-centred and                                                                                            
therefore insensitive to your people's needs. As the head of                                                                                          
the factory, you have got the factory into this mess. How do                                                                                          
you expect me to explain this situation to my boss?"                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
After a brief pause, Lawrence continued in a more subdued but                                                                                         
still serious tone: "I know your elder brother well. But work                                                                                    
is work. Corporations succeed by being productive and more                                                                                            
competitive than our rivals.  Otherwise, we go out of                                                                                                 
business. I will give you six more months.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
"By end-June, I want to see TCP's profit and loss and                                                                                            
production performance back to end-1995's figures. And when                                                                                           
that is achieved, you get another six months to show that you                                                                                         
can manage the factory, otherwise ....                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Question: If you were Gavin, what would you have to do?