“Having served in Bhutan, I came back because of aging parents, and also to serve my own country. And as part of rediscovering my own country, I have signed up to be a facilitator with you.” With that remark, I introduced myself to my assigned group of public service participants.
Over 2 separate days, I had a wonderful time, and enjoyed myself more than I expected. One of the main draws of the past 6 years in Bhutan were the participants I worked with over there – eager to learn, humble, passionate for their kingdom, and intellectually stimulating to engage with. I found all these ingredients with this group of public servants as well.
Mr A – The Able Legal Eagle
A was in the legal profession. But if he represented the future of the legal profession, then it bodes very well indeed, for he was both sharp and yet humble, personable and penetrating. He took notes judiciously, listened intently, and often stopped us to ask questions with an unabashed curiosity that was both refreshing and invigorating.
Mr B – The Man of Mystery
B was a person of mystery. It was a palpable aura that exuded from both his profession and his personality. Yet, when I listened to him, I found him normal, though not at all ordinary. Like us, he was still subject to the normal vicissitudes of life. Yet, because of his extraordinary work environment, he has many unique leadership lessons to share with the group. I wish I could have had more time to listen to his stories, even if it meant signing a non-disclosure agreement!
Mr C – In Senior Management
C was part of senior management in education. A young father, his personal sojourn mirrored his professional journey. Both have brought him to a cross-road of learning. I was struck by his intentionality to grow in both areas. Unfortunately, he became ill and was given more than a week of medical leave. The last I heard, he had felt better, and had rejoined the class. Such passion to learn!
Ms D – The Developer of People
D typically spoke in a quiet voice, but when she spoke, the rest of the group tuned in immediately. She was the de facto coach amongst the group, for she spoke from the wisdom of having tended to scars and attended to introspection. As a coach myself, I could not help but appreciate her quiet inner light and soothing demeanour that easily drew others out. I felt privileged to simply sit and savour her craft!
Ms E – The Experienced Practitioner
The next person was E. Like D, E was also a fount of wisdom. The slight difference I perceived was the source of the wisdom which, in E’s case, was drawn from both praxis and people. As a result, her wisdom was coloured by life and by personality. Her quips were always to the point and on point, and quite a few were quotable quotes. She was such fun!
Ms F – The Firm and Principled
F, the last participant in the group, was a firebrand of passion and clear conviction. She too, was wise in her own ways, her wisdom firmly founded on her own spirituality and tested in the forges of adversity. I have seen many who are passionate for their religion, some Buddhists, some Christians, some Muslims. In my conversations with them, the ones that remained at the level of religious discourse have at times turned divisive. The conversations that transcended religiosity into spirituality have enriched well-defined worlds with the realities experienced by others. M had such passion for her own religion and yet was open to the worlds of others. I liked that in her.
And then there’s me – the Facilitator who was paid to learn from them
Though I was tired out by my own endeavours in recent days, I felt invigorated by my interactions with these public servants. Through them, I have come to learn a bit more about this Singapore that I left behind. More importantly, I felt assured that Singapore would be in safe hands if these public servants represented the spectrum of sons and daughters of Singapore.
