Challenge Jan/Feb 2014 - Why Is This Cover Pink? by Challenge Online

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January

February 2014

C O N T E N T S

Cover Story

A TIP FOR POLICY-MAKING: NUDGE, NOT SHOVE

geometry

Drawing

Why Behavioural Insights could improve public services and policies

RESPECT IS THE WORD

FACES TO WATCH These officers’ ingenuity has made a difference to their work

Improve intergenerational relationships by showing respect

CUNNING HANDS, CRAFTY LECTURER

An officer shares her love for handmade dolls, bags and jewellery

JAN/FE B 2014

the challe nge pullou

The Home Issue 20 UPDATE 3 WAYS TO YOUR HOME

ways to Simple, affordablespace. liven up your

21 SPA-IFY YOUR BATHRO OM

WC Turn your humble into a luxe retreat.

22 CREATIV E STORAGE TOYS PLACES FOR

over No more tripping dolls. toy cars and

25 AND KEEP COOL CARRY ON the How to beat heat at home.

Dai J. Y. writing by Research & by Chen Jingting Ong by Ryan

Edited Illustration Design &

8 pages to help you

spiff up your home!

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”. never finished r’s house is goes, “A carpente mallets, the adage rings old saying that s and our homes There is an with hammer ways to make may not work lly search for And while we do with a bit of us who continua in the house that could of true for many corner or even a piece always some new lights, , or better. There’s coat of paint, , for instance – be it a fresh our – having children of spiffing up and adjust to ce life changes must change we experien too, as And homes, a residenc e art. parents – our or are sharing ge guide that caring for elderly r you have your own place ng in this eight-pa Whethe new needs. you’ll find somethi e, we trust sweeter one. happier and with someon home a better, will make your

“LOYALTY IS A TWO-WAY THING”

DON’T THINK OUT OF THE BOX – ENLARGE IT! A new way to think about creativity

Permanent Secretary (Transport) Pang Kin Keong’s candid take on his career and the lessons he has learnt

A HIGH PRESSURE JOB Challenge follows an MOM officer as he inspects pressure vessels in a waste-to-energy plant

02 Inbox Your views on the November/December issue of Challenge 03 Your Say Who or what gives you the best ideas at work? Readers share their views 04 All Things Digital The latest happenings online 05 #hearmeout Thoughts of a young public officer 05 Get Wired Tips to be more tech-savvy at work 06 The Briefing News from the Public Service 16 Get Fresh Ideas Here Attend these talks to bring out the innovator in you 19 The Challenge Pullout: The Home Sweet Home Issue 8 pages of tips to spiff up your home 27 Letters to a Young Public Officer: A Mission Made Possible Dr Law Song Seng on his challenging but meaningful journey in revamping ITE 30 Co-creating Solutions that Fly Officers use design thinking to improve support for persons with disabilities from mainstream schools 32 Strokes of Genius Guangyang Primary’s action-packed Chinese lesson programme is a winner at the PS21 ExCEL Awards 2013 36 Level Up: Who’s Doing What in a Conversation? Improve workplace dialogues to boost creativity and strengthen relationships 40 Life.Style: In the Heartlands, Life is Sweet A whimsical take on local bakeries 40 Irreverent Last Page: What’s Up With Singa? Singa’s enjoying his retirement… or is he?

publisher PS21 Office, Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office 100 High Street, #07-01 The Treasury Singapore 179434 Email: psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg Web: www.challenge.gov.sg For enquiries or feedback on Challenge, please write to the Challenge Editorial Team at psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg. Editorial Advisors Keith Tan & Charlene Han Editor Tan Hui Min Assistant Editors Kaira Peh & Christopher Teo

Get Inspired for 2014!

Editorial Assistant Daphne Liew Tuber Productions Pte Ltd 298 River Valley Road Level 2 Singapore 238339 Tel: 6836-4030 Fax: 6836-4029 Email: info@tuberproductions.com Web: www.tuberproductions.com

Welcome to our annual innovation issue! It’s a Challenge tradition to dedicate the Jan-Feb issue to celebrating new approaches, innovations and innovators so we can fuel up on fresh ideas and perspectives for the year ahead.

management Director Lee Han Shih

Cover story A Tip for Policy-making: Nudge, not Shove explores the field of Behavioural Insights, an approach governments around the world, including Singapore, are adopting in a quest to help people make better choices. Just before writing this, I went for lunch and picked dishes off a menu because of the Healthier Choice Symbol next to them. When I open my letter box and see an envelope with a pink slip inside, alarm bells go off in my head as I wonder which bill Hubby and I forgot to pay. This is usually followed by a short nag from me about how we shouldn’t be so careless and a quick run to the neighbourhood AXS station to immediately make payment. The symbol and pink paper are subtle cues which have successfully “nudged” me towards certain behaviours. Another commonly bandied approach to innovating is thinking outside the box. But in Don’t Think Outside the Box, Enlarge it! talent developer Dr Senthu Jeyaraj argues that having any box at all is limiting. One way to move beyond the confines of your “box” is to do something different. Get started with Get Fresh Ideas Here, which gives a rundown of talks around town that get your brain juices flowing and you out of your comfort zone. In addition, don’t miss our features on some winners of last year’s PS21 ExCEL Awards. Strokes of Genius is about how teachers at Guangyang Primary School are helping children learn Chinese through body movements. Meanwhile Faces to Watch showcases four innovators whose ingenuity is making a difference at their workplaces. So get inspired and get going for a fantastic 2014!

Project Director Liew Wei Ping

editorial Editor-in-chief Bridgette See Contributing Editor Chen Jingting Sub-editor Bernice Tang Staff Writer Siti Maziah Masramli Contributors Richard Hartung, He Yining, Kate Lilienthal & Sheralyn Tay

creative Art Director Yip Siew Fei Graphic Designers Ng Shi Wei & Ryan Ong Contributing Photographers John Heng (www.daphotographer.com) Norman Ng (www.normanng.com) Lumina (www.animulstudio.com) Challenge is published bimonthly by Tuber Productions Pte Ltd (Registration No: 200703697K) for PS21 Office, Public Service Division, Prime Minister’s Office. Copyright of the materials contained in this magazine belongs to PS21 Office. Nothing in here shall be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written consent of PS21 Office. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of PS21 Office or Tuber Productions Pte Ltd and no liabilities shall be attached there to. All rights reserved. All information correct at time of printing.

Printed by KHL Printing Co Pte Ltd (Registration No: 197801823M) 57 Loyang Drive Singapore 508968

Editor Tan Hui Min P.S. For inspiration for the heart (instead of mind), this issue’s A Cuppa With… is a must read. Permanent Secretary (Transport) Pang Kin Keong speaks candidly about his close brush with career death and the lessons he learnt during that difficult period.

e Please shagarzine :) a this m

INBOX Challenge has a good mix of articles and it is a

pleasure to read the light-hearted ones, which are

accompanied by interesting layouts and colourful illustrations.

It is a light-hearted magazine with interesting anecdotes. Challenge repackages public sector issues into bite-sized

information and gives refreshing insights on them. – Kelly Koh, HDB

– Poh Ying Xia, JTC

Now available on iPad

Thanks, Hui Min and team, for Challenge.

It has always been an interesting read and my kids and I always look forward to the next issue. When I brought

the November/December 2013 issue back home one night, my boy immediately showed me his newly completed “map” that is similar to what was printed in the little booklet on the Land Transport Master Plan 2013. Thanks!

I’m new to PSD, but I just want to say that

I’ve enjoyed Challenge very much.

Yay, print! – Tan Mike Tze, PSD

– Ong Ai Ling, PSD

Jargon Watch Public Service Jargon

Tech Jargon

CRM = Customer Relationship Management, which describes systems that integrate feedback and data from different sources

Astroturfing = creating a false impression of widespread support for a person, product, or policy. This is done using multiple fake online identities (termed ‘sock puppets’) to mislead others into believing that this support is rife. Examples include fake positive reviews for books or restaurants, and even political campaigns.

CPN = Community Partnership Network, a division of the Land Transport Authority that engages various communities in Singapore on land transport issues

If you would like a jargon or acronym explained, email us at psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg

www.challenge.gov.sg January/February 2014

Your Say

Who or what gives you the best ideas at work? If we want to create ideas, we should let go of our mental “restrictions and barriers”. How does humour help? Take [animation studio] Pixar, where “jovial discussion” animates their culture. In Little Bets, Peter Sims writes that a playful environment is most helpful when incubating or hatching ideas – the more ideas you hatch, the more you can innovate. In her new book Love 2.0: How Our Supreme Emotion Affects Everything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become, psychologist Barbara Fredrickson shows how micro-moments of positivity resonance are generated – when you share a laugh with someone, you’re not only mirroring the person’s body language and tone of voice, but also prompting mutual understanding and quick creation of ideas. I often get the “ah-ha” moment when my colleagues and I share jokes. Ever noticed how you get inspired when you laugh? G NINY N I R W NT E

– Edwin Zhang, MOE Congratulations, Edwin! We agree that humour is seriously needed to spur creativity, so we’re giving you two $50 tickets to Happy Ever Laughter: Standup Comedy Madness featuring the local scene’s most acclaimed comedians. Enjoy!

Communication shows the myriad perspectives on an issue; and more often than not, in one of those angles lies the key to the issue. Communication at the workplace should not be stigmatised as endless ramblings or useless coffee-break gossips, but as inspiration towards innovation. Bill Gates once declared, “I’m a great believer that any tool that enhances communication has profound effects in terms of how people can learn from each other, and how they can achieve the kind of freedoms that they are interested in.”

The small and simple things in life give me the inspiration for ideas at work. For example, can planning be done in a different way if a dirt track around my HDB lift tells me that people prefer to take this path instead of the formally built way? My little write-up used for a speech can give me an idea of the “big picture”. A lunch discussion with colleagues can become a brainstorming session and a lazy Sunday afternoon with my loved one can lead to a breakthrough in thinking to prepare for Monday.

– Thinagaran S K, SPF

– Tang Weylin, NRF

Those in top management need to tell their subordinates that questioning the status quo is not only permitted, but recommended. There is no incentive for an employee to share his ideas or put his creativity to use at work if he is afraid of stepping on toes. When employees are able to voice their opinions freely without fear of reprisal, then true innovation can take place.

My team values learning and relationships. There are drawings all over the office capturing our ideas and developments at work. We often share discoveries and challenge norms. You can also find sports equipment, books, magazines, photos, toys, articles, pictures, quotes and snacks for anyone to enjoy anytime. The generous psychological “space” helps me to generate some of my best ideas at work.

– Gavin Tay, SPF

– Ruth Ng, SSC

With 2014 being the 20th anniversary of the International Year of the Family, tell us a memorable moment you’ve shared with your parents and/or children. Tell us at psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg. The best entry will win an attractive prize worth up to $100! All other published entries will win book vouchers worth $30 each. Please include your name, agency email address, agency and contact number. All entries should reach us by February 4, 2014.

All Things Digital

GODIGITAL

thumbs Up

Exclusively on Challenge Online at www.challenge.gov.sg Time your way to greater productivity Studies show multitasking may actually hinder productivity. Find out how to focus at work.

The other side of creativity Facing a mental block at work? Try the ‘candle problem’ to kickstart your creativity.

bit.ly/timeyourway

bit.ly/othersideofc

Snack smart to power through work Discover some healthy snacking options to boost creativity and productivity.

Do you see a duck or rabbit? Test your creativity with a simple ‘duck or rabbit’ illusion.

bit.ly/snacksmart

bit.ly/duckorrabbit

To scan QR codes, please download any free QR code reader app available on iTunes Store and Google Play.

SPOTTED ON CUBE A winning submission in Project Tomorrow’s Post ‘n’ Poll campaign aims to provide new parents with much-needed help. IRAS’s Nicholas Beh suggests: “First-time parents face many challenges and uncertainties, especially in the first year following the birth of their child... The government can provide a concierge service for young first-time parents, charging a small fee to cover operating costs. First-time parents can call a number and request for hiring of a nanny, diaper delivery, vaccination appointments, etc. They can also ask for advice on issues relating to their child... Private corporations are unlikely to provide such services, as it is probably unprofitable, which is why the government should fill this gap in service.” To read more, search for the ‘Project Tomorrow’ tag on Cube at www.cube.gov.sg Have an idea to make Singapore better? Submit it through Cube or download the Post ‘n’ Poll app for iOS and Android!

digital chatter What people are saying about Singapore online.

“The film (Ilo Ilo) received a 15-minute standing ovation at its (Cannes) screening – news that shocked many back in the city-state, where people are more familiar with seeing top rankings in economic, not artistic, indices.” – Adrianna Tan, for Wired magazine (August 8, 2013)

www.challenge.gov.sg September/October 2013

On Cube, we polled you on your favourite apps. The most popular were:

Total number of votes 78 1. WhatsApp 47% 2. Facebook 18% 3. Maps 10% 4. Others 25%

Participants also recommended: Pocket, which allows you to save interesting articles for reading later, even without data or an Internet connection.

CPT NICKY NAH KAH WEI SSO Resource Planning, SCDF Heart4life: This app keeps track of your heart health, teaches you how to do CPR and helps you to assess your heart risk. mySCDF: SCDF’s free app has a ‘Fire Safety Feedback Module’ and a guide on using fire extinguishers. The first module lets users report fire hazards. Users can take a picture of the hazard, write a brief description, and send it to SCDF for investigation.

LUCIAN TEO Head (Strategy), Digital Communications, NPTD Personal digital infrastructure: I pair Dropbox with Day One (dayoneapp.com) for joint journaling of personal memories with my wife, and sync it with 1Password (bit.ly/1passw), which encrypts but allows access to all my passwords across multiple devices. Good reads: The Ender’s Game series is a must for Sci-fi fans. Josh Kaufman’s The Personal MBA is a great alternative to blowing cash on an MBA; So Good They Can’t Ignore You is an insightful read about personal careers.

#hearmeout

Get Wired

Thoughts of a young public officer in 140 words.

Screen saver Screenshots are useful for capturing a text message thread in an image, requesting help with software bugs, and more. On a PC The Print Screen keyboard button saves an image of your screen to the clipboard (computer’s shortterm memory). Open any graphics programme, such as Adobe Photoshop or Paint, and hit Ctrl+V to retrieve and save the screenshot. More options: bit.ly/scnsht On a Mac There are at least four ways to snap your screen. A full or partial screenshot can be saved directly into a folder or copied from the clipboard. You can customise keyboard shortcuts for each method. More options: bit.ly/macshots On your phone This depends on your smartphone model. iPhones and many Android phones take a screenshot when the sleep and home buttons are pressed at the same time. Be sure to wait for a shutter sound, which indicates that a screen shot has been saved.

Working in the Public Service has definitely not been an easy journey. There have been a lot of ups and downs, such as when it comes to managing conflicts with colleagues because of different expectations at work. I wasn’t a relational person before I joined the Service, but now I have learnt that in every situation, it’s important to listen and try to understand the needs of the other person, instead of holding onto my own stubbornness. At times there isn’t an ideal solution, but there’s always a best solution for each situation when we learn to respect each other’s views. Also, sometimes the output is not what we expected though we work well together. But what’s important is not to let these setbacks discourage us. We need to keep persevering no matter how tough it gets. – Zheng Qingyu, Executive Engineer, Land Transport Authority

Say it like this: Web service aggregator IFTTT (www.ifttt.com) rhymes with ‘gift’ (without the soft ‘g’ sound)

Seamless browsing Need to go from desktop to mobile? Learn how to access tabs opened in multiple devices. Across all devices, install Google’s Chrome browser and sign in to your Google account. On computers, go to ‘History’ to see all the open tabs in your phone, laptop and other devices. On your phone, find the tabs under Menu > Other devices.

The BRIEFING

Coming Up

50 Years of Television: An Exhibition

Mr Lawrence Wong, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, unveiling the “Kampong Art” piece put together by MCCY staff to commemorate the ministry’s first anniversary.

Remember when you gathered to watch TV at the community centre or your neighbour’s home? 50 Years of Television: An Exhibition celebrates the arrival and development of the television and how it has shaped our lifestyles since 1963. It also examines TV’s role in narrating the nation’s defining moments. Till January 19 at Stamford Gallery, Level 1, National Museum of Singapore. Free.

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY, MCCY! The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) celebrated its first anniversary on November 1, 2013. Said Permanent Secretary Yeoh Chee Yan: “In one short year, we’ve shown that MCCY is an active champion for a shared culture and an engaged community. We are also champions for a closer partnership between the people, public and private sectors to serve the common good.” Besides highlighting the achievements in areas such as arts and heritage, sports, and youth engagement in “inspiring the human spirit”, she added: “My birthday wish for MCCY is that we continue to create an environment where people are empowered to pursue their aspirations, give back to society and work together to make Singapore home.”

Singapore Airshow 2014 Asia’s largest aerospace and defence exhibition will boast static aircraft and stunning aerobatic displays, with the pilots available for photo-taking with visitors and autograph-signing. Tickets priced at $22 (adults) and $9 (children age 3-12); free for children below age 3. Prices include a two-way shuttle transfer from Singapore Expo. February 15–16, at Changi Exhibition Centre. www.singaporeairshow.com

DESIGN FOR PUBLIC GOOD WEEK How might the Public Service use design thinking in its policies and services to improve citizens’ lives? Last November, The Human Experience Lab, Public Service Division, in collaboration with the Civil Service College and ThinkPlace Australia, organised the Design for Public Good Week to offer some answers. Feedback from over 400 public officers who participated in a suite of activities – a conference, master class, boot camps, round-table discussions and more – has been largely positive. One participant shared: “The sharing [of case studies] by agencies was inspiring and brought the design thinking concepts to life.” To view photos or find out more, join the design thinking group on Cube, or email jason_leow@psd.gov.sg.

www.challenge.gov.sg January/February 2014

Photo by the Singapore Philatelic Museum

Seeing is Believing: Unusual Stamps Exhibition Be tickled by how the humble postage stamp can come in so many looks, smells and tastes. Some glow in the dark, taste of chocolate, emit fragrances and play folk songs. Think that stamps are only made of paper? Wait till you see those made of lace and wood. At Singapore Philatelic Museum until May 4. Free admission for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents.

Feature

Faces to Watch TEXT BY CHEN JINGTING PHOTOS BY JOHN HENG ART DIRECTION BY YIP SIEW FEI

Look out for these PS21 ExCEL Awards 2013 Innovation Champions who have improved work processes and public services with their bright ideas and zeal.

Master Sergeant (MSG) Murugesan S/O Subramaniam

Instructor of Basic Training Wing, Signal Institute, Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) MSG Murugesan may be a soldier through and through (he addresses this writer as “Ma’am”), but his interests certainly go beyond military craft. Inspired by the visual thinking processes used by Apple in its product design, the self-starter signed up for courses in innovation and facilitation skills. Later, he developed his own framework and conducted several sessions with other trainers and leaders to generate ideas on improving training for trainees at the Signals Formation. The Formation provides communication and digital support to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). An idea borne out of these sessions was to build a simulation software for hardware firewall training. MSG Murugesan picked up basic programming skills and motivated his teammates to help him to build this software. The program mimics the qualities of a hardware firewall and enables Signals trainees to receive realistic training in a “live”, simulated environment. This saved the SAF nearly $500,000 and many man-hours of training. For the MINDEF/SAF Outstanding WITS Leader in 2012 and 2013, his dream invention is a program that can “capture the fleeting moments of human brilliance (such as that of Steve Jobs and Einstein) and make it available for future generations to build on”.

Supt Peh Chye Hock Thomas

Deputy Commander (Ground Operations), Woodlands Command, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority Supt Peh sounds a little hesitant to be called “innovative”. “I’m not very innovation-minded, but my job [as the former Deputy Commander for Counter Terrorism and Security] required me to be,” he says modestly. Last year, in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Science and Technology Officer at the Ministry of Home Affairs, the then head of security spearheaded the set-up of the Woodlands Analytical (Chemical) Laboratory to make border control more robust. Officers are able to analyse and detect “security sensitive materials” (such as bomb-making substances) within a short period of time. The speed and precision of the screening also reduce undue delay in the clearance of travellers and goods at the border. The empathetic leader was also privy to the difficulties faced on the ground. When he realised that officers at the Bus Hall were facing a spike in traveller volume, he quickly led a team to implement changes such as installing railings to enable more people to queue in an orderly manner. Though Supt Peh has been redeployed to other job areas, he hasn’t stopped working with colleagues to enhance security at the Woodlands checkpoint. They already have a joint initiative in the pipeline that leverages new technologies such as intelligent analytics.

www.challenge.gov.sg January/February 2014

Feature

Deng Lu

Research Officer, National Environment Agency (NEA) Mr Deng has a “killer” job. He researches on the growth and behaviour of mosquitoes so that human beings can come up with better ways to eliminate them. The laboratory he works in used to feed live guinea pigs to the mosquito colonies they rear. Not only did this risk attracting the ire of animal lovers, it was a chore handling the creatures in the lab. That was why Mr Deng set out to devise a better way to feed the bloodsuckers. The result: the Sausage Membrane Feeding System, a 3- to 5-cm-long sausage made from synthetic collagen skin and filled with animal blood. Each sausage can satiate 1,000 mosquitoes. It took Mr Deng and his team nearly a year to test and develop the system, which has so far helped the lab to save $40,000. There are more ideas buzzing. He is now testing another “killer” idea – an ultrasonic technology to destroy mosquito larvae in water tanks. “The management gives us a lot of freedom to explore new ideas,” says Mr Deng, the NEA Outstanding Activist of 2013. “[My ideas] have never been rejected before.”

The management gives us a lot of freedom to explore new ideas... [my ideas] have never been rejected before. Alwin Njoo

Head of Department (HOD), Science and Year Head, Teck Whye Secondary School (TWSS) Mr Njoo leads the application of design thinking (DT) in students’ curriculum and enrichment programmes at TWSS. Keen to identify and meet the needs of students, the HOD (Science) has worked with teachers from other departments to develop integrated programmes for students. The TWSS lead DT Champion also won the Ministry of Education (MOE) Outstanding Contribution Awards in 2011 and 2012. “Ideas are my daily energy boosters,” says the gregarious officer, who has been teaching for 16 years. To him, problems are opportunities for innovation. Take the man’s “award-winning idea” to brighten up the “dungeon” on the first level of his school for example. The gloomy corridor dampens the spirits of students who study at the area, he says. To avoid straining the school’s resources, he led the science teachers to design a turbine system that makes use of rain water flowing from the third level to the first to generate electricity. It will be protoyped this year. Thanks to Mr Njoo’s efforts, TWSS has been awarded the Niche Programme Status in DT excellence by MOE.

Text by RICHARD HARTUNG Illustration by MUSHROOMHEAD

Did you turn to this story after seeing the cover? If you did, we just might have succeeded in nudging you to do so with the colour pink. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has also realised the power of pink to get people moving in the right direction. In a trial, sending pink reminder letters instead of the usual white to employers of foreign domestic workers who defaulted on paying levies had prodded more of them to make payment in response (see side story on page 14). It seemed that the employers felt compelled to pay up because the colour reminded them of late reminders sent by phone and utilities companies. Here’s another scenario: A person looks at the back of his Singapore Power (SP) bill and, seeing that his electricity and water usage exceeds that of the average Singaporean, strives to be less wasteful. The above two instances may seem unrelated, but they are actually examples of the use of Behavioural Insights (BI) to subtly influence us to do the “right” thing. BI is based on behavioural economics, which combines psychology with economics and assumes that people don’t always make the best choice – contrary to the assumption of traditional economics that people make rational decisions. As Harvard University’s Professor of Economics David Laibson explained at a recent Civil Service College (CSC) symposium that provided insights on BI for policymakers, “we don’t always follow through and do what we know we should do.” Taking himself as an example, Lai-

Electricity bill

Water bill Please pay: $50 Please pay: $50

Do it later Singapore: Pink reminder letters by utilities companies reinforce the message that people are late in making payment.

A tip for policy-making:

NUDGE, NOT SHOVE Public officers in Singapore and other governments around the world are realising that subtle “nudges”, based on Behavioural Insights, can be more effective than warnings and fines in getting people to make better choices.

www.challenge.gov.sg January/February 2014

Cover Story

Electricity bill

Water bill Please pay: $50

Please pay: $50

Do it now bson said he bought a gym membership because he thought that paying more than $1,000 would incentivise him to exercise, but then found he actually only used it a few times a year even though he had good intentions and knew he should get more exercise. Rather than setting policies assuming that people will always make the best choices, using BI to find out how people actually make decisions can reveal otherwise. With this knowledge, policymakers can create messages using BI methods

It seemed that the employers felt compelled to pay up because the colour reminded them of late reminders sent by phone and utilities companies. that nudge people into acting in the public interest. For instance, the graphs on SP bills use the insight that people follow social norms, so they’ll use less water if they know that’s what other people do. Similarly, people may exercise more or eat more healthily if they know others are doing the same thing. Another method relies on the role of inertia in decision-making: in organ donation programmes or optional retirement savings plans, if people are automatically enrolled rather than having to opt in, the greater will be support for the scheme. Pushing ’em gently Around the world, governments are finding that using BI to persuade people is easier, cheaper and more effective than using fines and stern warnings. The UK’s Revenue & Customs, for example, found that a message saying “9 out of 10 people in Exeter pay their taxes on time”, nudged an extra 15% of late taxpayers to follow the social norm and pay taxes earlier. The “Clean Love to Copenhagen” campaign that put green footprints leading to rubbish bins on the streets reduced litter by 46% as residents followed a nudge that spotlighted good social behaviour. And in the education sector, teachers in French schools use different names for technical drawing after a study found that boys do better if the subject is called “geometry” while girls do equally well or better if it is called “drawing”. With results like these showing the value of BI, many governments have started to set up BI units to nudge people towards making better decisions. Perhaps the best-known is the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) in the UK, also called the Nudge Unit, which was set up

geometry

Drawing

France: A study found that terming technical drawing differently for boys and girls motivates students of both genders to do better in the subject.

soon after David Cameron became prime minister in 2010. BIT works with almost every government department as well as non-profit organisations, companies and even foreign governments. It helps ministries with everything from reducing late tax payments and improving training policies, to evaluating whether advice or a subsidy can nudge businesses to grow faster. “If you have a more intelligent, nuanced account of how people make decisions, you can design policy that is more effective, less costly, and makes life easier for most citizens,” BIT Director David Halpern told The Telegraph. The Market Research Society (MRS), a leading global association for market research professionals, reported that BIT has already saved 22 times its cost. In Denmark, rather than setting up a government unit, Roskilde University and the University of Southern Denmark created a “INudgeYou” team to bring public institutions, non-governmental organisa-

www.challenge.gov.sg January/February 2014

tions (NGOs) and private stakeholders together to develop strategies for “closing the gap between pro-social intentions and actions”. Along with reducing litter, INudgeYou has worked on projects such as prompting for a choice for organ donation in order to increase participation. Singapore inches towards BI While BI is still in the early stages in Singapore, ministries are starting to use it more. “We don’t have a centralised agency organising it,” said Professor Ho Teck Hua, a BI expert and Vice President for research strategy at the National University of Singapore. Instead, BI is “independent bottoms up,” with ministries launching their own BI projects and initiating nudges on their own. The CSC has been encouraging public officers to use BI. It published Behavioural Economics and Policy Design – Examples from Singapore in 2012 to help policymakers understand BI better, and it runs

MEWR officers use BI for policy formation (from left): Ms Ng Wee Hia, Mr Jason Boh, Ms Deborah Lee and Mr Christopher Tan.

Cover Story

forums to educate public officers. Ministries, including Finance, and Environment and Water Resources (MEWR), have started their own nudge initiatives (see side story below). At the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, for example, a study found that using an SMS reminder increased the percentage of people who paid overdue property taxes before a penalty was imposed from 16% to 47%. And after a study showed that convenience will help people recycle more, MEWR will make recycling easier for households by giving them small recycling boxes. While there is plenty to learn from other countries, Prof Ho also told Challenge it is important to consider the local situation rather than just adopting practices from overseas: “In the Asian context, peer influence plays a stronger role; it (Singapore) is a more conforming society than Western countries. The other thing that is different is people here tend to respect authority a bit more.” The reasons for using BI in Singapore may be different from elsewhere too. CSC Director of Public Economics Dr Thia Jang Ping said that while the UK may use it to reduce government expenditures, the focus here is more to enhance social safety nets sustainably (by encouraging the

Around the world, governments are finding that using BI to persuade people is easier, cheaper and more effective than using fines and stern warnings. adoption of healthy habits, for example), spur more volunteerism and philanthropy, or promote gracious social behaviours. Nudging = manipulating? All the benefits of BI don’t mean it is without controversy. “I am very sceptical of a team promoting nudge policies,” Utah State University economics professor Michael Thomas told Fox News, because nudging “assumes a small group of people in government know better about choices than the individuals making them”. The disapproval could also be moral. Commenting on a UK BIT initiative asking unemployed jobseekers to fill out a questionnaire that claimed to identify their strengths, which was later exposed as a bogus test to “manipulate” people into adopt-

ing “positive thinking”, Jonathan Rowson of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) think tank told MRS that “it’s just manipulating people who are very vulnerable.” Furthermore, the application of behavioural economics to issues of public policy has come under fire, as Carnegie Mellon University Professor George Loewenstein and Duke University Professor Peter Ubel wrote in The New York Times: “It’s becoming clear that behavioral economics is being asked to solve problems it wasn’t meant to address… allowing policymakers to avoid painful but more effective solutions…” For instance, as they pointed out, instead of directly outlawing “thinly disguised bribes” by pharmaceutical firms in the form of gifts to doctors (research has shown that such gifts affect doctors’ decisions), the US government chose the behavioural economics solution of publicising the information on the gifts because theoretically speaking, the information would influence consumers’ choice of doctors. “We have shifted the burden from the industry, which has the power to change the way it does business, to the relatively uninformed and powerless consumer,” the two academics argued. In its defence, Dr Thia said that BI of-

BI to the rescue MEWR may have been using BI longer than other ministries. “The National Environment Agency (NEA) adopted parts of it in outreach programmes in dengue campaigns in 2009 and 2010,” said Deputy Director of the Environmental Policy Division Christopher Tan. In 2012, MEWR formed the Environmental Behavioural Sciences & Economics Research Unit to derive behavioural insights for policy formation. The unit works with other officers in MEWR, NEA and PUB,the National Water Agency, on projects to use economic concepts inenvironmental and water policies. It also offers internal sharing sessions to raise awareness of BI. MEWR has completed studies on household recycling and energy

efficiency, said Senior Assistant Director Ng Wee Hia. For household recycling, the study showed that the main motivator is intrinsic – people recycle because they feel good about contributing to the environment and convenience will help them to recycle more. Using those insights, the NEA is producing small cardboard recycling boxes for households to conveniently separate their recyclables from general waste. For energy, motivations to save electricity are extrinsic and a different approach is needed to show people how they can save money. Mr Tan said they mainly use two tools for their analysis. One is surveys and focus groups. The other

is policy experiments, which can identify some things surveys can’t tell you, since people often are not aware of their cognitive biases. The team is working with the ministry and statutory boards to think of interventions, design experiments, incorporate control groups and design good statistical analysis. “There is a wealth of things that can be done to nudge people for more environmentally friendly behaviour,” Mr Tan said. “With BI, we are trying to think about them harder.”

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It pays to make BIg steps MOM’s BI team (from left): Ms Chew Ee Tien, Ms Teo Ya Chih and Ms Wong Hefen.

The Behavioural Insights and Design Unit at MOM was newly set up to apply BI to improve the design and delivery of MOM’s policies and programmes, and gain a deeper understanding of customer behaviour, said Deputy Secretary (Manpower) Augustin Lee. “The use of BI enables a systematic and evidencebased method to strengthen internal processes and communications to enhance the overall customer experience,” he added. “We want to develop a culture of testing and experimentation in MOM where officers seek to understand customers and do rapid prototyping via RCTs before full-scale implementation, where possible,” Assistant Director Chew Ee Tien said. “We have also conducted many workshops to build capabilities in understanding customer motivation and behaviour, as well as in running RCTs among our officers.” One of their first initiatives was an RCT, conducted by MOM’s Work Pass Division and the Central Provident Fund Board, to nudge employers of foreign domestic workers to make timely levy payments. Some employers default and MOM will send them a letter to remind them to pay. Half of the 1,000 people in the trial received the usual monthly letter on white paper. The other half received a letter printed on pink paper, with a simplified layout and important information made clearer. For example, the outstanding amount is in bold. “Mobile and utilities companies often print their late letter notices on pink paper. As such, the colour reinforces the message that payment is late,” said Ms Chew. The letter also included a statement about the social norm that 96% of employers pay the levy on time. She said the result was a 3-5% improvement in response rate when they sent the pink letter. MOM is now considering the implementation of the new letter. Beyond the trials, Ms Chew added, “We hope that in the longer term we can help officers… develop a mindset of experimentation and willingness to test their hypothesis before deciding whether it will work.”

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Officers need to make choices about policy in any event, and using BI to develop effective nudges could be one way of making that policy work more easily. fers an avenue for policymakers to achieve better outcomes without resorting to legislation or compulsion. This does not mean that officers should ignore traditional economics. “Rather than see the two (traditional economics and BI) as different approaches to policy design, I would like to see them as working together to make economics thinking in policy design more robust and reliable,” he added.

Denmark: Copenhagen encourages citizens to bin their trash by putting green footprints leading to rubbish bins.

Applying BI effectively So how can public officers in Singapore use BI effectively? The first step is for officers to think about nudges like social norms or opt-out rather than opt-in choices that might work better than current policies. They can then leverage the three-step “Test, Learn, Adapt” framework developed by the UK Nudge Unit. In the Test phase, officers can identify two or more policy interventions to compare and then test them using Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT), which are a key to success for BI. As Prof Ho explained it, RCTs start with a control or baseline condition and test a proposed nudge in a small

HOW TO NUDGE ’EM RIGHT According to Dr Thia, there are five essential principles. 1. Don’t assume: What works in one context may not work (or even backfire) in another. 2. Test it out: Conduct proper Randomized Controlled Trials to test the effects of each BI intervention before implementation. 3. Design with the context in mind: Good BI interventions often leverage design thinking; how to make the process most convenient from citizens’ standpoint, so that nudging can be most effective. 4. Re-test assumptions regularly: People’s behaviours change over time, so certain interventions work when first started (novelty factor) but the effects fade over time or with new social norms. 5. Be open to alternatives: Policymakers also have biases and blind spots, so they must continue to be open to criticisms or alternative solutions, bearing in mind that BI interventions should not limit choices.

study to determine whether the nudge will actually work and if it will lead to unintended consequences. In one example, a trial in New York City that added information about calories to fast-food menus on the assumption that people would make healthier choices if they knew how much they were eating found that lower-income people actually bought food with more calories to get more bang for the buck. And a utility company found that comparing electricity usage with others led some people to catch up by using more power rather than less, until they added a smiley face for positive affirmation or a sad face for negative reinforcement. Singapore Workforce Development Agency Assistant Director Cui Shaowen, who recently ran RCTs to understand behavioural drivers of decision-making when it comes to training, told Challenge that “unlike surveys of hypothetical options, RCTs enabled us to observe actual behaviour and outcomes of choices.” The Learn phase involves measuring the results and evaluating the impact. Officers can consider implementing a nudge if the RCT shows it is effective, or avoid problems by testing an alternative or not implementing the nudge if it does not work. Finally, a new practice can be Adapted for a full roll-out and then implemented. But there are limitations. It would be difficult to use RCTs to test ideas that disrupt existing policies or require existing schemes to be put on hold, said Mr Cui. BIg hopes What the application of Behavioural Insights is trying to do, said Prof Laibson, is to develop “interventions” that channel good intentions into action. As ministries have found both here and abroad, BI offers new tools that can lead to the desired outcomes more easily. Officers need to make choices about policy in any event, and using BI to develop effective nudges could be one way of making that policy work more easily.

Text by BRIDGETTE SEE Illustration by MUSHROOMHEAD

Get

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ew e into n . r u t n e v ? o t n I t e ’ s o t i m i t a l timu er ental s count n e m r e v r e n d o l e u h f ou ot rwise wo ved people y Star nd meet ces a spa

Some months ago, a local writer friend shared on Facebook that he had been invited to a talk on “Diametric Strategies for Ultra-Efficient Photovoltaics”. Though at first reluctant, he eventually gave it a go. The result was a hilarious physics-lit mashup on his next Facebook post as he used newly learnt terms like “spectral emission” and “hemi-ellipsoid” to comic effect. The point of this? Do something different occasionally – like what the writer did – even if it makes you a tad uncomfortable. It opens, challenges and stretches the mind, and could spark the innovative spirit in you. So go on and shock your system a little with these picks.

PechaKucha Night Started in Tokyo in 2003 for young designers to network and show their work, this intensely fun meeting of minds is a fast-paced, informal gathering that is pure joy for today’s attention-deficit crowd. Its draw is the 20X20 format: all speeches consist of only 20 slides that last 20 seconds each. There’s no “Next slide” or “Go back one, please” so keep your ears and eyes peeled. Another draw is the well-curated, diverse line-up of local and international speakers. They have included Kenny Leck of independent bookshop BooksActually; Vanessa Kenchington, the lawyer-turned-baker founder of Plain Vanilla bakery (those cupcakes!); and sustainable seafood farmer Shannon Lim. But don’t just come for the ideas; be sure to mingle with the disparate crowd as well. Monthly. Weekday evenings, 7-9pm Venue changes Ticket price varies according to venue www.pechakucha.org/cities/singapore or Facebook page: bit.ly/pechakuchaSG “The lightning-speed format is great for tired civil servants,” said one tired civil servant Don’t expect an in-depth exposition of each topic – you’re supposed to Google or network to find out more

www.challenge.gov.sg January/February 2014

CreativeMornings Singapore This free monthly morning lecture series is a must-go if you want to meet some of Singapore’s creatives in the flesh. It is based on the CreativeMornings concept that designer Tina Roth Eisenberg launched in New York City in 2008. So far, social entrepreneur Pamela Chng of Bettr Barista; Chris Lee, founder of creative agency Asylum; and more recently, Samantha Lo (famous for her infamous graffiti), have been among the featured speakers. There’s a Q&A, so come ready with probing questions. At the unholy hour of 8am, the place is abuzz with people nursing their coffees while they chat and exchange ideas. Espressos, cappuccinos and lattes are $5 each. But bring your own sandwiches. Monthly. Usually on a weekday, 8am Venue changes Free creativemornings.com/cities/sg or www.facebook.com/cmsingapore Get into the office inspired and ready to overwhelm your boss with your brilliant morning You might meet a creative luminary and be tongue-tied, because it’s just too early for the brain to compute

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Centre for Liveable Cities Lecture Series If you didn’t already know, the Centre for Liveable Cities is a local knowledge centre with a focus on sustainable development and urban planning. From a discussion on walking in the city, to drones and robotics in transport and buildings, and a throwback to Singapore’s public housing journey, the talks are highly relevant for city dwellers and the highly engaged audience never fails to ask difficult questions. Free drinks and snacks. Date varies, usually weekdays, 3.30-5pm. Networking starts at 3pm

Platform PLATFORM, an open group on Facebook, is a gathering of Singapore-based photographers and enthusiasts who love how a picture tells a thousand words. Each gathering is generally centred on a theme – e.g., sports, spaces or home – but the format is never fixed. Past sessions have included slide shows, panel dialogues, a movie screening, book launches and even a show-and-tell. With its strong focus on social documentary, the event brings different perspectives of Singapore – some of which many of us may not have noticed before. Every first Tuesday of the month, 7.30-9.30pm National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Road, Singapore 178897

Venue changes Free bit.ly/CLC_lecture Get a sneak peek into the future of cities It’s held during office hours. You need to convince your boss that this talk will make you a better person or employee

Free www.facebook.com/groups/platform.singapore No jargon to contend with. This is a relatively “stress-free” event to go to You might never see Singapore in the same light again and that might make you a tad uncomfortable

Science in the Café This is modelled after the Café Scientifique talks that started in the UK in 1998 where science enthusiasts explore the latest ideas in science and technology over coffee, wine, and in the case of Singapore – catered food. Meant to be non-academic, the Café tries to make the talks accessible and attractive with sessions titled, “Sex, Flies & Tapeworms” or “As I was swimming in the primordial ocean one day…”. The invited speaker – a scientist, technologist, or a taxidermist – starts off with a short presentation, followed by a break and a Q&A. At a recent talk, American palaeontologist Professor Jack Horner shared his theory on “Why some dinosaurs had horns, frills and crests on their heads” (he argues they were for species recognition) to an enthralled full house. Varies but typically on a weekday night, from 7pm Science Centre Singapore, 15 Science Centre Road, Singapore 609081 Free for Science Centre members, $10 for non-members / Pre-registration required as food is catered bit.ly/science_in_cafe You get your fill of “Wow! I never knew that!” moments The trip down to the Science Centre could put you off…

Singapore Makers Meet Up This is a gathering of people who believe in taking things into their own hands. This means an eclectic mix of computer geeks, crafters, 3D printing enthusiasts and designers. Slated speakers get five to 10 minutes to pitch their ideas or to demonstrate their products. Fellow makers then ask questions and even offer up technical, funding or design advice. When the invited speakers are done, anyone is free to take the floor to share their story of how they got hooked onto D-I-Y. With the global revival of D-I-Y and the rise of 3D printing, this is one event to plug into for the latest in the Singapore makers’ scene. Bi-monthly on a weekday night, usually 7-9pm Venue changes Free www.facebook.com/sgmakers You start thinking of a million things you could make… or break Your family isn’t amused by the new lab you’ve just set up in the study room

Insider’s Take

RESPECT is the word

How to get along with people from a different generation? Give them the respect they need, says consultant WENDY TAN. Illustration by MUSHROOMHEAD

It may seem tricky to manage generational differences. But it’s actually quite simple when we realise that though we are different, we all want respect. Respect takes a different meaning across the generations. To increase engagement across the generations, I conducted a “Love ’Em or Lose ’Em” workshop in the Civil Service College recently. Three generations of public officers shared their needs and engagement strategies that work for them. Generation Y A group of Gen Y managers who were participants in the workshop said, “Being the youngest in the workforce, we want to be respected and taken seriously.” A key driving force amongst Gen Y managers is a need to prove their worth, so achievement and recognition become especially important. When we understand this psychological need, we can be more empathetic towards Gen Yers’ behaviours that older generations commonly perceive as being unrealistic, pampered and impatient. Strategies to engage Gen Y managers are 1) rewards, 2) career development and 3) empowerment. Meaningful rewards take the form of public awards and thankyou emails. Other than career progression, involvement in special projects and learning of new skills were also reported to be appreciated. Gen Yers want to be empowered and trusted with responsibilities. This also means being a facilitator or coach to them, rather than being their teacher and telling them what to do. For example, ask them questions to prod their thinking and let them come up with their own answers. Baby Boomers Baby boomers see respect differently. A director from an institute of higher learn-

www.challenge.gov.sg January/February 2014

Part of the past that baby boomers hold onto is their experience accumulated over the decades. Respect for their experience and knowledge takes the form of listening. ing said, “We grew up playing in this old cinema that has been torn down and in its place is a skyscraper now. So change can be disconcerting. Sometimes we want to reminisce because the past is a part of us.” Part of the past that baby boomers hold onto is their experience accumulated over the decades. Respect for their experience and knowledge takes the form of listening. “When you ask for our opinions, please listen. Don’t brush our opinions aside or complete our sentences!” exclaimed another baby boomer manager. She was referring to her younger superiors who perceive her experience as “something irrelevant from the past”. This does not mean baby boomers expect blind agreement to their ideas, because “we can agree to disagree”. Most baby boomers know ultimately the boss, who may be younger than them, makes the decisions. However, earn their respect by showing your understanding that they had a past different from yours. Generation X With much attention placed on tensions between Gen Yers and baby boomers, a Gen X manager described their group as the middle child. “In fact, we are the

ones who face the most pressure from all sides,” he continued. “At work, we are sandwiched between senior management and younger staff. At home, we have young children and elderly parents to take care of.” “Respect our time,” urged another Gen X manager. “When meetings overrun, we are late to pick our kids from childcare and we need to pay fines.” Within this is a need for respect that Gen Xers play many roles – as a parent, child, manager, subordinate and colleague – and are balancing several priorities at the same time. Do not make them choose between family and work, because we know what will give way over time. Flexibility, familyfriendly practices and career growth at a steady pace will help them juggle their different balls. A consultant, writer and founding partner of Flame Centre, Wendy Tan seeks to integrate wholeness in our work and life so that we contribute from our purpose, insight and wisdom. With her background in psychology and organisation development, Wendy works with organisations to develop talents, deepen engagement and increase collaboration. The next “Love ’Em or Lose ’Em” CSC workshop will be on February 21.

Letters to a Young Public Officer A letter from DR LAW SONG SENG Senior Advisor, Ministry of Education, Brunei Darussalam Former CEO, Institute of Technical Education (1992-2007)

A Mission Made Possible

DEAR YOUNG OFFICER, When you’re called to serve in an unfamiliar area, say yes. What may initially appear to be a tall order may well be your “mission made possible”. In 1981, I received the call to serve in the Vocational and Industrial Training Board (VITB), the predecessor of the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). As a young 36-year-old academic in industrial and systems engineering at the National University of Singapore and not knowing much about vocational training, I accepted the assignment. What was supposed to be a two-year secondment lasted 25 years. After all, transforming a system, especially in education, is a long-term undertaking. The task was daunting, the key challenge being the rebranding of the VITB and changing the societal mindset and attitudes towards vocational training. The VITB had long suffered from a poor image, shunned by society as a last resort for failures in schools. But there was hope and excitement when ITE was established in 1992. This policy shift to reposition vocational training at the post-secondary level was the turning point in making ITE’s journey of transformation possible. Rebranding took the combined efforts of the ITE board, management, staff and students. As CEO, I remember having to personally share our plans with principals and teachers through special seminars. I had to consciously make myself accessible to the media through over 200 briefings and interviews. ITE was very transparent with the media about the plans it had. This openness to the media was quite unheard

of in those days, as the Public Service was generally more conservative then. We also strengthened our marketing efforts and introduced publicity campaigns. On hindsight, my lack of experience in vocational training might have been a blessing in disguise as I was not locked in the prevailing mindset about how a vocational institute should be. Being trained as an engineer, I was able to rationalise how different parts of a system (in this case, ITE) should be aligned to form a better system. But first, I had to commit myself to what many viewed as “mission impossible”, and a mission calls for perseverance. For there were times during the transformation process when my team and I questioned ourselves: “Is the effort worth it? How much time and resources should we put into this?” We knew it was going to be tough, but decided to persevere and continued to strive to transform how people viewed vocational institutes. And our labour paid off. The concept of vocational training was challenged and redefined. The traditional system of small

I had to commit myself to what many viewed as “mission impossible”, and a mission calls for perseverance.

“vocational institutes” was transformed into modern mega “regional campuses”. ITE won the inaugural Global IBM-Harvard Innovations Award in Transforming Government in 2007. At the end of 25 years, I’ve also matured as a leader. Strategic plans, initiatives and modern campuses are important building blocks of an institution. But a successful organisation must also have leaders and people who share a common mission, vision and values. Now when I think of leadership I think of teamwork. As a leader, you have to be hands-on. You have to lead by example. You also have to be a mentor to others around you. This culture of commitment and trust among leaders and staff would trickle down to the ground where lecturers engage with students. At ITE, the “ITE Care” culture is what matters most. Students who come to us feel that they have failed, have low self-esteem and are unsure if they have a future. Teachers at ITE need to support and encourage them, and to understand their needs and help them. The success of ITE is measured not by what the management and staff have done, but by the success of the graduates. We may not always be the authors of our life journey but we can say “yes” when we are called to serve, even if it’s beyond our comfort zone. The challenge is to make your next assignment your mission made possible!

Text by SITI MAZIAH MASRAMLI Photos by NORMAN NG

“Loyalty is a two-way thing” For the first time, Mr Pang Kin Keong, now Permanent Secretary for Transport, talks about the escape of Mas Selamat during his watch, and the loyalty lessons he learnt.

www.challenge.gov.sg January/February 2014

If there is anyone in the higher ranks of the Public Service who has had a close brush with “career death”, it would have to be Mr Pang Kin Keong, Permanent Secretary (Transport). Mr Pang was the Director of the Internal Security Department (ISD) in 2008 when the terrorist Mas Selamat bin Kastari escaped. “To have an incident of this national security magnitude happen under your leadership… that’s an awful feeling,” he told Challenge as he recalled the lowest point of his 20 years in the Service. “I’ll be honest,” he continued, evoking the public criticism that mounted over the high-profile slip up. “When I read the newspapers or my email, [I felt] like slumping and going back to bed, under the covers.” He stopped and looked away, appearing hesitant during our interview at My Arts Space cafe. There was also the pressure to rally his staff during that trying period. “This difficulty of keeping up the morale intensified over time… After eight, nine months, and we still have absolutely no trace of him [Mas Selamat], how do you keep on telling them, ‘It’s okay, you need to keep plugging away’?” Those were 13 months of hell for Mr Pang. His greatest fear then was getting posted out of ISD before his team could recapture the fugitive. “I wanted at least to be able to say, yes, the mistake happened under me, but I rectified

A Cuppa With...

it under my watch as well.” Thankfully, his superiors remained confident in his team and Mr Pang was able to announce Mas Selamat’s rearrest in 2009. What seemed to be the nadir of his career also turned out to be its highest point when he experienced the “incredible teamwork” that the crisis brought out, and the immense satisfaction that he and his staff shared when they finally brought in Mas Selamat. Standing by staff From that experience, Mr Pang learnt the importance of standing by good staff who have made honest mistakes, as his superiors had. “Loyalty is a two-way thing. You can’t expect your officers to be loyal to you unless you’re loyal to them… When they have that confidence in you, they’ll go to the ends of the world for you.” He recalled how ISD’s support division officers, such as IT officers, volunteered to help in the hunt for Mas Selamat. They were paired up with experienced operations officers and willingly volunteered their nights and weekends. “That is the best example of teamwork… Thinking back about it always brings a lump to my throat,” he said. The importance of people These lessons in leadership, loyalty and solidarity have stayed with Mr Pang, who moved from ISD to Ministry of Law in 2010, and then to Ministry of Transport (MOT) in 2012. When he joined MOT, his biggest concern was the stress his officers were facing. Then, the investigations into train breakdowns were still ongoing and there was intense public pressure to rectify and improve the public transport situation quickly. Mr Pang made sure that understaffed departments were given additional support and resources because officers who are stretched and unable “to think beyond the immediate email” would only become more unproductive. To get a pulse on their stress levels, morale and feedback on leadership, Mr Pang emails his staff periodically, urging them to take part in MOT’s half-yearly staff engagement surveys. Each division’s scores are discussed among management and at ministry-wide townhall meetings.

You can’t expect your officers to be loyal to you unless you’re loyal to them… When they have that confidence in you, they’ll go to the ends of the world for you. “That’s my way of encouraging the directors to make sure they really spend a lot of time and attention on human resource… and they know that the greatest deliverable is really leadership and how they motivate their teams.” He has also moved MOT’s Human Resources (HR) division directly under his purview. This, he said, sends a strong signal that while the other divisions are important, HR is the “first among equals”. The other aim is to directly influence HR to change the working culture, values and environment of the ministry. Flexibility and balance Greater flexibility and work-life balance are the “values” Mr Pang wants for MOT. For instance, its officers can now arrange with their supervisors to sometimes work from home as long as the work gets done. Besides explicitly telling staff that he wants them to have dinners with their

What’s usually in your cuppa? Local kopi. I’ve always enjoyed that more than the five-dollar ones. How often do you take it? One or two cups a day.

families, the 47-year-old also walks the talk by making it a point to finish work by 7pm, so he can have dinner with his wife and two teenage daughters. If he has pressing matters, he gets up at 4am to tackle them instead – his own way of balancing commitments. Changing mindsets cannot be accomplished overnight. Mr Pang admits to a fair amount of “nagging” and leading by example so that the desired culture and values can “sink into the DNA” of MOT. “You [must] reach out directly to each and every one,” he stressed. “That’s really critical, so that even down to the Division 4 officer, they hear directly [from you].” Transparency Through his periodic emails, Mr Pang shares with his officers his thoughts about work, and even how some major decisions were made. He hopes the transparency would help them to know him better and on where he stands. For example, he writes to remind staff not to take officers in support divisions for granted, but to show appreciation and recognise their contributions. MOT staff tell Challenge they enjoy receiving his emails (which sometimes include light-hearted YouTube videos) that encourage them to unwind, and to balance their work and personal lives. Because of Mr Pang’s openness, MOT officers now know well the importance he accords to family life. After all, he explained, it was his own family’s unwavering support for him that helped him pull through the Mas Selamat episode. “If you’ve got family problems, parents who are ill… go attend to them first! Don’t think about work,” he insisted. “The organisation must be resilient enough to be able to cope without you.”

Text by KATE LILIENTHAL Illustration by NG SHI WEI

Co-creating solutions that fly For the first time, the National Council of Social Service innovates with design thinking to develop better ways to support people with disabilities. Scenario 1 Cassie* graduated with a master’s degree in counselling and was determined to find a job in the helping profession. Willing to do anything from project management to administrative support, she sent her résumé to 400-500 job listings. The number of positive responses she received? Zero. Cassie is visually impaired.

Scenario 2 Peter*, with an honours degree, was able to find a good job in graphic design but was unable to sustain it. Some days were productive; on others, the stress was unmanageable. Peter has bipolar disorder, a mental illness characterised by extreme mood swings. *Names have been changed to protect identities.

Peter and Cassie are two persons with disabilities from mainstream schools who find themselves unable to find and keep jobs that match their qualifications. The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) wanted to better help people like them. The Council launched Project Liftoff, a joint initiative with the Ministry of Social and Family Development, to produce a range of solutions. A tall order The mandate was steep: Don’t hand the persons with disabilities and employers a programme. Don’t even try to improve existing services; NCSS knew more than that was needed. Instead, look closely at the individuals and organisations involved. Figure out what they need. Involve them in the design and development process from the beginning. “First,” said Ms Eunice Lin, NCSS, who headed Project Liftoff, “we asked the critical questions: How big was this unique category of individuals with disabilities and what were their profiles? On the employer side, what were typical assumptions – and barriers – around hiring these persons?”

www.challenge.gov.sg January/February 2014

In seeking answers, Project Liftoff partnered with The Human Experience Lab at the Public Service Division to use design thinking for the first time, a research method that focuses on who you are designing for (read The (He)art of Designing Policies in July/August 2013). In other words, the Project Liftoff team stepped into its customer’s shoes. Over four months, the team attended workshops and practice sessions on ethnographic research skills. They spoke with other stakeholders and experts, and conducted extensive interviews with 12 persons with varied disabilities, asking questions that ranged from the person’s particular skills to how they navigated the trains in the morning rush. And then the seven-member team took it a step further. They walked beside these people at different times in the day as they left the house, travelled to work or job trials, and even as they found lunch. To the team’s surprise, they discovered that the individuals didn’t need assistance meeting the practical challenges, like transport. They were determined to manage on their own. What they sought, rather, was help finding employment situations in which their talents and skills were

Feature

We found that the persons with disabilities [who have studied in mainstream schools] didn’t want to be taken care of. They wanted support that would allow them to take care of themselves. recognised and their particular disabilities reasonably accommodated. “It was a shift in our thinking,” said Ms Lin. “We found that the persons with disabilities [who have studied in mainstream schools] didn’t want to be taken care of. They wanted support that would allow them to take care of themselves.” From their findings, the team derived three main insights. The first was that disabled individuals from mainstream schools want to actively participate in their employment search. They’re not just there along for the ride, they want to help drive. For example, Job Placement Officers typically meet potential employers first without the job seeker to assess if the person with disability could cope with the job requirements or if the office was accessible for the person. But one visually impaired job seeker insisted on attending because he wanted to ensure that his abilities, not his disabilities, stood out. He also wanted to speak up for himself on how he would work to meet the job requirements. A second insight is that the work readiness of a disabled person is best fostered by work itself. Case in point: while a young graduate with a disability may not have all the confidence to deliver at work, he is much better off in a supportive work environment where he is pushed to go further, than staying at home or doing a job far below his qualifications. Employer flexibility is also critical. Disabled persons often find open employment challenging. Their health conditions change and their work arrangements need to change too. There are days when they need to telecommute and that would require their colleagues’ understanding. Lifting off With these insights, the Project Liftoff team prototyped four programmes and invited persons with disabilities, potential

employers and other stakeholders, like hospitals and schools, to review them. “With our customers’ response,” said Ms Lin, “we threw out three of our proposed programmes. They did not meet the demands.” The team went back to the drawing board and came up with two new ideas that passed muster. Those ideas, and one from the original four, are called Launchpad, Linkworks and Lenscape. Launchpad matches individuals with employers and offers both parties on-going training and support. NCSS will share the idea with SG Enable (see sidebox) to see if they can work together to realise the idea. Linkworks seeks to create distribution channels for products and services offered by disabled persons working in social enterprises. And Lenscape, where Ms Lin and her team will apply most of their focus in the near term, builds awareness of this sector of persons with disabilities through community events and education. Ms Lin said the Council plans to apply design thinking to its other projects. “We’re moving away from designing programmes and services for people to design with people. Really, it’s about trying to build a more inclusive society.” SG ENABLE Established in July last year, it aims to support the needs of persons with disabilities. The agency’s various functions include improving employability and employment options for them, and working with stakeholders to better support them. www.sgenable.sg

Text by SITI MAZIAH MASRAMLI Photo by JOHN HENG

Strokes of

genius

A team of teachers at Guangyang Primary School won the Gold Award at the recent PS21 ExCEL Awards for their new heart-pumping way for pupils to learn new Chinese words.

www.challenge.gov.sg January/February 2014

Feature

We can’t always have this (Chinese Character Aerobics) in every lesson. When I say no, they (the pupils) will be very disappointed.

Left to right: Mrs Sim holds up the word ‘ 文 ’ (‘language’), while Ms Teo, Mr Seet and Ms Liew perform the character strokes (dot, horizontal bar, and left and right down strokes) according to the writing sequence.

Watch a classroom demonstration of Chinese Character Aerobics at bit.ly/guangyang

Text by HE YINING

Before we can be more creative, we need to figure out and break down our limitations. We have all heard the advice to “think outside the box” if we want to be creative and generate unconventional ideas. But what if that very act is itself limiting? “The term ‘thinking out of the box’ is counter-intuitive,” contends consulting psychologist Dr Senthu Jeyaraj, founder of talent development company OrgCognisance. According to her, the “box” represents our fixed mindset, which over the years, has developed to help protect our personalities, experiences and limitations (fears and weaknesses) from societal and cultural influences. While it is possible to step out of this “box”, it is difficult and uncomfortable to stay outside for long. Soon we retreat into the safety of our box. Dr Jeyaraj, who has spoken at TEDxJCUS (a TED event organised by James Cook University, Singapore), believes thinking out of the box stifles

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creative development in the long term since our fixed boundaries are still in place, restricting our ability to be innovative. She has been working on new ways to develop creativity and finds that a more effective and lasting method would be to dissolve the boundaries of our existing box, hence enlarging our creative space. A more “permeable” box would allow new ideas and experiences to flow in and enrich it, enabling us to be more creative over time. Dr Jeyaraj has come up with a framework to erase boundaries. This includes recognising one’s own limitations (admittedly, not an easy task) and finding out the reasons why they are there before tackling them, she tells Challenge. So don’t just think outside the box. Break down its confines, grow your box and you could be on your way to becoming a more creative person – for good.

The Big Idea

Dr Senthu Jeyaraj has a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Psychology from the National University of Singapore and a doctorate from the University of Southern Queensland. An academic staff in Psychology at James Cook University, she has garnered several awards including Best Lecturer of the Year (2012). Dr Jeyaraj has also established several research partnerships, one of which is the Human Capital Leadership Institute.

Level Up though the intent is to protect the team from error. “Observers” often become “disabled”, imagining that no one wants them to identify what is happening. So the knowledge they carry is lost. The result? Interaction is unbalanced.

Who’s Doing What in a Conversation? Being aware of the four roles in a dialogue can boost creativity, introduce new insights and strengthen your team’s relationships. Text by TITUS KONG

Have you ever been a young officer whose ideas were repeatedly shot down by your seniors? Cowered into submission, you did not press your case, nor clarify why you suggested them. As a result, potentially good ideas ended up never seeing the light of day. How well we engage in team conversations depends on how we balance “advocacy” (the act of arguing in favour of something) and “inquiry” (the act of searching for information). When we balance both well, we get new insights and new solutions, however wacky our suggestions may first sound. If we only advocate our ideas and views, we will not discover the potential flaws in our own thinking. Neither will we learn about others’ reasoning, nor data that might conflict with our own. If we only inquire, we may deprive others of an alternative view that could strengthen or change the direction of the discussion. By not exposing our views to public examination, we might perpetuate faulty thinking that can lead to wrong decisions. A team (especially its leader) that is

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highly aware of the need to balance advocacy and inquiry, and does it well, will get the most out of its dialogues. A team can achieve this balance by first understanding the roles that people play in a conversation.

Leaders can restore balance An attentive leader would realise when the advocacy-inquiry balance is off-kilter and move in to restore it. For example, during a town hall meeting, a leader offered his views on certain issues, but told his staff that his ideas were meant to serve as suggestions, rather than instructions for them to follow. This was a way for the leader to give his staff permission to challenge his ideas or to build on them. By enabling his staff to play out all four actions instead of being just “followers”, the leader created the conditions for a more generative conversation. Back to the example of the young officer whose ideas got shot down – a good “observer” might intervene to invite the young officer to elaborate on the thinking behind her ideas, and to give her the opportunity to have a fair hearing before a decision is made. Remember, we don’t have to be a leader to restore balance. Everyone in a team can play their part to encourage and support one another in the four actions. The simple rule: Pay attention to the actions that are missing and provide them ourselves, or encourage others to do so.

For balance, try these out:

Four roles David Kantor’s Four-Player Model suggests that in any social system, there are four core acts that create the balance of advocacy and inquiry: 1. Movers: they initiate ideas. 2. Followers: they complete what is said and support what is happening. 3. Opposers: they challenge what is being said. 4. Observers: they provide perspective on what is happening. In a healthy system, any person may take any of the four actions at any time. He’s not attacking your idea, really! When “movers” throw up many ideas, making it hard for others to “follow”, an “opposer” who starts to question those ideas could be seen as attacking even

• Encourage people to jump on another’s idea with the intent of building on it by saying: “Let’s make sure we fully understand what John said before dismissing his idea as unrealistic.” • Encourage people to disagree for the purpose of correcting ideas and refining them for the group. Try asking: “If you don’t agree, can you tell us why?” • Encourage people to comment on where the team is to provide perspective: “I see some people have not talked yet. Shall we hear from everyone?”

Titus Kong is a Consultant (Organisation Development) at the PS21 Office, Public Service Division.

Text by SHERALYN TAY Photo by LUMINA

Officers with a Passion

Cunning Hands, Crafty Lecturer Digital design lecturer Ng Ling Ling employs her talented digits away from the computer to design of another kind – handmade dolls, bags and jewellery. With our world steeped in digital technology these days, Ng Ling Ling, 37, a lecturer at the School of Technology for the Arts, Republic Polytechnic, has returned to the basics with a tactile hobby – doll-making and crafting. Ling Ling’s doll creations are not your typical sweet, cuddly things, but are highly elaborate, richly textured gothic-styled figures. “I’ve always been fascinated by the Lolita fashion sub-culture and Victorian styles,” she says. Each doll is entirely handmade with materials sourced from online shops, craft markets and recycled clothes. “The most enjoyable aspects of making each doll are developing the back story, designing the clothes and coming up with the name,” says Ling Ling, who is self-taught and has participated in the Singapore Mini Maker Faire with her creations. Her hobby – which includes knitting bags, making jewellery and felt-crafting – allows her imagination to run free. More significantly, it has also become an avenue for her to expand the way she teaches design. “Today, a lot of design takes place on the computer screen, so it’s very abstract,” she observes. Introducing sewing and toy-making, she says, encourages her students to bring an idea to life in a physical way. “[During the lessons,] students have to think in 3D and solve problems with their hands… This working with their hands helped them to translate their idea into something more tactile.”

Text by BRIDGETTE SEE Photos by NORMAN NG

A High Pressure Job Occupational safety and health officer Christopher Toh specialises in checking pressure vessels to ensure they are in tip-top shape. Challenge trails him to see how he makes the workplace safer. 1 2

www.challenge.gov.sg January/February 2014

1. Christopher Toh inspects the interior of a superheater one of the pressure vessels at a waste-toenergy plant in Tuas. He is able to stand up after he crawls through its small door (see photo 2). 2. Christopher peers into the superheater before he climbs into it (see picture above). 3. On the way to the pressure vessels, Christopher walks past one of the furnaces that burns rubbish. This is the start of the waste-to-energy conversion process.

Christopher Toh has arrived at a waste-to-energy plant in Tuas, which converts heat energy from burning rubbish into electricity via a system of pressure vessels such as superheaters and steam drums. A faint, sour odour of rubbish permeates the air but it doesn’t bother him. Clipboard under his arm, he flicks on the headlamp of his hard hat and peers into a steam drum through a narrow hatch. The steam drum – normally containing water and steam – has been drained for the inspection. He steadies himself for a moment, then dives headlong and disappears through the tight opening. Inside the confined space, the Specialist from the Manpower Ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health Division, crouches down and scoots on his butt along the steel pipes lining the floor of the drum. He inspects the drum’s interior for any corrosion, damage or abnormalities that might cause the pressure vessel to malfunction. Pressure vessels – enclosed containers of hot gases or liquids stored at high pressure – can explode and seriously injure or

Perspectives 4

4. Christopher emerges from the steam drum through the narrow hatch, soaked to the skin in perspiration. 5. Inside the steam drum, he snaps pictures for documentation. 6. Before the inspection, the MOM Specialist meets the plant’s senior engineer to run through the equipment plans and drawings to get a good sense of what he will check later.

That [heartbreaking] scene will stay with me forever… I realised [then] that my job actually means something. kill people if they fail during operations. They range from small kitchen pressure cookers to huge industrial steam boilers. Specialists like Christopher and authorised private-sector professional engineers examine the large industrial vessels on a periodic basis, according to the Workplace Safety and Health Act. While Christopher encounters more equipment than people on the job, he is well aware of the impact his work has on human lives. This became clear to him some years ago when he was assigned to investigate one typical worksite accident

at a construction site. The 33-year-old recounts seeing the grieving wife and child of a crane operator who had been killed after his crane toppled. “This [heartbreaking] scene will stay with me forever… I realised [then] that my job actually means something,” says the officer who has been with the Division for eight years. Now that he is married with a young son, Christopher is even more aware of how one’s safety and health can impact the family’s income and livelihood. “[It’s] something I keep in mind whenever I go out for inspections now,” he adds.

After an hour of crawling through confined spaces to check the Tuas plant’s various pressure vessels, Christopher emerges. He is soaked to the skin and his protective clothing and gloves are stained with ash. Despite the physical discomforts, the officer, who studied mechanical engineering, remains upbeat about his job: “I get to apply my engineering knowledge – it’s shiok!” For more photos and information about Christopher’s job, go to www.challenge.gov.sg Challenge found out about Christopher’s job via Cube. Tip us off about interesting Public Service careers at www.cube.gov.sg or email us at psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg.

Text by SITI MAZIAH MASRAMLI Illustration by RYAN ONG Photos by JOHN HENG

IN THE HEARTLANDS,

Life is

Swee t Hungry entrepreneurs set up shop in the heartlands to serve fancy confections. Led by the Singabonbons*, Challenge hunts down the old-timers as well as the upstarts.

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S Q U I RT A WA Y !

BALMORAL BAKERY Cream roll ($1.30)

Balmoral Bakery opened in 1965, selling cakes, samosas, pies and puffs. Known for their delightful golden pastries, they continue to serve comfort food that takes you back to simple childhood moments. 105 Clementi Road Street 12 (Sunset Way) #01-06, Singapore 120105 www.balmoralbakery.com

*All characters appearing in this article are fictitious and whimsical. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

www.challenge.gov.sg January/February 2014

Life.Style

51 FIVEONE DEGREES Chocolate cream cheese cupcake ($3.50) Rocky Road cupcake ($3.50)

At Toa Payoh North, this bakery fuses French and Peranakan methods to create cupcakes, tarts and chiffon cakes. The chocolate cream cheese cupcake (right) featured tantalises with a dark chocolate flavour, highlighted by lightly salted cream cheese. Blk 203 Toa Payoh North #01-1113, Singapore 310203 www.fiveonedegrees.com

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INDIAN MUSLIM BAKERY & CONFECTIONERY

Potato samosas ($2 for four) Third-generation family members now run Singapore’s first Indian bakery, which opened in 1942. Specialising in local delights like Malay kueh and curry puffs, the bakery also offers made-to-order traditional (read: cream) cakes for special occasions. 124 Onan Road, Singapore 424536 indianmuslimbakery.com

CIEL PÂTISSERIE Fuji ($5.20)

Baker Chara Lum, who trained at the French culinary school Le Cordon Bleu, creates signature pastries such as this green tea and lychee-infused dessert. Other specialties are the Bombe (a chocolate confection with blueberries) and Ispahan (layers of rose Bavarian cream and raspberry mousse). 124 Hougang Ave 1 #01-1444, Singapore 530124 www.ciel.com.sg

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MT FUJI

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Macarons ($12.90 for six) This Halal bakery takes orders via Facebook for a range of local and Western-style desserts like sweets, tarts, buns and more. Their premises serve more as a baking school offering courses for making macarons, baking bread and producing pastries, than as a regular bakery shopfront. East: 797 Geylang Road #03-01, Singapore 389679 North: Blk 235 Yishun St 21 #01-458, Singapore 760235 www.heiraz.com

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Life.Style GRIN AFFAIR

Strawberry cheese jar cake ($6) This rustic shop sells preservative-free cakes, served in reusable glass jars. Fresh ingredients and seasonal fruits are combined to create favourites like this strawberry cheese jar cake and unique flavours such as kiwi cheese. 3 Everton Park #01-77A, Singapore 080003 www.grinaffair.com

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This unassuming bakery, at the corner of an old-school coffeeshop, charms with its reasonably priced and delicious muffins and pound cakes. Nicher produces limited quantities for the day, so to avoid disappointment, order via Facebook or by telephone in advance. 71 Seng Poh Rd #01-49, Tiong Bahru Estate, Singapore 160071 M: 96455604 fb.com/nicher.at.home

The Irreverent Last Page

What’s up with Singa?

Singa the Courtesy Lion shared Brain Boy’s Photo So touched that Singaporeans still remember me! *sniff sniff* I love Singa the Courtesy Lion! Miss ya — with Singa the Courtesy Lion #iremembersg 1 day ago

It’s been a while since Singa the Courtesy Lion called it quits. The Challenge National Mascots Department checks out how he’s doing. Can I come back already... Like · Comment · Share · Promote Water Wally, Teamy the Productivity Bee, Captain Green and 50 others like this.

Sharity Wah… you quit already but people still haven’t forgotten you. Not bad what. Like · Reply 5 hours ago

Teamy the Productivity Bee Well done Singa! Btw, I just came back from a 24-hour shift! So sleepy... zzzzz Like · Reply 4 hours ago

Sharity Teamy, don’t bluff lah! You retired liao lo... Like · Reply 4 hours ago

Water Wally Aiseh… Happy for you, Singa! Like · Reply 3 hours ago

Sharity Wally, why don’t you join me at the Big Heart event this weekend? Like · Reply 2 hours ago

Water Wally Haha… see how… I am drowning in my work also… Like · Reply 1 hour ago

Singa the Courtesy Lion SO BUSY meh!!! I already tai chi all the work back to the real people. Now in my hammock in Bali enjoying my mocktail. Shiok!! Like · Reply 45 minutes ago

Need We Say More? Here’s where we let the humour loose, and learn to laugh at ourselves a little more. Have ideas or jokes about the Public Service? Email us: psd_challenge@psd.gov.sg

Teachers from Guangyang Primary School made learning Chinese fun by devising a series of gestures that represent Chinese character strokes. This project that won a gold award at the 2013 PS21 ExCEL Awards is called _______________. a. b. c. d.

Chinese Aerobics Lesson Chinese Learning Actions Chinese Character Aerobics Chinese Strokes Aerobics

According to David Kantor’s Four-Player Model, what are the four roles that a person can play in a conversation to boost creativity and strengthen a team’s relationships?

Pairs of Movie Vouchers to be won Submit your answers

a. b. c. d.

Mover, Follower, Opposer, Observer Ideator, Improver, Integrator, Implementer Initiator, Follower, Inquirer, Reflector Advocator, Influencer, Thinker, Doer

by February 4, 2014 at: Challenge Online www.challenge.gov.sg Please include your name,

In the three-step “Test, Learn, Adapt” framework for Behavioural Insights, Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) are a key to success because ____________. a. these controlled trials can test for many nudges at one go for their effectiveness b. RCTs can test ideas that disrupt existing policies or require existing schemes to be put on hold c. RCTs allow us to come to an average result that lets us proceed to the Learn phase d. a proposed nudge can be tested in a small study with a baseline condition to determine if it will actually work

To be more creative, Dr Senthu Jeyaraj proposes that we ____________.

email address, agency and contact number. All winners will be notified by email.

Congratulations to the winners of the Nov/Dec 2013 Trivia Quiz Zuran Bin Kamiso (ICA) Sharlene Lim (MFA)

a. b. c. d. 5.

talk to more people about our work “dissolve” our limitations go for creative talks set aside time to daydream

According to consultant Wendy Tan, Gen X managers hope that colleagues would respect their _____________. a. b. c. d.

time privacy experience capabilities

Toh Hoon Sin (SEAB) Chancy Lim (NHCS) Tan Choon Kheng (IRAS)