End of a career race

Yan'An

Yan'An, arid Yan'An

Of Zhang Yimou's Red Sorghum fame

Where the Yellow River flows

Abodes built into the mountains of yellow mud

Site of turning point in battle between CCP and KMT

Xi'an

Xi'an

Steeped in the history of dynasties

And intriques of the palaces

Guarded by armies of terracotta warriors

Xi'an

Glowing discretely with luminaries

From President Xi Jinping himself

To award-winning film-maker Zhang Yimou

The Silk Road connecting distant lands

The seat of poetry

The setting of novels by Jing Yong 金庸

华山论剑

Adrenaline-pumping sword-fighting battles

华山, also the setting of battle between

Kuo Mingtang and the CCP

~

Xi'an – formerly Chang-An

Working so that we can vote

a shout-out to the civil servants working hard today as they set up the polling stations and counting centres for the Presidential Election Polling Day tomorrow. Thank you for your hard work, especially today and tomorrow, and for the preparations beforehand!

Cycles of Build, Demolish, Build

“…set up the Academy of Public Communications and Engagement in the hopes that it will provide more opportunities for public officers to acquire new competencies. A structured competency framework will set out career progression and training schemes for clearer career pathways.” https://psdchallenge.psd.gov.sg/people/cuppa/communications-is-about-meeting-people-where-they-are?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2023-001-Sep Having such an academy for the stated purpose is not new. Many years ago, the then PS of MITA set up the Public Relations Academy. It was running well. Then some years later, some wise senior person decided it was better to park it in the Civil Service College. The PR Academy was then shut down. Now it’s set up as a new initiative. That’s the problem. And the worry deep down for the civil service. Instead of consolidating on foundations, as new groups of management come in, they decide it’s no longer useful and demolish it. The another group come in later on and re-gather the bricks and build again from scratch. What a waste of resources!

Remembering a case of near donation

When we heard that Frederick was down with leukaemia, we were sad. Such a young child. I felt I had to do something for the child of my then favourite Minister. But I was scared of what it entailed. Eventually I found a colleague who was going to donate too. And I planned to go with him. We didn't have to donate after all. Though I don't remember what we were told then. Blessings indeed. A life full of miracles: Jennifer Yeo on how she and her 2 sons survived cancer https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/believing-in-miracles-helped-jennifer-yeo-overcome-her-own-cancer-and-cancer-in-her-two-sons

Lost Opportunity

A govt building evacuated

Security incident,  it seemed

Later announced to be bomb hoaxes at 18 places

Yet not a peep

From the app for security SG

Not a peep

What a loud silence

Making an Impact

Making an impact (while enjoying your work) instead of driving purely on ambition up the corporate ladder

 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/listen/work-it/leaders-chair-dbs-ceo-piyush-gupta-crisis-culture-and-power-storytelling-3601756

OVERlooked

Overlooked

Again

Meeting our expectations

So good, yet so downcasting

Taken for granted?

 

Yet, count your blessings,

Pollyanna says

Many do far worse

Dispel the morale drainers,

Pollyanna says

Keep up the spirits

And see where you can make an impact

 

No Running Away

Re-organisations Strictly structural Strictly to strategically strengthen the organisation But how painful it an be How emotional, even if irrational Yet another re-org in one's long career (deemed by some perhaps as too long) Yet another demotion in hierachy Thumbed down to be with the rest Attention more and more Micro-manage, do you call it? Regular meetings to report at Major groan Escaped it years ago But there's no running away now Pollyana says look at the bright side; it isn't so bad Yah but major groan There's no escape Can someone offer a path out to a better place?