Entry 1: The Manager

Wong Chi Ern Paul, 33
Content Acquisition and Marketing
Singtel

The interview process:

Qns: Briefly describe your job responsibilities as a manager.
Ans: I do product marketing - content (mainly games) acquisition and marketing of products and services. I oversee the entire products and services from end to end. Such as; Business case and proposal, technical implementation (of course with the help from my PD colleagues) and marketing (Above-the-line [ATL] and below-the-line [BTL])

Qns: What is your management style?
Ans: I manage through open communication and teamwork approach.

Qns: What are some of the difficulties you face as a manager?
Ans: There are many difficulties that I faced so I shall just name a few; people management, cost management and project and service timely delivery.

Qns: How do you overcome these difficulties?
Ans: I always look out for a mentor who I can learn from. It helps in overcoming difficulties so much faster.

Qns: In your opinion, what makes a good manager?
Ans: One should always be able to adapt to the structure and culture that he or she works in. Having a good attitude is the foundation and not forgetting IQ (intelligence quotient), EQ (Emotional quotient), AQ (Adversity quotient) and DQ (Digital quotient). However, the ability to learn new skill sets and staying relevant is the key that makes a good manager. Adding on, it is the Manager of Self, Manager of Team and Manager of Managers.

All in all after having this opportunity to interview Mr Wong, I can see that he adopts the human relations school of management as he mentioned about open communication and teamwork. This means that he recognises that managers and employees will affect one another in the same team, therefore they share a common goal in the organisation. Using the Hawthorne Studies as a bench mark of management, it states that if the supervisor or manager shows more concern and greater interest in the employee work, it will lead to greater productivity. I believe that this is what he wants in his company.