10 reasons I still love my job

For the over 4,000 days that I spent in public healthcare, why are most of my days happy?

1.  It is a calling
I always remind myself that I joined healthcare to support the people who heal, comfort and relieve the sufferings of patients.

2.  Focus on the patients
I was the first Director of Communications that SGH hired.   My boss then told me, “If what you want to do is for the good of patients, even the rain will stop for your events.   The money will always come.”   He was right.   We always found solutions to resource constraints.

3.  An allergy to negativity
I make a conscious effort to steer away from conversations that spiral downwards because they are toxic.   I also constantly do a negativity check on myself.   For leaders, any negativity undermines our moral authority to lead. My greatest achievement must be a team who always say “Can do. Why cannot?”

4.  Generosity of spirit
The collective belief and desire to add value attracted many happy partners to my team.   Sometimes we have to give more than we had intended.   Sometimes, it is painful and involve sacrifices but the outcome is always better than expected.

5. Rome was not built in a day 
There are many inadequacies and imperfections in our system.   We have many wants, never enough resources.   However, the obstacles are not an excuse not to change.   They remind us of the need to look harder for areas we can improve, so that someone can benefit immediately.

6. My bosses and I
My bosses always give me space to do things my way, without breathing down my neck – so long as we deliver.   That trust and freedom is a catalyst in itself.

7.  My team and I  
My team has the freedom to evolve my ideas into what best meet or exceed the desired outcomes (Of course, I still have to struggle with the paranoia of “what may go wrong”).   When the best outcome happens, everyone in the team is proud and happy.   I am happiest when I hear laughter in the office.   It means my folks are enjoying their work.

8. Friends in the workplace
When colleagues become your friends, there is a strong emotional hook.   When you want your friends to succeed, you transcend the yours-mine silo to help each other.

9. Watering seeds of joy
My work requires us to catalyse a culture where we encourage, affirm and make our colleagues feel good about their work and achievements.   This creates tremendous satisfaction for me when we see our staff engaged and happy.

10. Dream the same dream
The aspiration to see multi-directional efforts in building SingHealth Duke-NUS, a strong Academic Medical Centre (AMC) is not just propaganda that I spiel.   It is very much my personal wish to have a part, albeit small, in building this medical powerhouse for Singaporeans.