Daily Lesson from Life 14 January 2009

No quotation from today's news headlines but I like to comment on a case where a National Service (NS) man was injured in his camp that put him into a coma for 3 years now and the Ministry of Defense (Mindef) is NOT paying for his medical expenses after 2 years as his case was deemed to be 'injury sustained during off-duty hours'!

This case has generated quite a few comments and one of my best friend expressed his concern that when he sends his 2 sons to NS in a few years time, he expect the Defense force to take responsibility for all the young men in service as long as they are in the camp area. He felt that Mindef is taking too business-like approach to this unfortunate case. It is NOT workmen compensation issue. A soldier is on 24-hour duty round the clock 24/7 and 365days a year. So, where did this 'he was injured during off-duty hours in camp?!!

Quite a few writers to the AsiaOne.com forum also asked the Mindef to re-look at this case as the parents now have unpaid medical bill of almost S$133k since Nov 2007 after Mindef stopped paying the NS men's medical care expenses. The parents are not rich at all. So, to have to suit Mindef must be a sign of desperation as negotiation and pleading for full support are not successful!

Lessons for me are:

1. as leaders, we cannot look at the dollars and cents only when deciding on personnel matter. Even if the 'off-duty claim is valid' and assuming that the NS man sustained his injury without any fault play, the Mindef is arguing on technically. For most laymen and parents who 'involuntarily' sent their sons to the defense force, their understanding is that the soldiers are on 24/7 and 365 days/year routine when they are in the army camp!;

2. as leaders, we need to consider the impact of the decision on the rest of the team or organization. What will they be thinking to themselves, if they dare not or the culture does not permit dissenting view? That they better take care of themselves during 'on-duty' time. Don't be too serious. Because if one gets injured during the 'off-duty' hour while in camp, the Mindef will not take care of you! This is not what Mindef want I am sure!;

3. as leaders, if our next level down made some decisions that have potential negative impact and without considering the big picture, we need to jump in and take charge! Some may say it makes the subordinates looked bad while I say it is better to do the right thing for the organization than worried about that. In addition, if we explain our rationale and do not penalized those who made the 'earlier decisions that were changed', no one will feel being slighted. In fact, when we take ACTIONS upon realizing a mistake, people will respect us for that even more!

I sincerely hope that Mindef or someone higher up in the command chain jumped in and do the right thing of taking care of this NS man who went into coma while in camp as duty store man! (Of course, unless he has been reckless in his behaviors that led to his injury, it will lead to a different decision. However, the fact of the case is no eye-witness as to how exactly he sustained the injury. So, benefit of doubt should applied).