Daily Lessons from Life 07 June 2009

"Sun, Jun 07, 2009 The Straits Times - Petition for STTA chief to step down

Some 15 people showed up at Hong Lim Park yesterday to sign a petition for Ms Lee Bee Wah to step down as the president of the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA).

This, amid an ongoing dispute between her and former national coach Liu Guodong, who led the women's team to a historic Olympic silver medal last year.

'I don't respect or approve of someone who can say something and not account for it,' said Ms Angela Mah, 40, a HR manager who travelled from her Bukit Timah home to Speakers' Corner to sign the petition"

This is an interesting saga that has gone on for far too long in my opinion. The STTA President has made a few mistakes and more in the past 12 months that casted doubt on her leadership capabilities and skills seriously. It is strange that she is still hanging on and hanging in there when it is plain for all, including non-partisan folks, to see that there is no winner here if she stays.

Lessons for me are:

1. when leader's behaviors and decisions have repeatedly being called into question and could not stand up to critical scrutiny, it is the right thing to do to withdraw from the leadership position with grace and courage;

2. it is unnatural for leader who were high-flyer to find himself/herself suddenly looking not that great. It is devastating and can be a shock when high-flyer found themselves in such an unfamiliar position. While it is human to enter into shock and followed by the denial as in the classic "how to react to a 'nasty' surprise change process", the leader must have the grace and courage to admit mistakes in the specific situation and move on. If the grass-root folks still want you, stay on and move on. But if the grass-root folks no longer have the respect and enthusiasm for you, leave and move on!;

3. when the incumbent leader does not see the reality and insist to hang in there or hang on, his or her leader can gentle nudge the incumbent to leave and move on if the situation is really untenable. The leader's leader must get involved and resolve an impasse. It is never healthy to have a leader who had no respect from the followers to lead the grass-root folks.

May the President of STTA face the music and come out fighting or leave. No response and inaction simply won't cut it. Peace to STTA.