In this latest article, Chief of Staff Asia focuses on the people manager’s HR priorities.
Ng began her career as a scholar of Yayasan Telekom Malaysia. After graduating, she started as a Quality Assurance Executive at Telekom Malaysia. Quickly, she transitioned to a project management role in the Change Management Office, where she learned so much about unifying people to work together towards one goal.
She then had the opportunity to pioneer a Joint Venture in Medini (Lyfe Medini Sdn Bhd), where she worked closely with the CEO to develop the infrastructure landscape in Medini Iskandar, the owner of the site where Legoland in Malaysia stands.
After that stint, she worked as a Strategic Engagement Lead in PLUS Malaysia to move several key-people transformation projects in the company. Ng said this experience strengthened her belief in people as an organisation’s core, laying the foundation when she springboarded as a People and Culture Manager.
When asked about her priorities, Ng enumerated three things.
“First, there is empathy. The competition for talent is increasingly tough. We must build and encourage a work environment prioritising human connections and collaboration. Employees need to feel understood and supported by their managers. They require a lot of positive motivation in a rather hostile global environment,” she cites.
Seeing each employee’s potential, she then names empowerment: “I believe that every right person can be a leader regardless of position. By empowering each individual to step up and take charge of responsibilities, we can grow the team to its fullest potential.”
Lastly, Ng wants to keep gaining knowledge. For her, “great leaders should be great learners. In this changing world, knowledge is key, and the application is power.”
She refers to books, YouTube, podcasts, and her mentors as her go-to for growing holistically.
“Also, I am big about getting feedback from others, allowing me to continue to learn and grow. In Verdant Solar, we conduct one-to-one sessions with my supervisor about what they wish I do better. The same session is done with my subordinates, too. It helps me to be vulnerable and stay grounded,” Ng states.
What’s the best thing she loves about her job?
She replies, “I love that I can put the right people in the right seat and groom them to be the best versions of themselves. I love that building a culture I love working in, as Verdant Solar’s purpose is to build a second home for Verdiants.”
Ng closes with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
She contemplates, “People may admire how well-versed you are in your field. But they will remember you for ages for how much you cared and for the greater good, not the selfish good.
This feature was extracted from Chief of Staff Asia’s exclusive interview with Ng Kel Mynn, People and Culture Manager of Verdant Solar. For further coverage, please see the links below:
Ng Kel Mynn powers up Verdant Solar’s HR
Ng Kel Mynn aids in Verdant Solar’s boom
Getting to know: Ng Kel Mynn, People and Culture Manager of Verdant Solar
