Individual Assignment 1

Entry 1: The Manager

Name: Mr Safie Bin Hussain
Age: 49 years old
Designation: Field manager of 2nd Chance,
Tanjong Katong Complex, Singapore and First Lady in Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Description:
His job responsibilty is to ensure that the stores are run in accordance with the Group's operational procedures and computerisation system within the Group. His new responsibility is to oversee the First Lady store in Johor Bahru.

Mr. Safie has been with the Group for 28 years ever since he started working as a sales staff in 1980. Between 1984 and 1989, he was one of the franchisee of 2nd Chance Men's Store.

However, although he is a busy man and leads a hectic schedule of having to travel to Johor Bahru frequently to meet his boss to discuss the progress of the shop in Singapore, he is a family man who also prioritizes his loved ones and never fails to bring them out on weekends for
"some family bonding."

(Here are the excerpts from our phone interview)

1) Briefly describe your job responsibilities as a manager.

I am basically in charge of the branches in Johor Bahru and Singapore. However, I lean towards the IT aspect of this job; basically configuring computer problems and trouble-shooting them. Whenever a computer needs repair works or has a virus installed, I would be the person the staff would look for. I am also in charge of booking advertisement space for the new products and capturing of the sales.

Besides that, I also have the responsibilty of overlooking the branches in Johor Bahru. Twice a week, I will make my way there and have a meeting with my Boss where we will discuss the overall progress like what is done and what that has not been done yet. My job brings me to places. I am sometimes required to travel to Pasar Larkin, Batu Pahat, Pandan and Petaling Jaya. There, I will then learn how to manage a different set of staff.

2) What is your management style?

Having worked in 2nd Chance close to 29 years, my job almost feels like a routine everyday. I have also faced so many different staff such that my management syle varies from person to person. It is almost imposibble to use the same method for everyone. However, I believe that if a staff does not listen to the management despite being given countless warnings to amend a certain aspect of his character that will/will not benefit the company, I would take action and
carry out a recommendation with my Boss whether we should terminate the staff or not.

I do not believe in carrying out threats or enforcing pay cuts. I feel that this does nothing to help motivate the staff to strive harder for the company. In fact I feel that it encourages them to do the opposite.

( Note: I feel that his management style is more towards 'The Hawthorne Studies.' Mr. Safie realizes the importance of monetary incentives as a way to motivate his staff )

3) What are some of the difficulties you face as a manager?

As what every other manager faces, there are always the occassional cases whereby a staff would not be cooperative with his/her colleagues and would create problems until the management has to be called in.

Also, there are times when I feel that my job is too much to handle and I feel the pressure.

4) How do you overcome these difficulties?

We do not have the time to entertain all these. Either we issue them a warning and tell them to "shape up and buck up" or we have discussion with the Boss on whether we should terminate them. Also, I am aware that every manager will feel pressured at a certain point of their career and it is up to them to find a way to handle the pressure. This is what a manager does.

5) In your opinion, what makes a good manager?

A good manager is one who is responsible in any types of field. Also, a good manager is not calulative on the number of hours put in for the company. He is always there as and when he is needed. Lastly, he should be sincere in whatever he does and do his work with the mission in mind that he is doing this for his company.