Home > Feature > Leading by doing

Leading by doing

19 June 2009

He has been in Pemagatshel for over two years now, yet he remains relatively unknown to most people. Unlike most people in his league, he likes to lead labourers by working physically with them on equal footing. Many people, therefore, mistake him for a new mason in the roads department, and a dedicated one at that. But he is an engineer of a different breed.

At a time when people working in different organisations express their disgruntlement over working conditions, pays and perks, 24-year-old Tshering Phuntsho’s work ethics is like a breath of fresh air. “His work ethics resembled that of an engineer named Chhogyela who also led his labourers by example during the construction of Pemagatshel road in the late 1970s,” said 54-year-old Kezang, a former work overseer, now a mason in the roads department.

“For me, it is part of my everyday job for which I am paid. If you do not lead, you can never motivate others to do their best. You also learn practical lessons which are quite different from theoretical lessons learnt in the classrooms,” he said unassumingly.

He believes in the fact that leaders at every rung of the society have to take lead in doing things to motivate those around them.

Tshering Phuntsho’s lead has already changed the way labourers take up their responsibilities and the way people look at the road workers. “We now see the workers busy most of the time with Tshering Phuntsho,” said a truck driver.

Chuzang, a school teacher, said that, in the last two years of commuting between his school and the dzongkhag, he had seen Tshering Phuntsho with masons building walls, working on concrete mix and applying bitumen on road. “He seems a genuinely hard working man. I don’t know what motivates him,” he said.

Kezang feels that, when your superior works with his own hand, others are bound to follow. According to him, after some initial reservations, labourers are also beginning to appreciate him and like their work as well.

Tshering Phuntsho’s persistent hard work in the last two years has earned appreciation from his immediate superior, Deputy Executive Engineer, Nar Bahadur Gurung.

He said, “In my entire career, I haven’t come across a hard working engineer like him. He is not only hard working, but also a straight forward man. He has been an asset for the sub-division here. I wish others will draw inspiration from this promising young man.”

There are, however, a few sceptics who feel that such zest would fizzle out with time, especially when someone works in a remote place. Tshering Phuntsho himself feels otherwise. He said, “The desire to work hard should come internally with motivation and love for your work. When you are internally motivated to do something you love, there is no reason why the zest should fizzle out.”

Tshering admits that engineers have been notoriously associated with corruption so the profession needs to regain its prestige. “I believe that, while the profession has lots of room for corruption, it depends on the motivation level of each individual. In my two years of professional life, I have learnt that, if you never leave room for others to exploit and do not succumb to greed, there is no way corruption can force its way in,” he said.

By Gyembo Namgyal

Ratings: 1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (1 votes | 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
Email this page Email this page     Print this page Print this page    

Posted by Chime · Filed Under Feature 

Comments

2 Responses to “Leading by doing”

  1. Dorji on June 20th, 2009 1:32 pm

    Kudos to Tshering. You have my appreciation.

    Bhutan needs leaders who lead by example and i pray that other draw inspiration from you. Please continue with your excellent job and continue to motivate others. This is one sure way of taking Bhutan into the next century.

    My prayers that young professionals will draw inspiration.

  2. moji on July 5th, 2009 12:17 pm

    keep up your same spirit and inspire the existing as well as future engineers.

Leave your comment





Note: Comments are moderated by Bhutan Observer, and may not appear until they have been reviewed and deemed appropriate for posting.

Bhutan Observer is Digg proof thanks to caching by WP Super Cache