A timely reminder of why I love psych work

In case I start wondering how the past decade has been at work. I thought it’s timely to share this private note that I wrote in 2024 - What did I learn as a psych all these years?

I learnt that as psychologists, we provide the diagnosis for management to create better programmes and packages for officers. 

I learnt that an expert checker is who he is because of passion coupled with good mentor and opportunity to experience getting positive hits. Nature & nurture - Passion for wanting to learn more about cars modification and pairing w mentors who are experts themselves, teaching them all the tips that books wouldn’t cover. 

I learnt that a team is good not just because they have a good leader. While the top leader is crucial in influencing good dynamics, it’s the collective efforts of next layer of leaders singing the same tune, not just in peacetime but also in crisis. In peacetime it’s about doing more, breaking ice, accelerating while in crisis, is about consistency, and communicating this consistency. 

I learnt that innovation while it starts from the top leader, it’s not about being quick, but being effective that will end up w real outcomes; really solving problems. 

I learnt that as leaders go further up, it’s more about their personal mastery that will determine whether their team flourishes. How well they take care of themselves and how much learning/development that they are investing in themselves to ensure that they continue to show up for the team.

I learnt that our leaders feel more competent at leading tasks but less so in leading self and many may not be aware of this.

I learnt that what staff needs, changes along their time w the organisation. When they come in, it’s likely the pay, the prospects, expectation of the meaningful job that they will do, but what really keeps people is the relationship, how they feel towards their leader, their colleagues and organisation. (Does talent show a differentiation in this? I wonder) 

I learnt that for officers managing part time studies, time management skills and social support are two main important factors for officers to be successful. 

I learnt that for officers who are planning to go for overseas stints, cultural sensitivity, mental flexibility and ability to self care coupled with strong social support are utmost important. Officers who are lacking in these may face greater challenges overseas. 

I learnt that the key thing that officers face in times of change is the fear of uncertainties and that change management is indeed a journey of emotions. 

I learnt that to communicate our psych research findings better, we need to use numbers better, eg how much % increase, how it links to operational outcomes, how much? 

I learnt that for recruits, coping style plays a big part in whether one ends up being successful or not during an interview panel. An introvert w poor coping styles and anxious nature is unlikely to do well.

I learnt that it’s not really about the type of initiatives, it’s whether people trust that the initiatives are rolled out w their best interests that determine if they take well to it. It’s communication, it’s the trust built during peace time that will help buffer the org during tough times.

And beyond what I’ve learnt, I find myself constantly wondering: 

What have I really learnt about our recruits, or selection methods, or how to assess better? 

What have I really learnt about our leaders? Have I learnt what makes a resilient leader? 

What have I really learnt about our officers, what engages them, what are they feeling in times of change, or in different situations? How they behave, and how they think? How to motivate them, how should rewards be to ensure employees are satisfied and can perform. Not from a profit loss/monetary angle?

Wow… Listing them all down somehow reminded me why I still love psych work. The ability to understand and influence people from inside out. The intricacies of human behaviours, the whys beneath the whats, and how in between the black and the white, lies the many different shades of greys…