Kuzuzangpo sirs

Few questions that were asked to me in an interview held recently. They have asked me many questions but can’t remember all. I have left out the expressions and who asked what, or the situation that I went through on certain questions.

1.      You are an engineer and why do you want to be a manager? Engineers make good money in corporate or private sector and even in government organizations.

No person becomes a millionaire with the salary. As much as I have the choice to be in civil service or in private sector I have the choice to remain happy. Private sector means only one thing – minting money and that attributes to being selfish whereas being in civil service is being selfless. We all know selfishness brings unhappiness and I am not ready to join the rat race and slog in life. And by the way who guarantees anyone in private sector becoming rich and if it is so is there any rich person who is content with his wealth? I want to be happy serving people than serving myself. Working in civil service has wider impact than being individualistic.

2.      Why do you think you are the perfect person in this job?

I will be very honest here that I don’t think I can be perfect because I have not met and worked with any of my other competitors. But I am an engineer and if there is something that I am not capable of then don’t let me operate a human being or an animal. I can’t replace the work of doctors but there is a living proof of engineers becoming better managers throughout the world.

3.      If you are selected, how will you work as the manager?

First thing first, if I am selected and become a manager, it will never be a one man show. We will work as the team always.

As a manager, I have to prioritize the works in close consultation with my colleagues. Those works which are important, I will do it personally and make it on time. Lesser important ones will be delegated as per the skills of the colleagues and not randomly. Again it will not be ‘you do it yourself’ strategy. With the delegation, there will be learning process both ways. Finally we will work horizontally without hierarchy in place. As a team we shall be bonded with cohesive working relationships.

4.      There is difficulty in retention of staff. How would you curb this problem if you get through this post?

If people want to leave for better perks like in international organizations, the credit should go to our office because they find it a credible institute producing high calibre of professionals. We should be happy about it. In such cases, I will be the happiest person to let them leave. But if they want to leave because they are disgruntled, it is my duty to find out the reasons. I will talk to them over the cup of tea, during lunch time and mostly over the drink either in their houses or mine. There will be some hidden reasons in their talks and I have to grasp those, analyze them and come out with the solution like appreciating them, mentoring and encouraging them. Grass is never greener at other sides; it is greener where it is watered. Will try my best and I know these are not the readymade answers but so is the problem not very easy to deal with.

5.      We all know there are problems in Dzongkhags with the engineers complaining of having many works in hands and that they are unable to supervise well. How do you think you will tackle it? You don’t have to say on system, just the strategy.

I am a practicing engineer and have got enough experience to understand the loopholes in the regulations which I would have loved to say it but since I have to speak only the strategy, I am equally happy to say some here.

Do we skip the mails in our inboxes? I would say never. We always read our emails, sometimes even the spam. But we may skip reading the letters or papers cluttered on the tables. Most of them get lost though.

It was my hope that before the start of 10th FYP engineers would be sent to geogs like any other officers of GAO, HA, RNR extension officers, teachers etc. But nothing happened like that. When many sites are in geogs what point is there in stationing them at Dzongkhag HQ. People rarely visit from site A to B to C and return to Dzongkhag HQ. It will be rather Dzongkhag HQ to site A and back and Dzongkhag HQ to site B, why? we all know the reasons, a virus that eats the exchequer. Therefore, station them in geogs and connect them with internet. I believe internet facilities are there in most of the geogs. Let them report the status or anything to Dzongkhag through emails, seek technical advises through internet and share information through internet, the boss at the other end will never skip to read those mails, as I said, do we really ignore mails in our inboxes? Only on the urgent cases, let them come physically on the need basis. I think it will have immense benefit to building good quality infrastructure and my hope it will happen in 11th FYP. There will be challenges and reluctance from the engineers but that goes with anything new. Nation’s priority must come first than the individuals.

6.      Do you think there is GNH in Bhutan?

It is ‘yes’ and ‘no’. Personally I feel it is NO. I feel the link is missed in socio-economic development and having to be happy. Before the farm road, people are unhappy for not having roads. After the farm road, they are still not happy for lack of transport facilities or for high fares of taxis. I am not saying development is not necessary. I just don’t see the link right now. For me to say YES, I want everyone to be content without complaints or discomfort in their lives. May be I am asking for a heaven but GNH does sound one so. All the better if it happens one day.

7.      What was happening in India yesterday?

I don’t remember anything catchy but I definitely remember something that happened few days back. Three ministers were caught watching pornography in the Assembly hall in Karnataka.

8.      This is the last question. There are three switches in ground floor and three bulbs in top floor. You can’t see the bulbs but you get only one chance to go up. How will you find out which switch is for which bulb?

(Thought a lot and asked questions a lot too)

Hmmm, here it is:

Put on the first switch and wait for some time. Put it off. Put on the second switch and go up. The one which is glowing is obviously for the second switch. Feel the other two (non glowing bulbs). The one which is warm or hot is for the first switch and the colder one is the third.

Panel: Thank you; we had a very entertaining interview.

I: Thank you.

24 hours later, the result was declared and here it is: NOT SELECTED