A PASSION FOR PEOPLE

As an Army Division commander, chairman of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), devoted husband and father, Brigadier-General (BG) Ishak Ismail meets and interacts with people regularly. PIONEER finds out how he juggles them all.

Come August, all eyes will be on Singapore during the opening of the first YOG and it is a golden opportunity to showcase the nation to the world. As Chairman of the YOG 2010 Opening and Closing Ceremony (OCC), BG Ishak shoulders the responsibility of ensuring that the support which goes on behind the scenes is carried out without a hitch.

"One of the greater challenges is to meet the expectations of the world and the nation on a limited budget," said BG Ishak, who is the Commander of the 6th Division (6 DIV). "There are also operational challenges such as how we (6 DIV) structure ourselves in order to tackle areas, both military and civilian, effectively."

Working on the YOG has allowed him to move from interacting with military personnel to people in the creative field. Through constant interactions with them, he has learnt how to be more sensitive to their demands and that clarification and close communication are crucial to getting the job done.

Being a people-person, working with the creative team and young performers, who are essentially a passionate and energetic bunch, has been very encouraging for BG Ishak.

"Working with them deepens my respect for people, and my love for the human spirit. This is because I know that everyone has something to contribute, and that everyone has a large part to play," said the 47-year-old.

Love for interaction

His love for working with people stems from the community-style living of his childhood days. With four families and 14 cousins living in a single compound house at Katong, he had to take up responsibilities such as taking turns doing the household chores. Of course, living with a large group of people also meant that there were many squabbles, and the experience has taught him how to be sensitive to others.

Years of experience in interacting with different groups of people has taught BG Ishak that giving people space to develop their full potential actually garners better results in their work - which is why he leads his team by the "fishing" theory.

"It's a case of teaching people how to fish instead of fishing for them. I tell my people what needs to be done and then I give them space to develop their capabilities. This allows them to grow and learn more," he explained.

"I also make it a point to interact and spend time with the interns who are involved in the YOG and this is something else that I believe in - the 'starfish' theory.

"I believe that even spending a little time understanding a person can make a difference to his or her life. Thus, while I help bounce off their thoughts and queries, I also get to understand them better."

Love for sports

A self-professed lover of sports, BG Ishak was a sportsman throughout his school days. From competitive soccer and sepak takraw in primary school to handball during his time in the National University of Singapore, he has always enjoyed sports.

However, because of a back problem, for which he went through an operation 12 years ago, he was forced to stop playing sports. Nevertheless, the spark in him remains. He now takes on a spectator's perspective of enjoying sports - watching the younger of his two daughters play competitive 3-on-3 basketball.

Looking back, he said: "I miss sports. There is something about sports that allows you to see excellence at work. It is the combination of enjoying the sport and pushing yourself to the limit that makes it very exciting."

Going to his daughter's games is also one way he spends time with his family. Despite juggling a busy schedule, he makes it a point to spend quality time with his family - his wife and daughters, aged 16 and 18 - especially on Sundays.

However, the most important thing on his mind right now is to concentrate on the Games OCC - to move his team forward and execute the show smoothly.

"The upcoming days are not going to be easy. Everyone needs someone other than himself to make things happen and we've got to start managing people to get this show going. Nevertheless, I am really looking forward to this," he said with a smile.

BG Ishak's Sporting Record

Primary school days
Competitive soccer and sepak takraw

Secondary school
Competitive cricket

Junior College
Competitive hockey

Army
Boxing and rugby

University
Handball, rugby, hockey