Yingluck's CEO Style Keeps Ministers On Their Toes

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Yingluck's CEO style keeps ministers on their toes

By Piyanart Srivalo

Now that she has chaired four Cabinet meetings, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's colleagues have obviously found her management style impressive. Of course, this could be because she has already gained extensive experience as the chairperson of SC Asset Corporation.

For instance, compared to its predecessors, Yingluck's Cabinet seems to spend very little time discussing issues - less than three or four hours. In fact, on Tuesday, her Cabinet only spent one hour discussing the agenda. Normally, Cabinet sessions are known to last beyond the lunch hour, usually ending at around 2-3pm.

PM's secretary-general Bandhoon Supakavanich explained that Yingluck did not really limit the time the Cabinet spends discussing issues provided each and every minister comes well prepared.

He said the premier insists that each minister be able to explain or answer the questions themselves instead of relying on their staff or officials, because sometimes explanations provided by officials can be too complicated or technical for others to understand. This working style is making the ministers work harder and is cutting down on time spent at the meeting, he said.

"The prime minister is very bright and does her homework well. She follows up on every issue… like her brother [former PM Thaksin Shinawatra]," he said.

Government spokesperson Titima Chaisang confirmed that this Cabinet does indeed finish its meetings very fast.

"The Cabinet goes through the agenda very quickly. I cannot keep up and often have to share the responsibility of taking down notes with my deputies. I don't even have time to go to the toilet," she said.

Titima explained that Yingluck works fast, shows no signs of confusion and never goes back to an issue that has already been discussed.

"As soon as an item on the agenda has been addressed, she moves on to the next issue. I don't even have time to breathe. That's probably because she does her homework by reading all the documents before chairing the meetings," she said.

In addition, Yingluck has also set a new rule: all non-agenda issues must be proposed before 9am, not at 11am or later like in the past, Bandhoon said.

Previously, ministers often made their proposals quite late and other Cabinet members did not have time to read the documents or were too hungry to spend time considering the item.

This week, her Cabinet had as many as 16 items on the agenda and there was a bit of a bottleneck because ministers kept proposing non-agenda issues, Titima explained. This is why Yingluck has set a new rule for non-agenda issues.

In fact, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung was so annoyed that he called on the premier to cut down the number of non-agenda issues allowed per session, Titima recounted.

Chalerm's suggestion got full backing from fellow Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism and Sport Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa, who said: "I am relieved after Chalerm brought this up. It is good [if the premier cuts down on the number of non-agenda items]. As a reader I cannot read all the documents if you guys propose non-agenda items right now. It's not right."

Although it might be too soon to judge Yingluck's performance, but at least her CEO-like style can help force the ministers to do their homework, work harder and faster.

-- The Nation 2011-09-01

[Buchholz]

Now that she has chaired four Cabinet meetings, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's colleagues have obviously found her management style impressive.

Yes, because she turns over things quickly to them to run.

PM Chairs First Police Commission Meeting

Thailand's first female prime minister has chaired her first Police Commission meeting and says the possibility of transferring the national police chief was not discussed at the meeting.

It's becoming a reoccurring theme with Yingluck when the "Chairman of the Police Commission" left her first Police Commission meeting after just 15 minutes, before turning it over to Chalerm and saying he was in charge.

[geriatrickid]

Successful business operations expect the senior executives to be prepared and to know the subject at hand. Anyone that has attended "management" meetings knows how tedious they can be when a couple of the entrenched execs just talk in circles or defer to an underling. The PM is making the ministers work and that's a good thing.

The former PM Abhisit never had a job outside of government so he never had real world experience. Government meetings can drag on for hours where nothing gets done. In the successful segments of the private sector, time is treated as a valuable resource and is not wasted on "meetings". This PM doesn't have time to waste on activities that accomplish nothing. This is a good change to see.

[Who, me ?]

Blah blah blah, blah blah blah....

Boring!!!

Successful business operations expect the senior executives to be prepared and to know the subject at hand. Anyone that has attended "management" meetings knows how tedious they can be when a couple of the entrenched execs just talk in circles or defer to an underling. The PM is making the ministers work and that's a good thing.

The former PM Abhisit never had a job outside of government so he never had real world experience. Government meetings can drag on for hours where nothing gets done. In the successful segments of the private sector, time is treated as a valuable resource and is not wasted on "meetings". This PM doesn't have time to waste on activities that accomplish nothing. This is a good change to see.

[timekeeper]

Successful business operations expect the senior executives to be prepared and to know the subject at hand. Anyone that has attended "management" meetings knows how tedious they can be when a couple of the entrenched execs just talk in circles or defer to an underling. The PM is making the ministers work and that's a good thing.

The former PM Abhisit never had a job outside of government so he never had real world experience. Government meetings can drag on for hours where nothing gets done. In the successful segments of the private sector, time is treated as a valuable resource and is not wasted on "meetings". This PM doesn't have time to waste on activities that accomplish nothing. This is a good change to see.

GK is wrong as usual

Before entering politics, Abhisit served as a lecturer at Oxford University, Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, and Thammasat University.

[whybother]

Successful business operations expect the senior executives to be prepared and to know the subject at hand. Anyone that has attended "management" meetings knows how tedious they can be when a couple of the entrenched execs just talk in circles or defer to an underling. The PM is making the ministers work and that's a good thing.

The former PM Abhisit never had a job outside of government so he never had real world experience. Government meetings can drag on for hours where nothing gets done. In the successful segments of the private sector, time is treated as a valuable resource and is not wasted on "meetings". This PM doesn't have time to waste on activities that accomplish nothing. This is a good change to see.

So are you saying that only people that have worked in private enterprise can have meeting management skills?

Or maybe you're saying that all those managers out there that can't manage their meetings are ex-politicians.

edit: ofcourse, maybe Abhisit actually discussed things in Cabinet meetings instead of just saying "My brother said 'do this'. No discussion necessary."

Edited September 1, 2011 by whybother

[siampolee]

Of course one can manage when Brother No1 has everyone's resignation letter in his filing cabinet. All the cabinet ministers and of course the P.T.P. M.P.s just roll over and submit to Brother No.1.

[REM]

What is there to discuss when you've already made a decision behind closed doors, or don't want to listen to other views? Sounds like they are glorifying something YL sees as only a formality. The author is right, just like big brother, she won't care either...

[MunterHunter]

I guess meetings don't take long when your default response to difficult questions/situations is "Give me 6 months before you criticize me!"

[wilgoster]

The knee-jerk negatives were sadly predictable.

[whybother]

The knee-jerk negatives were sadly predictable.

Do you mean that there are positives?

[MunterHunter]

The knee-jerk negatives were sadly predictable.

Much like this farce of a government

[visions]

The knee-jerk negatives were sadly predictable.

Agreed, knee jerk negatives from armchair critics that have never experienced real life commercial management.

One only needs listen to any parlimentry session to understand the complete time and money wasting, argue in circle discussions, from people that are not accountable.

Full marks to Yingluck, Thailand needs much more of this style of management.....in all aspects of Government offices.

[tlansford]

Although it might be too soon to judge Yingluck's performance, but at least her CEO-like style can help force the ministers to do their homework, work harder and faster.

yay for Red Democracy !!!

(just could not resist !)

[hammered]

Yingluck delegates and doesnt micromanage is what we can assume from this. There are advantages and disadvantages to every way of management. With this style if she has strong ministers she will be fine, if they are weak it could create problems and with this style strength/weakness of ministers should quickly become apparent

[Crushdepth]

Although it might be too soon to judge Yingluck's performance, but at least her CEO-like style can help force the ministers to do their homework, work harder and faster.

yay for Red Democracy !!!

(just could not resist !)

There's hope for you yet

[pomchop]

The knee-jerk negatives were sadly predictable.

It seems to me that TV is just full of seemingly angry farang Thai political "experts" who are hell bent on criticising anything and everything the newly formed Thai government does or does not do.

Why are so many farangs so angry all the time over something that you have zero control over? It's one thing to post your opinion on the wisdom or lack thereof on a govt program or policy but more and more of the posts go well beyond that and get down right nasty, vile and childish.

Recent polls show that 73% of the Thai people are satisfied with Yingluck as THEIR prime minister? I don't know about your home country but i don't think you could get 73% of Americans to agree the sky is blue.

Perhaps a Thai citizen, born and raised in Thailand, who reads and writes fluent Thai and who has seen governments come and go for years just might know a bit more about what THEY want for THEIR country than a farang keyboard warrior?

Yet many post day after day about how dumb, stupid, immoral, uninformed, dishonest, and downright awful the Thai people are for picking the party that they want to run THEIR country? Perhaps some farangs should return to their home country and straighten out all of your voters and politicians and programs and policies before you try and tell the Thais how to run Thailand?

In other words, how about a little respect for the Thai people?

Not only is it polite and may reduce your blood pressure it also happens to be one of the forum rules:

Forum rules :

In using Thai Visa I agree:

8) Not to post extremely negative views of Thailand or derogatory comments directed towards all Thais.

[Pib]

The knee-jerk negatives were sadly predictable.

Agreed, knee jerk negatives from armchair critics that have never experienced real life commercial management.

One only needs listen to any parlimentry session to understand the complete time and money wasting, argue in circle discussions, from people that are not accountable.

Full marks to Yingluck, Thailand needs much more of this style of management.....in all aspects of Government offices.

Gosh, the part where you say, "One only needs listen to any parlimentry session to understand the complete time and money wasting, argue in circle discussions, from people that are not accountable." made me think for a second that you were talking about the U.S. Congress or most any other truly democratic government....the ministers/representative always have to mouth-off to get (keep) their names in the news....playing to the people in the district that elected them.

[blackout]

i really hope she do her homework. see her brother did his homework on the southern insurgency since the first policy he apply to the last day in his power and i am sad to see its result.

[MunterHunter]

Perhaps some farangs should return to their home country and straighten out all of your voters and politicians and programs and policies before you try and tell the Thais how to run Thailand?

I'm sorry, i thought this was a discussion forum... somewhere to discuss opinions etc... should i only post pro-red shirt propaganda?

[pomchop]

Perhaps some farangs should return to their home country and straighten out all of your voters and politicians and programs and policies before you try and tell the Thais how to run Thailand?

I'm sorry, i thought this was a discussion forum... somewhere to discuss opinions etc... should i only post pro-red shirt propaganda?

Exactly a discussion forum. Not a forum to bash the Thai people who also obviously have an opinion and a vote.

[IMA_FARANG]

Wow! Even though I don't really like her, I must admit I'm starting to halfway admire her.

I don't have much use for ANY Thai politicians, irregardless of party... but anyone who insists that there ministers actually KNOW something about their job BEFORE they speak publically about an issue is big forward step in the usual Thai political process.

Knowing the details about an issue, before you speak about it to the Thai voters... that's a real departure from the usual Thai political practice!

I wonder if Big Brother isn't beginning to get just a little worried that Little Sister isn't just the empty headed female he thought she would be?

We shall have to wait and see, won't we.

[moe666]

The meetings do not take that long because there is only one thing on the agenda, What are you doing to bring my Big Brother back. Agenda for next meeting, what progress have we made on last meeting agenda. Agends for next meeting my Big Brother needs a visa for where ever, what are you doing about it.

[geriatrickid]

Successful business operations expect the senior executives to be prepared and to know the subject at hand. Anyone that has attended "management" meetings knows how tedious they can be when a couple of the entrenched execs just talk in circles or defer to an underling. The PM is making the ministers work and that's a good thing.

The former PM Abhisit never had a job outside of government so he never had real world experience. Government meetings can drag on for hours where nothing gets done. In the successful segments of the private sector, time is treated as a valuable resource and is not wasted on "meetings". This PM doesn't have time to waste on activities that accomplish nothing. This is a good change to see.

GK is wrong as usual

Before entering politics, Abhisit served as a lecturer at Oxford University, Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, and Thammasat University.

No, you are wrong. How are your math skills? He was born in 1964 and spent almost all of his time as a student. Look at the time line.

He graduated from Eton at age 19. He then went to St. John's for his undergrad PPE diploma, or hot air pontification as it is euphemistically referred to.

He then returned home where he was given a nice cushy class to read to at the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. He didn't last long and returned to school in England.

Then, when he completed that diploma, he returned to Thailand and gave a class at Thammasat University. Obviously, teaching the class didn't fulfill him, as he went back to school again, graduating from Ramkamhaeng in 1990 at the age of 26. He can hardly be termed a "lecturer" as he didn't spend much time at the job. His primary occupation was as student.

He was given a safe seat option and was elected in 1991 at the age of 27.

Please tell me how the short term jobs that hardly spnned a year qualified the man as having real life work experience. I can't wait for you to make another exagerated claim and offer it as the truth. The fact of the matter is that Mr. Abhisit never EVER held a real job in the real world. Please, tell me how you can accuse me of being "wrong as usual" when you cannot substantiate your statement with nothing more than the regurgitation of a fluffed up resume.

The fact of the matter is that the lack of work experience plagued his administration. Unlike the current PM, he had no real life work experience to apply to the job as he had never held a real job in his life. Teaching a bunch of undergrads a canned economics course isn't quite the same thing as actually working on a construction project, or putting together a major transaction or even delivering a project bid.You and the others can ridicule the current PM all you want, but I can guarantee that she knows the costs of operating a business, whereas the former PM probably wouldn't have had a clue because he never had a job that would give such experience.

[MunterHunter]

The meetings do not take that long because there is only one thing on the agenda, What are you doing to bring my Big Brother back. Agenda for next meeting, what progress have we made on last meeting agenda. Agends for next meeting my Big Brother needs a visa for where ever, what are you doing about it.

Please don't bash the government or Thai people... some of the forum members don't like it and need you to discuss things in a more positive manner

[siampolee]

The knee-jerk negatives were sadly predictable. "Give me 6 months before you criticize me!"

You've come to realise how Yingluck reacts then ?

[OzMick]

Very short cabinet meetings are more characteristic of a dictatorship than a democracy.

Ministers do not work in a restricted area but a complex society where actions by one can cause ripple effects in the areas of expertise of others. Their input is necessary to minimise negative side-effects. How many ministers will have an interest in the effects of raising the minimum wage - just one?

Even ministers not directly affected should be allowed input. Aren't these people selected for their intelligence and vision? Well that is how it is supposed to be.

IMHO the reason there is no discussion is because the clone is reading out the orders of the day. If you want a song, it's no use telling the monkey.

[Buchholz]

Unlike the current PM, he had no real life work experience to apply to the job as he had never held a real job in his life.

Shame he didn't have a sibling with whom he could just simply invent "work experience."

AIS to abolish president's post

Advanced Info Service will eliminate the president's position that is being vacated by Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, according to a company source.

The source said the decision was made by the Singaporean state investment company Temasek Holdings after taking over AIS's parent company, Shin Corporation.

Ms Yingluck had been the president of AIS since the post was created five years ago on her initiative, the source said.

Edited September 1, 2011 by Buchholz

[kraplung]

Don't forget most of the government ministers have other things to do too, businesses to run, etc.

[whybother]

...

The fact of the matter is that the lack of work experience plagued his administration. Unlike the current PM, he had no real life work experience to apply to the job as he had never held a real job in his life. Teaching a bunch of undergrads a canned economics course isn't quite the same thing as actually working on a construction project, or putting together a major transaction or even delivering a project bid.You and the others can ridicule the current PM all you want, but I can guarantee that she knows the costs of operating a business, whereas the former PM probably wouldn't have had a clue because he never had a job that would give such experience.

What "real life work experience" has Yingluck had? She's been handed two positions, one which was abolished after she left, and another that was handed over to her niece. She didn't work her way up the ladder. She was appointed positions because of her connections, which is also how she became PM.