Captaincy

On July 3rd, 2016, I was appointed as the captain of the company. For a long time, I never saw myself as the captain of 3^rd KL, though I have aspired to captain a new company someday. 3^rd KL, being 60 years old in 2017, has a strong legacy. That comes with great expectations from everyone, while starting a new company is a fresh slate, making every and any achievement a new one. Now, there is additional pressure to perform. Not an easy task considering company’s condition the past few years.

However, I told myself to be humble and answer to God’s calling for His plans are bigger than my limited idealistic understanding. My predecessor, Mr. Terence Tay, for his own reasons felt that it was time to let go (though two years ahead of time).

I really liked the underdog – not being the person with the most responsibility. Not so long ago, anything I did would impress. Now, not so much. If you do something, even if it’s done well, it’s just “supposed to be” because everyone expect that level of performance. Even age is no longer on my side, while in the past, people use to give face to those younger. But I guess everyone has to grow up. 

Now that I’m captain, I want to do my best to ensure the Boys under me are given the opportunities to live up to their full potential and learn to live life as good men during their adult lives (and have fun at the same time). It’s an uphill task at the moment – the company is not in the best of shape. Membership is down, morale is fluctuating, and times have changed. Tuition classes and other distractions are making the operations of BB more difficult than ever before. Still, we need to carry out what God has called us to do, and try to do it well.

Since I’ve just started the red rosette, there are a few things I’d like to pen down just in case I forget. This is based on my own observations and critical assessments of captains before me and from other companies.

Be fair to everyone. Don’t pick favourites and train/work with everyone equally. Accept weaknesses. Be forgiving. Be patient. Be bold. Always remember to uphold righteousness and not do what is convenient if it goes against what is right. Never be blinded by success and be too comfortable with success for victory will eventually defeat us. “The skipper always knows what to do”. Always be the leader people need you to be. Be the person people turn to for strength – that’s the meaning of empowerment. Don’t stay in this position for too long. All too often we’ve seen people eventually becoming the very devil they’ve set out to slay. When it’s time for me to go, I’ll step down. I urge anyone to give me that reminder when the time comes, just in case I forget. Always be reliant on God for everything and realise that it is never a human being that led to success, but it’s always been the Almighty from whom all things are from. Remember the Great Commission, the reason why we’re still in this, and the ultimate aim is not the richest of this earth, but what’s beyond.