SMALL STEPS TO BIG MILESTONES

Mr Jef Ma Business Manager

Helping Navigate a Private Hospital Through Covid

When I signed on for a role heading up non-clinical divisions at a busy Northwest Sydney Hospital, I was blissfully unaware a global pandemic was looming. The next thing I knew, I was side by side with nursing staff, greeting and transporting patients to their rooms late at night, due to the impact of 2019 bushfire evacuation efforts on hospitals.

Then Covid hit, producing unprecedented scenarios that forced everyone from the back office to the frontlines, to step up and adapt to the rapidly changing environment. Due to the escalating transmissions, I found myself madly locating spare patient beds, and pushing them to operating theatres, to plug the gap left by a severely depleted nursing workforce.

The Best of Human Nature

One of the biggest challenges was the need to make frequent, sudden, and drastic changes in our supply chain, to control our use of medical supplies and source more stock, so that our operations could continue without interruption.

The strains lasted well into 2022, as the world began to transition out of the pandemic. Was it stressful? I guess it was, but it was also a time when the best of human nature flourished. Full credit to the incredible teams I worked with, both clinical and support service staff, who rose to every single challenge. Covid served to remind us of the very fundamentals of life - to take care of one another, value and cherish our everyday relationships, and take nothing for granted.

The Profound Impact of Teachers

Growing up in Shanghai, I was introduced to the world of teachers from an early age. My mother was a Mathematics teacher who taught at both tertiary and secondary institutions. I often found myself immersed in the staff room, privy to the educators’ candid conversations. It was amusing to see behind the scenes as a child, but it also allowed me to witness firsthand the dedication and sacrifices teachers make every day.

Years later, as a Mosman High School student, I again experienced the warmth and dedication of teachers, but more personally this time. My French teacher offered me one on one instruction in the French Beginner’s HSC curriculum, even though my peers were studying the intermediate curriculum. This meant she had to stay back to do a separate course with me each week for a year“above and beyond” is an understatement!

Why did she do it? Simply because I was her student and I wanted to study French - for her, that was enough. It was an act of selflessness that allowed me to succeed in my Higher School Certificate. My HSC exams might now be a distant memory, but what she did will stay with me for a lifetime.

The Art of Management in a Post-Pandemic World

I joined Wenona in Term 3, 2022, as the world began to adjust back to normalcy. The independent school sector, like many others, had experienced its fair share of challenges, particularly with the shift to remote learning, and then back again. Across the globe, educational institutions are facing significant changes, and our business office is no different. As a manager, I have always believed my role is not to seek personal accolades or to sit behind a desk losing myself in spreadsheets. Leadership is about fostering relationships. My primary responsibility is to ensure the individual and collective success of my team; to have a goal to learn and grow together, both personally and professionally. If the individual succeeds, the organisation thrives, and the community benefits. It is a win-win proposition!

Incremental Growth

Innovation has become increasingly important to the day-to-day running of independent schools due to the evolving complexity of the sector. We all need to adapt and grow to support those we serve. But the question that arises is, are the efficiencies we seek creating more time for what is important such as connecting with staff, students, and our community? To be successful, we need the answer to be “yes”. The general direction of innovation in the business office is to optimise processes in ways that provide more time for educators to nurture their students’ growth and curiosity.