Page 9 - ELITE PLUS MAGAZINE Vol 3

Our employees were also our shareholders. We often launched new campaigns to raise deposit funds and lift service standards, and those who did well were rewardedto be aware of your weaknesses and acknowledge that there are lots of people out there who specialize in certain areas that you don’t. You need these people. Recruit them. Convince them to come and work with you.When the bank first started, we had many internal problems, some of them critical. Mr. Boonchu was invited to help fix these problems, which he did very well too. Later on he brought in several experts from various fields to form an efficient team for the bank. Once you find these people, once they agree to work with you, you need to take good care of them. Assign them tasks that allow them to realize their potential. But you must set up rules for teamwork and coordination. Everyone must move, communicate and work for a common goal as a team. Problem solving may, at times, entail some conflicts. When conflicts occur, you have to handle them honestly andwithout bias, and in time everyone will accept this kind of working environment.Bangkok Bank has faced many problems in the past, some of which could have brought the bank down. For example, we had a serious case of internal corruption during the first few years of our formation. The coup by Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat caused major political turmoil. We had a “crisis of rumour” when many of our good customers withdrew money from the bank in panic. Then there was the “Tom Yum Kung” financial crisis of 1997 that badly shattered all economies of Asia. We managed to get through these heart- breaking incidents fairly well thanks to our capable and hard-working management team.2) The second most important factor is the well-being and spirit of the employees at all levels. Every oneof them counts. These employees are the ones that deal directly with our customers. They are the actual service providers on the front line. They are the ones who ensure the bank’s survival and dictate the rate of growth. We have to respect their significance and contribution. The board and I care very much about, the morale and well-being of our employees.During the time of my presidency, our staff had the highest salaries and the best benefits among most companies in Thailand. When we issued new shares, we allotted some to employees. We involved them in the company ownership. Our employees were also our shareholders. We often launched new campaigns to raise deposit funds and lift service standards, and those who did well were rewarded. Bangkok Bank was the country’s fastest growing bank and our staff were proud to be part of thisElite+ 7