A swan may look graceful swimming in the lake, but when the weather is rough, it has to paddle very hard below the water’s surface to stay afloat.
Of course, just being a good mediator isn’t the only reason he has excelled in this role. Ask the people he has worked with and most, if not all, would describe the man as someone who is highly adept at taking unforeseen circumstances on the chin. The trait, he said, could be credited to the time when he served as a reconnaissance trooper during his National Service.
“In intel operations, there’s always a danger of compromising our position and getting caught by the enemy. We had to learn to stay vigilant and think on our feet all the time!” he quipped.
This experience, he added, served him well when he joined the newly formed HTX as Head of Operation Systems in 2019 and had to swiftly react to a crisis in the form of the Covid-19 pandemic.
During that challenging period, Jayson played a crucial role in coordinating efforts to set up secure virtual conferencing capabilities within the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as well as a panoramic video system at HTX. What made these tasks more challenging than usual, he added, was the need to adhere to safe distancing measures and telecommuting arrangements aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.
Jayson was also part of the team that established a HTX Covid Swab Collection cell at a centralised command centre for travelers arriving at all land and sea checkpoints.
“The most challenging aspect of the work was the short lead time to respond to operational needs, compounded by the fact that no one had experience handling such a pandemic. Not to mention, we had to work with many unfamiliar faces,” he recalled.
At the outset, bearing the heavy lift of additional demands while managing his other tasks was tricky. But Jayson credits HTX’s management for helping the team prevail over adversity.
“Thanks to their clear guidance and decisiveness, we managed to put together a working team comprising members of relevant backgrounds and experience to get the operation running within a short time,” he recounted.
Right after the world crossed into the post pandemic phase, Jayson’s efforts were duly recognised when he was promoted to the position of Deputy Director in 2023.
A matter of perspectives
When asked about his “secret” to getting people from all kinds of backgrounds to work together harmoniously, Jayson said that the answer lies in something that is often required in mediating conflicts.
“I just do what I do when I mediate - get each party to see and empathise with the other party’s perspectives. Then try to find the common ground between the two sides,” he said.
Jayson is an ardent believer in lifelong learning, something he actively encourages his colleagues at HTX to embrace. (Photo: HTX)
Of course, most people would point out that such a feat is easier said than done. It certainly helps that Jayson has a nurturing side to him that has on at least one occasion helped change someone’s life. Take for instance the polytechnic student who sought his advice after failing to make the grade in his subject.
“I told him to look at the world with a bigger perspective, and he moved on to study culinary arts at Shatec instead. Several years later, he phoned me to share that he was doing very well as a chef at Resorts World Sentosa,” he recounted.
Jayson’s passion for nurturing others is still evident today. At HTX, he habitually encourages his colleagues to continuously develop themselves, whether at work or in their personal lives.
“I believe that as a leader within the organisation, I have an obligation to guide them, encourage them to not be fearful and identify their shortcomings so they can improve,” he said. “After all, the organisation will improve only when its people grow.”
He has certainly walked the talk. The father of two considers himself an adventurous soul who is always eager to pick up new skills. He had, for example, learnt to play the piano at the age of 35, despite not having any formal training in music.
“Many people thought I was crazy and that I would never make it, but I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it and achieved a grade eight” he shared proudly, before further revealing a penchant for classical music compositions by the likes of Chopin.
During the later phases of the pandemic, Jayson also picked up martial arts, including karate and taekwondo, to arm himself with self-defense techniques in the wake of knife attacks that took place in Singapore at the time. He now holds a brown belt in karate, which he said helps cultivate his mind and body, while helping to forestall the effects of ageing. In November 2024, he earned his belt black in taekwondo.
“I love how the tough training helps me develop perseverance, which I apply in my work and personal life to overcome various obstacles,” shared the karateka, who recently gamely slugged it out in a tournament against much younger opponents.
“I didn’t emerge as champion. I was just in it for the experience,” he explained.
“I also wanted to prove that age is just a number. Well, I found out the hard way that age does matter – those kids were really quicker than this middle-aged man!” he quipped.