Correct decisions at the right time requires leadership qualities

Prem Kumar Shrestha was born in Sorpani, Gorkha in 1964. After post graduation studies in Public Administration and Health, he entered government service in 1985. As a Section Officer, he has worked with the ministries of construction, transport, and population. In 2004, he took office as Deputy Secretary in the ministries of health, population and local development. Shrestha was nominated by the Public Service Commission (Lok Sewa Ayog) as Deputy Secretary of CIAA (Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority) and was posted to Surkhet as Regional Head. Since November 2014, he is Registrar at the Office of Company Registrar under the Ministry of Industry. In this issue of Business 360, Shrestha talks about leadership and its aspects. Excerpts

How do you define leadership?

Leadership for any institution is to manage and mobilise people while maintaining its law and order to meet the demands and goals using human and physical resources.

What do you think are the traits that a leader should posses?

Whoever has the responsibility of a leader, in order to meet the desired goals of the company or institution, must be foremostly able to allocate and distribute wisely. A leader must be wise and able to decide and select ‘right man, right job policy’. S/he must be cooperative, patient, and open to criticism while having a participative nature.

What has changed since you took over the office?

At the policy level, we have reviewed, improvised and even changed some rules and regulations of the office to suite the current situation and demands. The implementations issued by Company Act which was on hold for ten years, we got it approved by the cabinet and have commenced new union structures and established Invester Protection Fund which ensures that share holders redeem their refund even after five years. Due to high accumulation of files every year, we have introduced online service for storage of data and also expanded storage capacity for physical data. We have been able to provide better services online as compared to other government sectors. Through this innovation, the public will find all the information they need to get registered.

Which leader do you admire?

I admire Dr. Mahathir Mohammad. Locally, I think it’s still early to say as we have a long way to go.

How do you evaluate yourself as a leader?

There’s always room for improvements, but as far as I know, I have been able to fulfill my duties and responsibilities with dedication.

Why is it important to have leadership qualities?

People of all walks of life have to make decisions every day. To make correct decisions at the right time requires leadership qualities.

What is happiness for you?

The meaning of happiness could differ from person to person. Happiness for me is when people show appreciation for my work.