Sukhman Sangha
Manager of Operations to the Minister of Small Business & Red Tape Reduction, Ontario
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What is your definition of Leadership?
Leadership to me is about doing the right thing at any given moment. Often times, in the business environment, many individuals face the difficult task about balancing the needs of their business and making the right decision for their business and industry. In the government, it is the same. Making the best possible decision with the information we have is what we strive to do each and every day. Being able to see different perspectives and take the best ideas out of those is what differentiates great leaders from the rest. We won’t always be right but having that motivation to work tirelessly to make meaningful change is what drives us each and every day. A good leader embodies not only that but inspires his or her subordinates to do the same. Building a cohesive unit is the most powerful driver of change whether in government or in the private sector.
What are the most important values and ethics you demonstrate as a leader?
As a leader, the most important values that I am proud most of are the ability to balance different perspectives and being able to shift from bad decisions to good decisions. You will not make every decision right all the time but if you are able to be self-critical and learn from your mistakes, your future decisions as a leader will be so much easier and more well informed. In government especially, every day it is a privilege to work for the people of Ontario. Having that mentality of working for the public motivates you to be cognizant of Ontario’s small business community’s needs when making those important decisions.
How do you encourage the development of your employees?
In any professional setting, the development of employees is an extremely important endeavor. In many organizations in the private sector, many employees build experience and then find better opportunities in other organizations. The government is the same in terms of staff turnover. We as a government have brought up so many young leaders that have really transformed how we operate in terms of policymaking and implementation. Valuing these employees has allowed them to provide great ideas. They continue to have unlimited room to grow in their careers in the Ontario government which really brings out the best in all of the employees. Sharing a common ideal of truly working for the people of Ontario brings our collective unit together and makes us all work that much harder to make key decisions.
What is your advice to Canadian business owners during the COVID-19 Pandemic?
My advice to Canadian business owners during this difficult time is to keep being champions of our communities. Small business owners have been and will always be the backbones of our economies. There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has made operating many small businesses difficult but every level of government has shown their commitment to making sure that we all get out of this. These are challenging times for our country but with Canadians have shown resilience through so many tough times and I have no doubt that we as a country will get through this together stronger than ever before. As always, the Ontario Associate Ministry of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction is available to hear out your concerns and suggestions. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or a member of our team!
