From Hierarchical Organisation to Boundaryless Hospital: "Kampung" Spirit and Collective Leadership Beyond Eleven Jalan Tan Tock Seng

From its humble beginnings as a paupers’ hospital with a mission to care for the sick and poor, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has come a long way to become one of the largest and most important multi-disciplinary teaching hospitals in Singapore. Throughout its storied history spanning almost two centuries, it has stayed steadfast in its mission to serve the community, with a strongly ingrained “kampung” spirit in its staff.

The past two years have not been easy for TTSH and the National Centre for Infection Diseases (NCID) which is under its administration. In January 2020, the hospital had been at the vanguard of Singapore’s fight against COVID-19. The extra workload, coupled with stress caused by the crisis, meant that ensuring Collective Leadership and the well-being of TTSH’s staff to stay the fight was essential.

Surviving and thriving in a D-VUCA (Disruptive, Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) world sometimes requires a leap of faith. Would collective leadership suffice to bring TTSH from good to great?