Tips from a successful general manager

As part of the business unit leadership development program, they bring in successful leaders in the organisation to share specific topics. There is a General Manager for a growing segment that came in to share in career journey. He is no stranger to us, we meet up with him whenever he comes to Penang for business trip. He started out as an engineer but he was determined to be a general manager one day. So he made sure he took up roles that will bring him to the career that he wanted. He only took up positions long enough to learn and build his portfolio, before jumping to the next thing that he needs to build his career.

He has a goal and he know what he needs to achieve that goal. It’s just then making the move to acquire the knowledge and experience to reach that goal.

On top of that, he shared 3 principles in his career and also how he coached people on their careers.

1. Do what you are happy

It is important that we get the right role and assignment to build up the knowledge and skills for the next move. He said that it’s not worth it if you are not happy with the job. Specifically, he was referring to working for toxic manager and organisation. It’s not worth sacrificing happiness and impacting family and health.

2. Make sure it pays

There are many places that claims that they pay with “experience”. He said not to sell ourselves short, which is why he is with the company since he joined after college or something. The company provides good opportunity for career growth and also good pay. Not worth to sacrifice pay and livelihood to get the career jump.

3. Work within your values

One principle to wrap up all others is to make sure that you work within your values. Again this is in reference to working with organisation and leaders that are aligned with your values. Values are ingrained into your personality. It is hard to live with yourself in private if you have to spend most of your living days trying to personally fit into a value that you cannot agree with, regardless the benefits. This becomes the bases of the diversity and inclusion initiatives that he has been a strong advocate.