What positions of responsibility have you held (not necessarily business related)? What have you gained from this experience?

Since 1994, I have worked at varies positions of responsibility, including the positions as a business manager of China Machine Tool Head Company, as financial analyst and as self-management trader and backstage risk control analyst at the Securities Headquarters of China Economic Development and Credit Investment Company, and currently as risk control and internal control manager at the Legal and Compliance Department of China National Council for Social Security Fund. My experience at those positions of responsibility has significantly improved my professional expertise while allowing me to draw important lessons concerning leadership.

The most memorable experience happened during 1998 when I acted as financial analyst of China Economic Development and Credit Investment Company. My responsibility required me to undertake objective analysis of the financial conditions and business situations of the subsidiaries. By reporting my analytical results to my superiors, I provided important information for the decision-makings of the top management. Although my work was just the analysis of figures as appeared in financial reports, I came to understand that interpersonal communication is just as important as professional expertise.

At first, I believed that as long as my motivation was for fulfilling my duties, I could neglect adequate interpersonal communications. Even when I quarreled with my subordinates, I felt I was justified. But I came to discover that in those cases when I was indeed justified in insisting on my viewpoints, those views were seldom accepted and put into practice by my subordinates. I became very frustrated and this led me to reflect on my way of handling interpersonal relations. I realized that in those interpersonal conflicts when I was indeed justified, I still acted with a kind of arrogance and self-complacency which was unacceptable to my subordinates. Sometimes, I appealed to my excellent undergraduate and postgraduate education background as a means to indicate my superiority. In other words, I did not treat my subordinates with equality. One consequence is that, instead of doing a good job, my manner of dealing with other people prevented me from bringing my team members to make concerted efforts toward the fulfillment of a common objective.

The lesson from this experience is that effective leadership does not consist of academic superiority only. It consists of many other important factors including adequate interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication is important in that it ensures that different members of a group can contribute their personal initiatives. When united as one, a group can meet various difficulties and challenges more efficiently through collective efforts. Otherwise, the entire undertaking may be jeopardized simply because of refusal to participate on the part of a single individual.