“Become a good manager & leader”

“Become a good manager & leader”
- By Steve Hwang

I walked into office at 8:25am on Monday of May 3, and started a regular work day. My admin came to my office and asked me whether I can add a 30 minutes interview schedule for a candidate. I approved the new schedule and she left a hard copy of the candidate’ resume for the interview.

The candidate was a Chinese-American who has advanced degree and applied for an engineer position. Currently, she holds a management position of 8 direct reports in a finically struggling fiber optics company. She was asked by her company to lay off 4 people from her group, and to take a demotion of becoming an individual contributor.

While talking to this candidate, I found that she was a smart, bright and very pleasant person. A question came to my mind - Why Asian, especially those who are from Taiwan and China, couldn’t hold more management positions in corporations?

There is a false but popular perception that we are good in math and science, but not suitable for management positions. From my working experience in Silicon Valley, I believe that all Taiwanese & Chinese are capable of becoming a good manager and leader. However, becoming a good manager is not born with, can’t be given; rather everyone can learn and strive for it.

How to become a good manager? I would like share the experience of mine. Please find below interview excerpts from Inside Seagate - “ Good Manager”

I hope that you can learn from my management experience, practice them on the job and become future leaders in your company and community.

Interview:

Steve Hwang
Exec. Director of Development

University of Utah, PhD in Metallurgical Engineering
Joined Seagate in 1993. Started as manager, becoming a director in 1995.

Has 30 employees on staff, including engineers from China, Taiwan, Romania, Africa, Russia, Yugoslavia, Korea, Vietnam, Philippine, and more.

On management style and philosophy:

If you want to be a good manager, you need to become a leader. The differences are between them?? If you are a manager, you use the authority the company gives you. But to be a good leader, you manage and lead not with your authority, but with your heart and by setting a good example.

It is extremely important for a good manager to have integrity and be an honest person. Other characteristics of a good manager are:
- Strong passion with what he/she is doing
- Focusing and priorizing on what he/she trying to accomplish
- Results oriented
- High energy
- Caring about his/her people.
- Being fair.

Special actions/tactics that make Steve’s team work well together:

I emphasize and want teamwork. In college I played rugby. I learned many things from rugby sport, and one of them is how to build a strong team with best teamwork.

I taught my team that you shouldn’t worry if you fail or miss the ball, just perform. Your teams will cover for you. We know in R&D that as individuals we may fail in some of our attempts, but someone will pick us up. The whole team carries it. It’s always easier as a team. Elevate the team. It’s powerful.

What do your employees seem to appreciate about you?

The feedback from my people and customers is that I am optimistic, fair and my team delivers results.

We are confronted with very difficult problems. But I articulate a positive approach, and I trust this team. I know they will deliver. And when they do, I reward them accordingly.

Through these accomplishments, it results in all of us feeling confident and comfortable.

The motto for my team is “If we succeed, we succeed together. If we fail, we fail together” and “If we work together, we will never fail”.

How did you prepare for a management position?

I grew up in Taiwan where we serve two years in the Army after graduating from college. It is a difficult transition to make, but I stepped in as a second lieutenant as I had a college degree. I built confidence there, getting an award for leading my unit in successful war simulations, and learning to stay calm under very stressful situation.

When I joined Seagate as a low level manager, I continued to apply my successful behaviors I learned in the army. I also look to people I admire like Bill Watkins, Jerry Glembocki and other executives at Seagate.

Meanwhile I read and learned management skills from books, and internal and external management trainings. So my skills come from past experience, training, reading about leadership, and by observing good examples. But, every day you have to practice. The main point is that management skills are not born with, rather you can strive for.

Do you have a “tip” on good management practices?

I feel strongly about managing diversity. And I believe that diversity is a best competitive advantage.

I go back to an important experience. My wife and I got married in Taiwan a week before coming to Utah to live in married student housing. Our first night in the cafeteria my wife could not eat or speak as she was in awe of all the colors and different kinds of people. She had only seen Asians in her lifetime. She loves it here now, and we both respect and enjoy all nationalities.

Everybody brings a different strength to the table. Respect, enjoy and understand everyone. It is what makes America so strong. So diversity makes a strong team.

On effective communication:

Since English is my second language, I don’t speak or write good English. My two daughters are better. I used to feel embarrassed with my poor English and uncomfortable to communicate in English.

But to communicate your goals and vision, you don’t need good English. You need simple language to state goals and vision, and it doesn’t take too long.

I talk with my people individually and informally. You need to communicate frequently, “How are we doing?” and “What else do we need to improve?” I need to tell them how they contribute to the larger goal and have them see how what they do makes a difference to overall Seagate’s success.

A good manager communicates frequently and let’s people fell his/her care and heart.

On character and integrity:

In both my personal and professional life, I don’t worry about office or company politics, but I worry about my people.

I want to keep focus on “right thing” instead of “popular thing”. I want to be very honest and consistent. Then I don’t have to worry about what I said to anyone. I say what I mean and I mean what I say. Sometimes people don’t like my “straight shooter” approach, but they accept me quickly because that’s the way I am.

Since I am very passion about my works, sometimes, I get very emotional. In the past couple years, I learn how to catch myself and gain control of those emotions. I believe that a good manager and leader need to have a great character and excellent integrity.