Those who strive to sit in the front row

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I have written about the cover figure for seven issues, and finally, this time, it turned out to be the most difficult one for me to write about. 

My workstation is directly facing the entrance of Mr. Ke's office. In terms of physical distance, I am the person closest to Mr. Ke in the company. The door of Mr. Ke's office is usually open, and his daily work is right in my view. I am quite familiar with Mr. Ke. But this is actually a paradox. Because of my familiarity, I don't know where to start when writing. 

Before writing about each person, I will first identify the brightest shining point of that person, then focus on it, and try to define it with a simple word, such as Deng's passion or Peng's tenacity. This helps me have a clear mind. I'm not good at describing complex matters. But Mr. Ke has many shining points, and each one is very prominent, making it difficult for me to focus. 

From a workshop worker, to a service representative, to the purchasing department manager, to the sales director, and now to the current general manager, Mr. Ke has a very wide range of job experiences. Moreover, the required skills for these positions are all different, but Mr. Ke can perform at the highest level in each position. This is sufficient to show that Mr. Ke does not merely possess a single trait. 

Regarding this, I specifically asked Mr. Wen. From the production workshop to the after-sales service, it was relatively easy to understand. As long as one has the skills, one can switch between the two positions at will. But from the after-sales service to the purchasing department manager, what exactly did the company discover in him? Mr. Wen's answer was: Negotiation skills. 

However, there is another deeper meaning behind the example given by Mr. Wen for this action. Mr. Wen said that when providing after-sales service, Mr. Ke always managed to become friends with the customers. This remarkable ability to make friends indicates that Mr. Ke will eventually excel in the sales field. And indeed, later on, Mr. Ke became the sales director.

Strive to stand forward

Apart from his ability, Mr. Ke is also a very dedicated and hardworking person. For instance, on Monday mornings when he goes to work, although his home is in Guangzhou and he has to return every weekend, before going to work every Monday morning, Mr. Ke always sits down in the office, regardless of the weather, without fail for over a decade, without any changes. 

But often, what determines success is not only diligence and ability, but also one's attitude towards life. 

I remember at the company's welcome party in 2014, when we were discussing the selection of the evening host, the first person mentioned was Mr. Ke. I was a bit surprised at that moment. I had just joined the company not long ago and didn't have a thorough understanding of the company's previous situation. But I knew that in terms of Mr. Ke's Mandarin proficiency, it was at the bottom of the entire company. Mr. Ke was from Leizhou, Guangdong Province. As the saying goes, 'Nothing is more terrifying than fear of death, and nothing is more embarrassing than being forced to speak Mandarin in Guangdong.' Although his Mandarin was relatively good among the people from Guangdong Province, I just couldn't associate him with the host. If I were to make the selection, I would definitely not think of him. 

But in the end, he still became the host. 

After much reflection, I finally figured out the key point: At one time, when the company needed a host, everyone was hesitant, awkward, and worried about whether they could handle the job. But Mr. Ke, with his thick Mandarin accent that smelled of Leizhou dog meat stew, boldly stood in the front row and took on the role of host without hesitation. Gradually, as people listened, they also found it pleasant. Through long-term practice, his hosting skills and Mandarin proficiency have greatly improved. Eventually, he became the first choice as the host in people's minds. Those who were awkward still remained awkward, those who were melancholic still hesitated, and those who doubted themselves still doubted. Now, if there is no Mr. Ke as the host for the party, it always feels like something is missing. 

Striving to stand forward, for Mr. Ke this might be an unconscious action, and it cannot be regarded as his life philosophy. However, it is undoubtedly his most distinct attitude towards life and personality trait. 

Push yourself forward, so that others can see you. Eventually, you will stand out from the crowd and get the opportunity to showcase yourself and develop yourself.

Open mind

I'm a slow-to-respond person. I often meet someone many times, but still can't get along well with them. Therefore, I really admire Mr. Ke's excellent ability to make friends. 

The so-called slow warming-up actually means a lack of affinity, a strong sense of self-protection, a narrow mind, and the establishment of many private boundaries where one doesn't want others to enter or disturb. For example, my room is usually kept closed whether I'm inside or not. If I could have a separate office, I think it would be closed most of the time as well. 

However, Mr. Ke's office is completely open and has become a leisure area for all the colleagues in the company. As long as there are no guests inside, everyone can enter at any time, sit down on the sofa, boil water, make tea, and also offer Mr. Ke a cup of tea. Moreover, the tea is provided for free. During lunchtime, this place becomes a great place for everyone to chat and have heart-to-heart conversations. 

This completely open office is actually a reflection of Mr. Ke's open-mindedness. There are no restrictions for people, and everyone is welcome to come in. Anyone can enter.

Go among the people

During my decade-long career, Ke was the most approachable general manager I have ever encountered. 

'From the masses and to the masses - this is the leadership principle and working method of our Party. But in the case of Comrade Kou, this is completely a false proposition. Comrade Kou always placed himself among the masses and among the employees. He never came, and of course, there was no need for him to go either.' 

Whether it was the original workshop workers, the later sales directors, or the current general manager, Mr. Ke merely regarded the changes in job content and job responsibilities as alterations in work tasks, rather than promotions in position. For instance, in daily work communication, Mr. Ke never used his power to intimidate others but instead communicated with all colleagues on an equal footing. Therefore, we can observe that sometimes Mr. Ke even got red-faced and heated in argument with a company clerk. In front of Mr. Ke, everyone can express and is willing to express their opinions. Any problems in the company are often reported to Mr. Ke immediately, and thus they can be resolved promptly. 

It is said that one gets colder at higher altitudes, but General Manager Ke's high position is filled with warmth like spring breeze. General Manager Ke always keeps himself among the employees, treating everyone as if they were siblings. Whenever they meet, they love to tease each other and don't have any taboos or barriers due to differences in position. During their free time, General Manager Ke also enjoys having tea and chatting with colleagues, or playing cards and playing the game of 'gongzi'. During periods of heavy work, General Manager Ke will also stay up late to work with the employees. And in the company's cultural activities, General Manager Ke is always in the middle of the group, leading everyone to have fun together. 

Because there was no sense of distance or estrangement, everyone could freely express their opinions in front of Mr. Ke. The company had smooth communication. If anyone needed help, they would immediately turn to Mr. Ke for assistance, which greatly improved the company's operational performance and management level. During the eight years that Mr. Ke served as the sales director, the company's sales performance achieved continuous and stable growth. 

Since 2015, Mr. Ke has officially held the position of General Manager of Shenzhen Nanhuaxi Investment and Development Co., Ltd. Through strengthening internal integration and external communication, the company has entered a rapid development phase, with a continuous surge in sales orders, creating a favorable situation for future development. At the same time, the company's cooperation with component enterprises such as Schneider and Liansheng has reached a new level, and it has obtained production and sales authorization for products such as Schneider B cabinets, Smart Panel cabinets, and iPM cabinets. Relying on the technical strength of leading enterprises both domestically and internationally, it has provided significant support for the development of Nanhuaxi.