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My second trip to Penang for industrial training.

The last trip was mainly on technical works.

This time, we’re given the opportunity to get our hands on another aspect in the engineering field: sales and marketing.

NEPCON is basically an industrial electronic and automation exhibition. It is an effective way for suppliers to launch their new products and services to buyers, grow new businesses and gain new contacts.

Some sort like PC Fair la, except they’re selling larger guns machines and tools.

This is the second year Vanguard Electronic (the company I’m attached with) participated in the exhibition. Last year’s response was not very satisfying (according to one of my seniors la…), but this year seems to be better, despite the economy downturn.

One of our company’s products, almost cost a proton perdana

“Sales engineer” in action =P

The exhibition took 3 days and all of us was so exhausted, standing in the booth from 9am til 6pm everyday. Nonetheless, it was a great experience for us to get to know the market, industrial profiles and those “big boys with big toys” in the industry.

Farewell dinner

My lecturer once told us that as an engineer, we’d ended up dealing with only 2 types of thing: the dead (machines) and the alive (humans). Knowing our own strength and which of those is the best for us is crucial in determining our future.

Now I’ve been exposed to both, but I’m yet to decide which is best for me. The future still seems so blur…

I believe most people have at least heard of this book.

In case if you haven’t, it was published in 2005 and was the top worldwide best selling business and management book by W.Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne.

This book is mainly about business and the idea of winning without competing. It challenges the conventional idea of the business world a.k.a. red ocean and how any business can break from this chain of red ocean to create new blue water, and make the world a better place.

However, I personally think that the concept being highlighted in this book is not limited only to the business world. Somehow there are more to it. This might sounds weird but what I’m going to talk about here is “life lesson” that I learned from this great book.

Lesson 1: The Four Actions Framework “Create – Eliminate – Raise – Reduce”

Be clear which element adds value to our life and which do not. Keeping those useless elements will not bring any good, so we might as well reduce or eliminate them and reserve the space to create and raise those which are more useful.

Lesson 2: Three Characteristics of Good Strategy “Focus – Divergence – Compelling Tagline”

Focus: Human is born with only two hands. Sometimes we tend to do too many things at once, but in the end realize that we can’t accomplish anything. Be focus.

Divergence: Following the crowd will not always lead you to a better path. There are times when we must stand alone and make hard decisions which are very different from the norm.

Compelling Tagline: If you are good in something, prove it by action. Always walk the talk.

Lesson 3: Value Innovation

You are good in something, but the sad truth is no one will ever give a damn. People will only appreciates when your effort adds value to their life.

Lesson 4: Reconstruct Market Boundaries (Alternatives and Complementary Offerings)

Whatever option you have now is not necessarily the best, hence always look for alternatives and dare to challenge conventional wisdom.

Lesson 5: Focus on the Big Picture, not the Numbers

Everything that happens, it happens for a reason. Always look at things from different perspective.

Lesson 6: Reach Beyond Existing Demand

Always push yourself to the limit and strive hard to achieve your goals. There is no free lunch in this world and you get what you deserve based on your effort.

Lesson 7: Get The Strategic Sequence Right

If you can’t walk, you can’t fly. As mentioned by Sun Tzu in the first chapter of “The Art of War“, proper planning is always the most crucial first step.

Lesson 8: Overcoming Key Organizational Hurdles

Big problem often comes from small problems. To solve a big problem, always work backward by breaking it into smaller pieces.

Lesson 9: Build Execution Into Strategy (Be Fair)

In the book, the author focus on the fair process. So the same principle applies in life, be fair.

Lesson 10: Renewal of Blue Ocean Strategy

Finally, always be ready to change. As mentioned by Spencer Johnson in “Who Moved My Cheese?“,we can only improve by adapting to changes around us. Nonetheless, be sure whether is the change really required. If it is not, stick to the original plan.

This is one of the most inspiring books I’ve read. Although it has been published for quite sometime, its idea and concept is never outdated and can be applied in various fields.

Ya, I know… For a 200 over pages book, it is quite expensive (well, at least for me =P). But from what I got from it, I think it is really worth it.

P/S: Special thanks to XinHui.