The charismatic leadership style of Liu Chuanzhi, founder of Lenovo Group
Liu Chuanzhi: "Every stage is different. In 1996~1997, when the company faced difficulties in operation, I was as busy as a bee traveling back and forth between Beijing and Hong Kong. At that time, the word' don't be impatient' was written above the desk. After the company's situation improved, I wanted to do something bigger, and Zuo Youming became the word' Hongyi'. It is to set a long-term goal and stick to the end. " In summer, he almost goes to the golf course near his home at 7: every morning to play nine holes before going to work. The working hours are about 1 o'clock.
Editor's note: The Chosun Ilbo made an exclusive interview with Liu Chuanzhi, offering flowers to the Buddha for readers.
Liu Chuanzhi, president of Legend Holdings Company, is known as the "godfather" of IT enterprises in China. He has a tough will and a challenging spirit of being calm and not afraid of competition.
he was born in Shanghai in 1944. Because my father is a bank clerk, his family is relatively well-off. After the founding of New China in 1949, he moved to Beijing with his parents.
Liu Chuanzhi's childhood dream was to be a pilot. At that time, this was also a career that many people yearned for. After graduating from high school in 1961, he took the test to recruit pilots, but because his uncle was a rightist, he lost the election. He had to change his original intention and enter Xi 'an University of Military Electronic Technology. Liu Chuanzhi mainly studied radar related knowledge, which is somewhat similar to his future computer road. The experience at this time became the basis for his future computer career.
After the Cultural Revolution began in p>1966, he was sent to rural areas in Guangdong and Hunan to do manual labor. At that time, intellectuals had to undergo labor reform in the countryside.
In p>197, he was assigned to China Academy of Sciences, a basic scientific research institution in Beijing, and began to study computer work. At that time, during the Cold War, countries invested a lot in weapons development, computer technology development was one of them, and so was China.
in p>1984, Liu Chuanzhi and 1 researchers involved in a * * * incident set up a small computer company-"Lenovo" with 2, yuan of venture capital provided by China Academy of Sciences. The company not only achieved sales of 3 million yuan in the following year, but also achieved amazing sales of 18 million yuan and 7 million yuan in 1986 and 1987 respectively. He said, "At that time, I thought that only cutting-edge IT technology could lift China out of poverty."
whenever there is a crisis, Liu Chuanzhi will stand up again like a tumbler. He said, "I was cheated of 3 million yuan in 1987, which was the most difficult time for me to run a business." After Liu Chuanzhi exchanged RMB 3 million for Hong Kong dollars, he was cheated by a trading company in Shenzhen, and the swindler fled with the money.
To our great surprise, the blue jacket worn by Liu Chuanzhi is obviously worn on the cuff on the right hand side.
who is Liu Chuanzhi? He is the founder of Lenovo, the largest private enterprise in China, which is equivalent to South Korea's Samsung Electronics, and Liu Chuanzhi, the president of Lenovo Holding Company (Lenovo's parent company), which can be called "Bill Gates of China". On February 29th, in the president's office on the 1th floor of Building A of Beijing Legend Holdings Corporation, Liu Chuanzhi, dressed in a suit without a tie, greeted our reporter with a bright smile.
First of all, the reporter is very curious about the reason why he wears worn-out clothes. Liu Chuanzhi said: "Suits are usually worn for more than 1 years. But it's not because I'm frugal that I deliberately save. Because I don't care much about what I wear. To be honest, I don't know much about how to spend money. What kind of clothes are famous brands, and the names of well-known brands can't be remembered. "
If you ask China people who are the entrepreneurs representing China, nine times out of ten you should choose Liu Chuanzhi or Zhang Ruimin, president of Haier Group. According to American Fortune statistics, Lenovo, a computer company founded by Liu Chuanzhi, achieved sales of $14.6 billion in 26, ranking first among private enterprises. (Including state-owned enterprises, Lenovo ranks 11th in China. )
It is reported that he is a charismatic leader. But his first impression to reporters is undoubtedly an uncle next door. In the interview of more than 2 hours, he seemed to chat with friends, which made people feel very comfortable. Another impression is that the reasoning is concise and orderly. Answering every question is a "first, second" step-by-step analysis.
There is a reason why China people are particularly enthusiastic about Liu Chuanzhi. In 24, he bought the computer business department of IBM in the United States for $1.75 billion, which became a hot topic in the world. It's equivalent to David conquering Goliath. As far as Korea is concerned, it's equivalent to the general manager of the computer assembly company in Longshan Electronic Business Street who bought the top computer enterprise in the United States. Lenovo is headquartered in the United States, and its CEO is an American. Lenovo is one of the world's three largest computer manufacturers with an annual output of 2.22 million computers, with about 25, employees in more than 6 countries, including South Korea. He is quite a figure symbolizing the power of China, which leaps to the world.
But he always keeps in mind the China proverb "There is a sky behind the clouds". Liu Chuanzhi said: "There is DNA of complacency in my character. I am the kind of person who is easily taken lightly and easily complacent. Therefore, always remind yourself not to be complacent and always be self-vigilant. "
if he just concentrates on expanding his business and increasing his wealth, he will not be among the respected entrepreneurs in the end. He practiced the sharing management mode from a very early age and was respected by China people. As the holding company of Lenovo, Lenovo Holding Company, of which he is the president, owns 46% of the shares. However, the shares he owns in Legend Holding Company are only 2%.
65% of the shares are held by China Academy of Sciences, which provided funds when he started his business, and the rest are held by managers and ordinary staff. He first introduced stock options in China (1989) and employee stock ownership system (1993), which set off a wave of ownership reform in China enterprises.
what does he think of money and wealth? Liu Chuanzhi said: "The view on material wealth is constantly changing. More than ten years ago, I felt that the better the car I drove and the bigger the house I lived in, the more people would respect me. However, when I saw my former colleague riding a bicycle outside the window, my heart was very painful. I think spiritual wealth is more important. The happiest thing is to see colleagues get what they deserve and live with a happy mood. My colleagues who started a business with me are now retired, but they all hold stocks. Therefore, with the development of the company, they can enjoy a better life. "
He said that as long as he said that his equity was only 2%, many entrepreneurs would feel very strange. "They all think that I created Lenovo, and the company has developed so much, so I must have a lot of property. But I think that because I live like this, I can unite the organization and lead so many people. "
when asked about the possibility of returning to the front line of business, he stood up. He handed over the position of Lenovo's president to Yang Yuanqing, then 41, in 25.
q: why did you quit Lenovo's business front?
"IT is a career for young people. Young sprinters do better. For us, golf and long-distance running seem better. Go to Lenovo's American head office about three times a year. When Lenovo decided on important issues, I just gave my opinion as a director. I don't participate in specific business. Of course, I will listen to reports on business at any time. "
he is crazy about golf recently. In summer, he almost goes to the golf course near his home at 7: every morning to play nine holes before going to work. The working hours are about 1 o'clock. Liu Chuanzhi said: "I am gradually reducing my working hours recently. I don't have a professional operator. "
Liu Chuanzhi, who founded Lenovo in p>1984, has an unforgettable memory of attending the IBM agent conference the following year. He was sitting in the back row in his father's old suit. It was a fresh and amazing experience. Soon after, he began to sell IBM computers as an agent in China market.
Liu Chuanzhi said: "At that time, we never thought that we would buy IBM's computer division one day. Because it is unimaginable and impossible to achieve. "
But the unthinkable changed in 24. Lenovo bought the computer division of IBM. Yang Yuanqing, the current president and then general manager of Lenovo, promoted the acquisition. Although other directors unanimously opposed it, Liu Chuanzhi still believed Yang Yuanqing's judgment.
Lenovo won the right to use the IBM trademark until 21, but Lenovo decided to take off the IBM trademark this year. Lenovo's move fully reflects the sense of self-confidence.
Lenovo is currently competing with Apple in the ultra-thin notebook market. After Steve Jobs, president of Apple, launched the world's thinnest notebook computer "Mac book Air" in January this year, Lenovo also launched "Think Pad X3". Although Lenovo's X3 series leads by .3kg in computer weight, it lags far behind "Mac book Air" in thinness. (The X3 is 1.85 to 2.34 cm in size, while the Mac book Air is only .41 to 1.93 cm).
President Liu Chuanzhi's desire for development has not been satisfied. Last year, Lenovo came forward to buy the Dutch Baide computer company, but it ended in vain because of the containment of competitors. Liu Chuanzhi said: "In order to develop enterprises, mergers and acquisitions are necessary means. Not only Lenovo, but also any enterprise should do it. Lenovo will also be committed to mergers and acquisitions in the computer field in the future. "
q: what is the motto of life?
"Every stage is different. In 1996~1997, when the company faced difficulties in operation, I was as busy as a bee traveling back and forth between Beijing and Hong Kong. At that time, the word' don't be impatient' was written above the desk. After the company's situation improved, I wanted to do something bigger, and Zuo Youming became the word' Hongyi'. It is to set a long-term goal and stick to the end. " (The word "Hongyi" is still hanging in his office. )
q: what is the most important quality as a leader?
"First of all, you should know how to set goals. I'm talking about a very clear goal. I think only by drawing a blueprint for the future can we lead the company forward together. The second is to have morality and conduct. The third is sensibility. Only by embracing people with a big mind can people unite and form good communication. Of course, knowledge and ability are also necessary, and leaders should be good at learning. " He said that he was relatively better than others in running the company. "When the company was founded, there were 1 people, but due to insufficient funds, it was impossible to pay salaries according to their workload. I can only set an example for people to unite and get together. So I do a lot of things, but I get very little, so others will learn from me. I think, compared with young people now, I am different from them in this point. From the establishment of the enterprise to now, I have always given priority to the interests of the enterprise. Moreover, as an enterprise, I have never done anything to pull the mountain. Because there is no faction, there is no such problem as' whose people'. "
He said that he thought he was better than others in training talents because he attached great importance to it. He said that Lenovo can grow into a world-class enterprise, and the first driving force is to attach importance to talents.
"I think it is more important for a leader to work in a small company, but it is more important to manage in a big company. Whenever I do something, I feel it is very important to cultivate talents. Today's Lenovo can develop new business in various fields because many young talents are emerging, which is related to' sensibility'. I never attribute all my good achievements to me, nor do I do anything that monopolizes the power. I provided a stage for the staff to play their abilities. "
q: what is the method of cultivating talents?
"It's most important to provide a stage for giving full play to your abilities. After that, clarify the business scope, responsibilities and powers, as well as the final benefits. The rest is their business. Let them think for themselves how to do better. We call this practice' engine culture'. Cadres are big engines, and other employees should become small engines that run synchronously with big motives, so that the motivation will be greater. The following employees cannot be the transmission of the engine. "
q: what has been the secret of success in many projects?
"Of course, the biggest factor is China's reform and opening up. Nothing could be done during the Cultural Revolution. The second is to set high goals and make constant efforts to achieve them. Only by setting a high goal can we move towards it. The third is to study often, not just books. I learned a lot from foreign companies. The employees of American companies in China are very good teachers. "
He said that Deng Xiaoping had the greatest influence on his life. "Without him, there would be no reform and opening up, and China would be very poor. Of course, there would be no me today. "
He said, "People who are dissatisfied with China's reform and opening up should visit North Korea. That would surprise them. They will sigh how they can be so poor. It is really troublesome to say' President Kim Il Sung' or' General Kim Jong Il' instead of' Kim Il Sung'. "
Liu Chuanzhi: "Every stage is different. In 1996~1997, when the company faced difficulties in operation, I was as busy as a bee traveling back and forth between Beijing and Hong Kong. At that time, the word' don't be impatient' was written above the desk. After the company's situation improved, I wanted to do something bigger, and Zuo Youming became the word' Hongyi'. It is to set a long-term goal and stick to the end. "
Speaking of "Liu Chuanzhi's style" management, we can't help but talk about his "barrel theory" and "one finger" theory. The so-called barrel theory means that how much water a barrel made up of several boards can hold depends on the shortest board, and the quality of an enterprise also depends on the weakest part of the enterprise, so it is necessary to make up for the weakness of the enterprise. "One finger theory" means that the middle finger of the palm can be tied to other people's parts, so it is necessary to cultivate core competitiveness. "In short, first make up for the weakness of the enterprise, and then cultivate the core competitiveness." Now, this has become a business theory that China enterprises are scrambling to emulate.
q: what is the opportunity to make the bold challenge of acquiring IBM?
"very simple. In my opinion, the China market has developed to such a scale that it should March into the world and become a global brand, so as to gain profits and grow. A powerful enterprise must March into the world. Just like South Korea's Samsung and LG. "
he said that there are three risks when buying IBM. The first is whether consumers can continue to buy products after the acquisition of IBM. The second is whether the elite of IBM can stay in the company. The third is to solve the cultural differences between China and foreign employees. "As far as the current situation is concerned, the first and second problems have been successfully solved. The third problem is being solved, and there is nothing serious. Lenovo's performance is growing substantially. "
Lenovo introduced the western business model very early, so that it can have the competitiveness different from other China enterprises. Dr. Park Sung-lu of Korea Economic Research Institute said: "When I visited Lenovo Group headquarters before Lenovo acquired IBM computer division, I felt like seeing a big Korean enterprise integrating western systems in many aspects such as publicity or management."
Liu Chuanzhi, president of Lenovo Group, said, "Learn from the know-how of foreign advanced enterprises and their overseas management.