Location: Dianshan lake, 5 April 2026
A quarter passes, and this notes touches on the more work-oriented focus.
As a side note, in my about page, i should certainly reflect 2026 as a year of China and a growth into management.
As a chief of staff, I last noted on the three “P"s. Not something i read about, but just conveniently slotted it in some easy to remember framework: Priorities, Projects and People.
In a newer capacity as a GM, and in a much sought-after moment of pause and reflection this long weekend (although the longs, are usually cut short by a international mandate - the world never sleeps): I contemplate two main areas:
Overarching Philosophy
First, an overarching mantra firming up into:
Do right by customers, do right by company, do right by employees. This echoes, another mantra on a peresonal / life level: Doing right by the self, Doing right by the world, doing right by others.
The nuance here is the balance, and the inherent complexity of trinities. It is not longer an A or B trade-off (link to trade off here), but the starting point of a complex web of decisions.
The Four Ps
Second, and update or even a concretisation of the three P’s. and then more
Priorities
I do need to get better at this, to say no or that we can’t. Less so internally, more for external demands and needs. Often - that means disapointment, hard decisions, and avoiding sunk cost fallacies.
Projects:
Its growth, when a loosely held framework now actually means something more: that i can lock down. Three simple points: Delivery, Time and Budget.
Thats it.
All my Project Managers (or leaders) must consoldiate and have a view of the overall P&L.
People:
Perhaps the more profound of the three, as growiong into leadership feels the burden and heaviness of not just the self but of the many.
I wouldn’t say pander - but there are times when the emotionally charged energies reach a tipping point to balance between several well-intentioned and right-hearted views but drawn into conflcit with one another.
And the softer lens into the extensions of different beings:
- Their hopes, dreams (in the context of career)
- Their wishes to improve themselves for the betterment of their skills
- Their wishes to get married, and afford a dowry (pay increase)
- Their wishes for a more balanced life (workload balance)
- Their despair at certain situations and their own emotional investments.
And perhaps where this thing that they spend 10 hours a day on.
Principles:
Equally profound but newer is Principles.
I love the concept of principles. I document these “fundamentals” or “baselines” in many other forms, on many other topics (many of which are on this blog). They act as
But from a management perspective, I’ve found its use to pin the underlying common denominator that different teams or perspectives can find a common ground and consensus to align on.
This, especially so in lean, start-up mode teams when the availabilty of resources are often constrained, and the Processes and “ideal” set ups are not able to kick in.
It informs project set ups, risk management,
And Several others:…
Probably something to take further, later, but the P list could easily extend:
- Processes: (which i’ve favoured principles over, in the current lifestage of the company)
- Pivots, which I take as a radical form of prioritisation
- Perhaps “Pain Tolerance”: Coming across moments of dissapointment. Moments of despair.
- I tune in to these closely: often when teammates argue, often when a major thing is lost. Making unpopular but right decisions. Letting people down (whether inter)
What hasn’t changed
It is at times of reflection that i still value consistency - and equally what has not changed in my leadership style.
Focusing on Resources, bottlenecks, decisions. That’s all people want really.
The alignment then, to the shareholders and stakehodlers, continue to weigh on the responsibility and justification of actions.