Good problem solvers are good thinkers. A problem solver by nature, Fu Soon’s analytical skills are recognized both within the team and company as he asks sharp questions, is confident in what he knows and bold in not being afraid to say what he thinks.
Read on as he shares with us what he thinks is the most important mindset to have working in Titansoft, and how he goes about building a healthy team.
- What are the secrets of your career progression and growth, advancing two job grades in the last 1 year and half?
Do the right thing at the right time – most of all, in the right environment. If you are in a team which allows mistakes, you will have the courage to do what you think is right. It is very important to be surrounded by people of the right mindset, to be solution-focused instead of being problem-focused.
My team works in a solution-focused environment.
Whenever someone makes a mistake, we first work together on the “how”, finding a solution for the problem and allowing everyone to learn what to do when faced with an issue, instead of focusing on the “why and who”.
Because of this, I know how to deal with mistakes, issues and problems, and am able to solve many problems without having to go to my manager.
I also actively train my juniors to become seniors, teaching them what I know so that they would be able to do what I do and in turn, I can progress on to the next step myself. I aim to have my juniors be able to make minor decisions by themselves.
It is also important to have a good relationship with everyone, so that it is easier to work together and to solve problems, both within the company and with customers.
- What do you think are the most important qualities to have, for a Product Developer in Titansoft?
A player’s mindset. Sometimes a victim’s mind set is useful for us to figure out what is wrong. However, once we are in a victim’s mindset, what matters is how fast we realise it and transform into a player’s mindset. For example, a victim’s mindset would be if I feel that my work is slowed down and I cannot go forward due to a lack of proper planning and no overall vision. A player’s mindset would be if I have a discussion with whoever I need to in order to resolve this situation.
Leading by example is another important trait to have. When I first joined the team, a member on support had a difficult time because a few seniors happened to have left, so I stood up to help find out the cause of the bugs even if it was not my week to be on support, simply because I cared for my team. They are humans too, and need their rest or their work performance would suffer. If my effort can resolve the issue, it is good to help. It is about having empathy with my team.
- In your opinion, what are the critical or important qualities & mindsets to be successful as a Product Developer in Titansoft?
I feel that all 6 are equally important. If I had to choose, it would be value driven and emergent leadership. Value driven is important because it helps in my day-to-day decisions, when I determine the amount of time and effort I should invest in a task and being clear on the value of doing it. My manager also mentions value driven frequently in our decision making process and when I guide newcomers, I too, make sure to include our company values.
Emergent leadership is another value I apply in my work. When we are liaising with our Chinese-speaking customer teams for example, I would step up to be the communicator between the customer and our team.
Emergent leadership is about allowing people to be champions of certain tasks.
- What kind of impact do you want to create in your team?
I want to cultivate the mindset that “everyone can be a senior”. It is not about your technical expertise but more importantly, to have a senior mindset with an overall view. Also, not to work blindly but with an end in mind, bringing benefits to the environment to improve the current situation. I do not want to have a team where juniors are afraid to voice out their opinions. If juniors are feeling uncomfortable, it is not their personal issue, but a team issue. Everyone’s voice is important.
- What are some advice you have for other Titaners to enrich their work experience here in Titansoft?
Love your job, love who you are, and know what you want to do.
Try and change your environment into one that you prefer, into a better place for you to work in. It might sound like a huge task, but sometimes, changes do not have to be deliberate. It is not difficult to effect changes by starting with small steps. Start by finding something you want to change in the team, bring it up for discussion with the team together with your action plan. You could also bring to attention instances of teammates actions which you feel should be recognized. We do that frequently in our team, when someone is being a good role model for others.
What about you? Start on your journey of exploration in Titansoft!
T.8ytes by Titansoft 