mY eNcOuNtEr WiTh A wIsE oLd MaN...

I had a lucky chance to meet an International Sales Manager this morning during my interview... From the moment I saw him, i knew he was different...

He's about 50 plus years old, and looked a bit eurasian... He speaks very good English, and carries himself very well... I shook his hand and it was a pair of firm broad hands...

He sat down and looked at my credentials, and started to make small talk, without making me feel small... He briefly explained to me what the job scope requires me to do etc... When i told him i'm not too sure whether i will be up to it, as i do not have any engineering background (it's an engineering company that sells spare parts...), this is what he said to me, with a tone a senior would use to advice a junior:

"Everyone is born with nothing initially, and has to learn and pick up skills and experience... You are young, at 22, and have a long way to go to gain experience... Even though you may not have any experience now, you will have in say, 5 years down the road... Experience is not important, but the attitude... You must possess the right attitude... We would rather have someone who has the right attitude, and we take time to train him up, than someone who has the wrong attitude..."

(What he said below touches me the most, and really set me thinking...)

"I always tell my son... You have to put in the best effort in whatever you do... Even if you have to be a taxi driver, you'll be the BEST taxi driver..."

I feel very fortunate, that I get to meet the International Sales Manager, and he talked to me nicely and gave me some really good advice... In the first place, how many people actually gets to meet someone who holds such a high post, and talk to you and gives you good advice? He even said that he doesn't know why, but he can continue talking to me on and on... In the end, he cut the conversation as he's afraid that he'll bore me... I assured him that i enjoyed the conversation as much as he does...

I would be very happy, to have a father like him, to receive good advice... and him being so RICH lah... I'm not saying that my dad is not good, but i think his son is very fortunate to have a wise old man...

I will try to keep these wise words in my mind, and hopefully, pass it down to my kids in future... I would then tell them: "A wise old man once said this to me......"