‘Be flexible, persistent and patient’
> This week, SunBiz features views and thoughts from Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce executive director Alexander Stedtfeld
How has your life experience made you the leader you are today? My formative years at my parents’ home instilled me with the values of integrity and tolerance as well with the virtues of curiosity and an open mind. Later on, the working experience during my student years as parttime construction worker, truck driver and bartender brought me together with people from all walks of life and the chance to learn from them. Even today, I am still learning every day from the people around me.
How has your previous employment experience aided your current position? I have been working for different types of organisations such as a federal ministry, the German embassy, as well as in the private sector with different tasks assigned. This made it necessary to adapt to new environments, topics and management styles quickly and thoroughly in order to perform well in each position.
My career brought me to different countries as well, such as the USA, India, Indonesia and Malaysia. Each place has its own culture, sociology and business environment, which I have learnt to embrace and acknowledge.
What have the highlights and challenges been during your tenure at MGCC? The implementation of the first high-level dual vocational training programme in Malaysia is a highlight and at the same time on of the biggest challenges during my tenure at MGCC. The syllabus of the programme is in accordance with German standards under which young Malaysians are trained for excellent career opportunities in an increasingly demanding work environment. We overcame the challenges in building the legal foundation and in finding participating companies, trainees and cooperation partners in the public sector.
The programme successfully took off in June 2014 and we will continue to maintain and expand it.
Another highlight and challenge that I faced was making MGCC a comprehensive service provider for market access with the continuous extension of our service product range.
Apart from this, positioning MGCC as a preferred partner in green technology, corporate social responsibility and vocational education and training is not an easy but (it is) a satisfying venture and we are happy to continue working on it.
In 2009 and 2010 businesses faced a downturn and I am proud that we managed to steer through it and continued to flourish.
Besides, overcoming intercultural barriers and tweaking the chamber in view of Malaysia’s business environment and working style is an ongoing exercise, even after more than seven years in the country.
What advice can you offer to budding entrepreneurs/youths who want to start their career/own business? Among the keys to a successful business are the focus on your products, your service level and your customers. Seeking advice and listening to experienced people is not a weakness but rather good business sense. Discussing and considering options before venturing down a specific avenue is equally important. Flexibility, persistence and patience are attitudes which will help you to achieve success.
How do you maintain work/life balance? No matter how full my schedule is, I always find undisturbed time for my family and friends. Part of this regime is to organise sports or outdoor related activities, keeping ourselves free from electronic devices.
How has mentorship made a difference in your professional and personal lives? It has not influenced me much on a personal level, but has had an important influence in forming my professional life. However, rather than calling it mentorship, I have learned from my superiors and colleagues through observing, listening, discussing and considering. That kind of mentorship continues to be part of an everyday learning lifestyle.
What do you want to accomplish in the next five years? I will return to the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy in Berlin, Germany, in August this year. This is an opportunity to take up a new and exciting assignment to which I can bring my knowhow, experience and networks gained in the course of a diverse professional career.
The next step should bring me to a challenging politically relevant environment that requires analytical and conceptual thinking, strategic expertise as well as operational competency.
Best piece of advice you ever got on your career? Be your own career builder, take initiative, identify prospects and be ready to take chances because opportunity never waits.
Most admired business leader? Why? Friedrich Alfred Krupp (1854-1902) was a German entrepreneur who lived corporate responsibility in a capitalistic industrial era. I can easily subscribe to his values which led him to introduce numerous social benefits for his workers on a voluntary basis. His concepts eventually evolved into common standards of the German social security system.
How do you stay abreast of issues affecting your industry? As far as the basics are concerned, I keep myself updated on business, economic and political conditions and developments through traditional as well as modern media. But most importantly is to maintain continuous interaction with clients, partners and other stakeholders on their views and perceptions in Malaysia and abroad.
If you could have an hour with any thought leader in the world, who would it be and why? I would choose Nelson Mandela to learn about finding a balance of interests within an extremely volatile, aggressive and intercultural diverse environment and achieving it in a mostly non-violent process.
What was your biggest failure and what did you learn from it? It was, without being able to go into detail, the inability to push an amendment of a political policy on which I had set my mind on through and subsequently the lessons I have learned how to live with disappointments by accepting democratic processes and their benefits.
What was the most outlandish business proposal you have ever heard of? This would be DESERTEC (http://www. desertec.org/en/) that aims at supplying the world with power by virtue of a renewable energy belt along the equator. It is a concept which might actually work and, if it ever does, has the potential to significantly contribute to peace and unity on our planet.
What man-made innovation confounds you? Why? None, otherwise we would be standing still unable to accept and to adapt to changes.
The biggest challenge you’ve faced? I would say raising children, but at the same time it is the biggest joy in my life too.
Malaysia’s greatest brand? In my opinion, Malaysia’s biggest asset is the diversity of the people.
Blue or red ocean strategy? Or neither? Why? If I had to make a choice I would probably rather go for the blue than the red ocean strategy. Fortunately, I do not have to do so in my job. For me, both fall short in the wider context of sustainability, where people’s welfare in terms of high social standards, a clean environment and inclusiveness in prosperity are the core elements of successful business models.
A must-read for every business owner/ manager is ...? I would recommend The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.