Michael Wu of Phison Technology: Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A General Manager and President

An Interview With Jason Hartman

Be exact. Hire people with experience who are the perfect fit for the job. They will take your business to another level. By hiring the right engineer, as an example, you can develop that specific, customized product. As we have found out, the exact hire can lead to excellent results and solutions for our customers.

As a part of our series called ‘Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A General Manager and President’ we had the pleasure of interviewing Michael Wu.

Michael Wu is the GM & President of Phison Technology Inc. (USA). As an acclaimed technology expert in the NAND storage sector, Michael boasts more than 17 years of industry experience. Over his 14+ years at Phison, he has helped to position Phison as the world’s leading NAND storage solution company. Today, Michael manages and oversees the company’s USA operation to drive sales growth and profitability. During his tenure at Phison, Michael previously coordinated customer activities and support for the North America, South America and European regions and provided technical support to design-in projects and managing product life cycles.

Michael holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

Growing up in Taiwan, I was always intrigued by technology and its impact on the world. My interest grew in high school so I decided to pursue an engineering degree in college. After graduation, I stayed in the U.S. and was hired as a test engineer at a company that made RF (radio-frequency) devices. My first role provided me with valuable insights into the inner workings of the technology sector. Two years later, I joined Phison as the lone field application engineer (FAE) in the U.S. I was responsible for providing technical support to customers. While working as an FAE, I started to think about the bigger picture and knew Phison had more extensive plans than simply solving customer problems and keeping them happy. Customer satisfaction is essential, but Phison wanted to grow and scale the business.

In 2007, I landed a leadership role at Phison and established an office in the U.S. Founded in 2000, Phison was relatively young and had some growing pains and challenges. Four years after I started, I made my first hire. I realized we needed to grow the team for the company to succeed, and that is when I established a product marketing team. Later, we began developing a systems architecture team. Slowly but surely, we built out these groups, including our enterprise team. We were a new player in the enterprise space, where the development of new products can be complex. I knew we could have success, but it took time and commitment. In 2020, we opened an enterprise SSD engineering lab in Colorado with industry experts to expand support for enterprise and data center customers. With the lab’s opening, we started a new chapter in technology leadership that continues today. I am incredibly proud of the progress and accomplishments Phison has made over the past three decades.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

A story that stands out was my hiring approach in the early days. I was hiring people right out of school and thinking I could train them. But I found out I am not an expert in every aspect of the company so I quickly pivoted and realized that I needed to hire candidates that were smarter than me. As I engaged with more potential new hires, I started understanding the key qualities I sought in people. Similar to the home-buying process, you might have a general idea of what you want, but as you start to look at your options, you discover that your preferences are more specific and nuanced than you initially thought.

I realized that hiring is a key part of developing a great team, and the intelligent approach is to find people who are already experts. That lesson continues to be my approach in leading and growing my team today.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

One of my funniest mistakes was how I used to communicate with my employees. My wife jokingly pointed out that I become a counselor most Fridays after caring for customers earlier in the week. After initially brushing off her comment, I realized there was a definite truth there. I began dedicating more time to communicating with my staff on Fridays, particularly new team members or leaders. During these discussions, I would focus on both the business and human sides. I helped our team members understand their teammates, the tone they should have, and the diverse outlooks they should consider.

This initial mistake in communication was humorous yet enlightening. It gave me a fundamental understanding of the importance of communication in constructing a positive team environment. I learned that adjusting my approach made everyone feel supported. Communication continues to be a recurring theme in our Friday interactions, and we discuss family and business matters. As a team leader, I recognize I am guiding a group of individuals, not machines.

None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

The one person who has been a constant source of support has been my wife. When work is not going smoothly, she always puts things in perspective. My wife reminds me to believe in myself, even if I don’t achieve a particular goal. Having her in my corner has played an indispensable role in my success.

I have also been inspired by the energy and commitment of Phison’s leadership team. Their vision and passion for the company has empowered me to remain focused and determined to achieve our goals. I can always count on their counsel, support, and direction.

Leadership often entails making difficult or hard choices between two good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader?

Difficult decisions and hard choices come with the territory. Whether it is selecting between two good paths or weighing the advantages or disadvantages of a decision, I know how difficult choices can affect the success of our company.

One of my most challenging decisions was opening our Colorado enterprise SSD engineering laboratory in 2020. There were a lot of uncertainties because of Covid-19, but we felt the enterprise sector was an expanding area crucial for every company to get involved in. Business was down, and there were no assurances the lab would pay dividends. Despite the delays, it was worth the risk.

To move forward, it was imperative to convince headquarters to assemble a talented team that would not burn through the investment but provide scalability to get the wheels moving forward on the laboratory. In addition, we leveraged our local partners to ensure they were on board with the plan. The result was worth the effort and investment. Within two years, Phison launched a product. It was a remarkable accomplishment, especially considering the time it takes other businesses to bring new products to market. Ultimately, the decision to open an R&D facility in Colorado was the right call.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?

The primary differences are the degrees of decision-making and responsibilities. I need to make strategic determinations that impact the entire company while ensuring we accomplish our goals. At the same time, I need to have a holistic view and recognize how the different units of Phison are connected. Being a high-level leader requires advanced analytical thinking, leadership skills, and an unrelenting drive to achieve results.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive? Can you explain what you mean?

One misconception is that you must have power over others and show them you are the boss. Nowadays, this is no longer useful. A better approach is to empower your team and trust them as the experts who can help elevate your company. When you listen to your employees, communicate with them, and understand their struggles, you generate the same level of enthusiasm for your company’s success that you have. Ultimately, empowering your team is not demonstrating your power over them. Being a leader is not being an authoritarian and expecting people to follow orders without question. If you can dispel the traditional myths of what a powerful leader “should be,” you can foster a workplace that encourages innovation and creativity.

What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?

I always expected to focus more on assigning tasks and responsibilities while concentrating on big-picture decisions and high-level planning. However, this hasn’t always been the case. Over time, I have discovered that addressing the small details is critically important to the success of the team and the entire company. It’s important to pay attention to the little things because they can prevent minor problems from becoming major issues.

Do you think everyone is cut out to be an executive? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive? Can you explain what you mean?

Being an executive requires distinct personality traits to succeed, including positive thinking, passion, risk-taking, adaptability, and perseverance. With a positive mindset and the ability to adapt, you can overcome adversity and ride out rough patches. You must be able to motivate and lift the spirits of your team. In turn, some traits that might make a person unsuitable for an executive role are a laid-back personality and a negative mindset. If you are too laid back, it may be hard for you to lead a team effectively, and being a pessimist can lead to poor decision-making and sink team morale.

What advice would you give to other business leaders to help create a fantastic work culture? Can you share a story or an example?

Show empathy. By leading with empathy, you can change the behaviors of your team. And it starts with the leader setting the example. With compassion, your employees will better understand why certain decisions were made, even though they might disagree. Empathy will help employees grasp your position or at least try to comprehend it, and they will be more open to compromise.

Empathy also helps when those inevitable conflicts arise within your team. I always encourage constructive debates and arguments. When this happens, they are more apt to communicate, find common ground, and identify solutions.

How have you used your success to make the world a better place?

I am proud to be working for a company that gives back to the community through five social work themes: “Support for Students,” “Support for the Disadvantaged,” “Environmental Protection,” “Community Care,” and “Social Innovation.”

Collectively, our company is striving to make the world a better place. On a more personal level, it is particularly gratifying to empower our employees to grow personally and professionally. As General Manager and President, I have the tools and resources to assist team members if they struggle at work or in other areas of their lives. It’s all about helping them do better in their jobs and directing them towards personal growth.

Fantastic. Here is the primary question of our interview. What are your “Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A CEO” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

• Get smart. Surround yourself with people who are more intelligent than you, have a strong vision, and are good communicators. For example, hire a product manager who can bring ideas to life.
• Spend time on team building. Teams are composed of people who have different personas and ways of communicating. Developing a solid team dynamic is vital; creating team-building activities helps build trust.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings. It’s crucial to know what your team members think and feel so you can make informed decisions and provide feedback. For example, meet with a direct report to discuss setting goals and career plans.
• Listen more. Hear employee opinions and ideas. Active listening leads to trust and builds a more positive workplace. For example, listen to a team member’s presentation before judging.
• Be exact. Hire people with experience who are the perfect fit for the job. They will take your business to another level. By hiring the right engineer, as an example, you can develop that specific, customized product. As we have found out, the exact hire can lead to excellent results and solutions for our customers.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

If I were to start a movement, it would be to encourage people to show empathy for others. Spread small acts of kindness towards three people each day. I think this would cause a ripple effect and inspire other people to do the same. I believe if we all spread kindness, we can really make a difference in the world.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Work hard. Play hard. I love that quote because I am passionate about my work, and at the same time, I want to be able to enjoy life to the fullest. Leave nothing behind, whether you are leading a family, a company, or even having fun.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?

I would love to have a private breakfast with Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, because his book has inspired me. His story of taking over and transforming the company and creating its culture has deeply resonated with me. Additionally, he appears to be a genuinely kind person.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

About the Interviewer: Douglas E. Noll, JD, MA was born nearly blind, crippled with club feet, partially deaf, and left-handed. He overcame all of these obstacles to become a successful civil trial lawyer. In 2000, he abandoned his law practice to become a peacemaker. His calling is to serve humanity, and he executes his calling at many levels. He is an award-winning author, teacher, and trainer. He is a highly experienced mediator. Doug’s work carries him from international work to helping people resolve deep interpersonal and ideological conflicts. Doug teaches his innovative de-escalation skill that calms any angry person in 90 seconds or less. With Laurel Kaufer, Doug founded Prison of Peace in 2009. The Prison of Peace project trains life and long terms incarcerated people to be powerful peacemakers and mediators. He has been deeply moved by inmates who have learned and applied deep, empathic listening skills, leadership skills, and problem-solving skills to reduce violence in their prison communities. Their dedication to learning, improving, and serving their communities motivates him to expand the principles of Prison of Peace so that every human wanting to learn the skills of peace may do so. Doug’s awards include California Lawyer Magazine Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year, Purpose Prize Fellow, International Academy of Mediators Syd Leezak Award of Excellence, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals Neutral of the Year. His four books have won a number of awards and commendations. Doug’s podcast, Listen With Leaders, is now accepting guests. Click on this link to learn more and apply.