Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1137649
JULY 2019 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 13 • "Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." • "Outstanding long-term results are produced primarily by avoiding dumb decisions rather than by making brilliant ones." • "It's good to learn from your mistakes. It's better to learn from other people's mistakes. How can we get ahead—and stay ahead— of the curve? Speed is the key. Among the fun- damental traits, continually and consistently learning from the wise is the speedier path to acquire the fuel to propel us forward. SMT007 Dr. Jennie S. Hwang—an inter- national businesswoman and speaker, and business and tech- nology advisor—is a pioneer and long-standing contributor to elec- tronics hardware manufactur- ing as well as to the environment- friendly lead-free electronics implementation. Among her many awards and honors, she was inducted to the International Hall of Fame—Women in Technology, elected to the National Academy of Engineering, an R&D-Stars- to-Watch, and YWCA Achievement Award. Having held senior executive positions with Lockheed Martin Corp., Sherwin Williams Co., SCM Corp, and CEO of International Electronic Materials Corp., she is currently CEO of H-Tech- nologies Group providing business, technology and man- ufacturing solutions. She is the Chairman of Assessment Board of DoD Army Research Laboratory, serving on Com- merce Department's Export Council, National Materials and Manufacturing Board, Army Science and Technol- ogy Board, various national panels/committees, interna- tional leadership positions, and the board of Fortune-500 NYSE companies and civic and university boards. She is the author of 500+ publications and several books, and a speaker and author on trade, business, education, and social issues. Her formal education includes four aca- demic degrees as well as the Harvard Business School Executive Program and Columbia University Corporate Governance Program. For more information, please visit www.JennieHwang.com. To read past columns or contact Hwang, click here. Other learning advice is well reflected by an interview by the Wall Street Journal from May of this year, Munger stated, "Part of the reason I've been a little more successful than most people is I'm good at destroying my own best-loved ideas. I knew early in life that would be a useful knack, and I have honed it all these years, so I'm pleased when I can destroy an idea that I have worked very hard on over a long period of time. And most people aren't." How pragmatic! Indeed, objectivity is the engine for building up one's wisdom. Overall, my takeaway thoughts go to the fol- lowing inferred and inducted points: 1. The Buffett/Munger duo create an intel- lectual synergy. What a fortunate partner- ship. Good partnership is power! 2. There are profound reasons for the overwhelming reverence and admiration for the two 3. Pre-teen attendance points to the next generation's high aspiration 4. Pre-teen grasp of high-level knowledge demonstrates ever-increasing competitiveness in future generations 5. Learning from the wise is a speedier way to get ahead 6. Mr. Munger's advice, "No idea is good enough at any price," speaks volumes for astute business decision-making 7. A company's healthy and sustainable performance correlates so well with level-headed leadership, including the board and management. This applies to any organization. 8. Further appreciation of Buffet's iconic concepts and practices: • "The best investment you can make is an investment in yourself. The more you learn, the more you'll earn." • "We don't have to be smarter than the rest. We have to be more disciplined than the rest." • "If you want to soar like an eagle in life, you can't be flocking with the turkeys." • "Always associate yourself with people who are better than you."