LG Electronics CEO encourages employees to become “brave optimists”

Cho Joo-wan, chief executive officer of LG Electronics Inc., speaks during a high-level talk session with the company’s team leaders at LG Group headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on April 13. [Photo provided by LG Electronics]

Cho Joo-wan, chief executive officer of LG Electronics Inc., encouraged his team managers to take bold action for innovation.

“What we think and do right now determines who we will become in the future,” Cho said.

His comments were made in a high-level talk session with the company’s team leaders at LG Group headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on Thursday. Cho launched the talk session when he became CEO to better interact with the employees. The latest session was the sixth of its kind.

“The answer always lies on the customers, no matter how difficult the environment is,” Cho said. “We should be ‘brave optimists’ that seek bold challenges and unlimited innovation.”

Cho stressed that the roles of senior leaders are important in improving corporate value and innovating workplace culture amid uncertainty surrounding business environments.

“For leaders to make decisions, they should be balanced in their view of curiosity, knowledge exploration, and external feedback,” the CEO said. “They should consider external factors to avoid biased decisions.”

When asked about how to become an executive, Cho encouraged team leaders to have in mind to “get your three bosses promoted and make five juniors respect you.”

“You will then be able to become an executive,” he said, noting that having three bosses get promoted means they have excellent work skills and five juniors respect them is proof of leadership.

Cho also encouraged his senior staff to seek ways to relieve stress.