Dealing with Challenges by Growth Mindset and VAE Model- Leadership Interview- the Founder of A.PLUS International Management Consulting Lawson Chu
Once he worked as chief leader in government and renowned company- his life was glorious. However, there was some voice in his mind which attracted him to discover the future… Growth mindset was with him from the beginning to the end.
In 2002, a successful gentleman has dropped his position with highly-paid salary in government and cross-national enterprise. With the self-challenging mission and his devotion to psychology behavior science, he started his management consulting career. This man is the founder and executive consulting director of A.PLUS Group, Lawson Chu.
15 years later, A.PLUS International Management Consulting founded by Lawson has been covering China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, it has become the top diamond authorized partner of Everything DiSC®, which is a psychology behavioral tool of In the entrepreneurship, he has found the key is :
To become a better self with Growth Mindset and VAE (Vision-Alignment-Execution).
Before Starting A.PLUS, What was Lawson’s Last Job?
Before entering the consulting business, Lawson’s last job was HR Head in Asia-Pacific HR Head in Yahoo!. At that time, Yahoo! was the top enterprise in Internet industry and miracle within the industry. Lawson was the first generation of Internet worker and he joined this ambitious organization at the end of 20th century.
As the HR Head in Asia Pacific, Lawson has assisted the development of the local branch in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Singapore and India etc. with the experience from the U.S. From less than 10 people when he joined to more than thousand people when he left, he has completed the merger and acquisition of Kimo. He flied to the states to report directly for what was happening in Asia Pacific every month. As the meritorious staff in the development of Yahoo!, Lawson’s career prospect was wonderful!
Why Did Lawson Leave Yahoo! at its peak? Explored the original dream and Found the Target
From Lawson: Psychological tools has changed my life!
One of the most popular psychological tools nowadays is Myers Briggs Type Indicator(MBTI®). At that time, it was not introduced to Greater China Area. Lawson got accredited from Dr. David Freeman, who was Master Trainer from CPP in Australia.
That time, the anticipation of growth and challenge had come back. “As My MBTI® Type is ENFP, I am willing to help others to grow. MBTI® was a golden opportunity from God.” Lawson said. Yes, this was the reason. Lawson decided to develop Asian market for CPP. Then, as the first trilingual (English, Mandarin and Cantonese) Master Trainer of MBTI®, Lawson began his accreditation career. At the same time. Lawson chose to leave Yahoo! and founded his own A. PLUS, dedicated in the growth of individuals and organizations with psychological tool. That year was 2002.
In 2003 SARS Happened- Growth Mindset Taught Me to Overcome Challenge
Many people would think Lawson made a dangerous move. But Lawson said” Growth Mindset was one of the most important mindsets in life. If I didn’t leave Yahoo!, worked steadily for 5-10 years. My courage would have gone. Life was like this, many high-level managers in their middle life couldn’t find their positions. They were depressed let alone realizing their life value.”
Lawson also said” I am the loyal practitioner of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. With the mission of Beginning with the End in Mind, any challenges would lead me from Good to Great.
This was really a bold move. At the beginning in 2003, the company was affected tremendously by SARS, not mentioned in training, there was few pedestrians on the avenues in Hong Kong. The economic environment was not so hopeful. How to do? Was there any demand for consulting?
Lawson smiled, with Growth Mindset, every challenge has solution.
In the great recession of consulting training industry of that year, A.PLUS survived. During SARS, A.PLUS has acquired a consulting program from a beauty retail brand. Due to the recession of retailing, all the merchandisers intended to grasp the guests wearing the masks.
You would never imagin that A. PLUS created the big selling point-selling with masks, which was the creative thinking mode out of the fixed selling mode. FAB applied in sales training have been exemplified: how to illustrate the benefit that highlight the eye cosmetics while wearing masks to beauty ladies, to make full use of the limited points. By utilizing the creative selling psychology, A.PLUS helped the clients to retain the sales, not decreasing but increasing, overcoming the challenge.
Lawson said that lucky was always prepared for people well-prepared. That year, many companies broke down, while A.PLUS has stepped over the first bottleneck.
In 2006 Why Started and Developed in Beijing and China? -Growth Mindset Taught Me: No Progress Simply Means Regression
In 2002-2006, the business in Hong Kong were growing, plus Lawson as the master trainer, everything was on the right track. Lawson said that if I stopped that time, it would have never been 15th anniversary today.
In one day in summer 2006, Lawson went to Beijing from the South, this time, he would pioneer. Pioneering the business in Beijing was unknown, I told myself again, Growth, Growth, Growth.” Lawson thought. It was not easy to start business in any place, this time. Lawson was thrilled. “That time. Economic environment in Hong Kong was saturating, China would become the most demanding consulting market in the future, which would also the place need psychology behavioral science that brings positive energy.”
On July 11, 2006, A.PLUS Beijing Office founded officially. “ Less than a year, you remember, in 2007, financial crisis stroke Asia heavily, Hong Kong was jeopardized. Many players in the consulting industry broke down. We were good, as we set up office in Beijing. No progress simply means regression. No strategies would end up with no opportunity, no big pictures means fail.” Based on the well-functioned structure, A,PLUS built and maintained good relationship with more Fortune 500 and well-known enterprises in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan step by step. Outside Beijing and Hong Kong, A.PLUS set up office in Taiwan, Shenzhen and Macau, which strengthened the core status as professional psychology behavior science expert.
The Achievement of Psychology Behavior Science Brought New Opportunity in 2013
In one day in 2013, Danish Embassy suddenly contacted A.PLUS. Lawson said that profession is always A.PLUS core competitiveness, especially in psychological tools. That year, the head of international development of the largest academic publishing agency Wiley said that Hi Lawson, A.PLUS has built great reputation in the application of MBTI®, we invite you to develop DiSC® tools. DiSC® and MBTI® are the most reputable products in commercial psychological assessment. Lawson admitted that he didn’t value DiSC® so much earlier time.
This time, Wiley brought the latest global DiSC® Products, Everything DiSC® series, and Wiley also invited A.PLUS as international authorized partner to be the promoter of Everything DiSC® International Consultant Certification Program, assessments, and training solutions.
Lawson indicated that Growth Mindset could also be applied to choosing psychological tools. Honestly speaking, the research and development of MBTI® has been slowed down in recent years. However, the latest version DiSC® Everything DiSC® outperformed compared to other illegal DISC products. The scientific nature, profession, variety of products and unstoppable updates are notable. Thus, we finally made a deal. Although Everything DiSC® didn’t promote any Chinese version, we firmly believe that we can develop Greater China Market with high potentials.
2014-2017 the Development of International Business
Lawson was not a hero alone who developed North China area, now, Lawson has built a powerful and professional team. As the executive consulting & managing director , he has led 11 Master Trainers conducting Everything DiSC® International Consultant Certification Program in Greater China Area. He is the only Master Trainer of both MBTI® and Everything DiSC® , accredited by CPP and Wiley, two official copyright owners up to now.
In 2015, we also introduced the latest The Five Behaviors of A Cohesive Team™, improving the competitiveness of a cohesive team by adopting psychological behavior tools. We have completed over 55 sessions of Everything DiSC® International Consultant Certification Program, more than 600 certified consultants have applied DiSC® in various organization and enterprises.
A.PLUS has become the top authorized international partner of Wiley and certified the largest number of professional psychological behavior consultants in Greater China Area. This is an international business achievements for both A.PLUS and Wiley.
Anticipating for the Future
Lawson smiled and said that I am no longer young, the future is for leaders and the next generation to explore for team members in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The most important thing is succession plan. I will remind myself and my team with Growth Mindset, develop myself and let others achieve. The Power of YET!
Lawson shared his own understanding of The Work of Leaders, which is a leadership theory of Wiley” Be bold of your vision (Strategy Direction), reach alignment with your team (Strategy Agreement), implement high efficiency execution ( Strategy Execution), Grow to Greatness, the keyword is grow. Achieve more for ourselves and enterprise for the future, bring more positive energy!”