Career tip: Seek advise to market yourself~!

One lesson I learnt early in my career - By being in awe of people in power seats, I was suppressing my own potential~!

As the story went, I was a wide-eyed gullible young engineer in Texas Instruments Malaysia. The year was early eighties. The MD was one Mr Smith, and the Operations Director was one Mr. Lee. Both were Americans with heavy Texan accent. Daunting personalities, at least for me!

Every day, the two gentlemen would tour the production floor, at different times, and coming from different directions. The unpredictability of their visits played havoc with one particular emotion in me - fear! I was afraid.

My energy was spent looking out for their shadows. Even when I was working on a machine, with screw driver and test pen in my hands, my eyes would be surveying every entrance, anticipating their appearances.

One  morning, I was down on my knees, and my head was well underneath a particular equipment trying to trouble shoot the failures. Then I heard a thunder, "Young man! What do you think you are doing?"

I nearly fainted!

With a stammer, I replied, "Finding problems, sir!"

"Safety first! Next time, make sure you switch off the 'Main' before you touch any of the machine components ~!" The MD bellowed, and then he moved on.

I wiped cold sweat from my forehead. Gosh, how stupid I was to forget a simple safety procedure like that and to be caught by the MD. I went back, still with shivers in my stomach. I was anticipating the worse! Would I be fired? 

The next day, I went to see my boss, a Malay gentlemen, by the name of Tun Ibxxxxx (The 'Tun' was indeed part of his name and not a gift from any royalties. Smart move by his faher I always thought).
I confided what happened.

"I know. The MD informed me yesterday to compliement you for working hard. Don't worry! The MD goes around looking for what you are doing correctly. He cautioned about the safety procedure for your own good." Said Tun, assuringly.

I went back to my desk relieved. It was then that I learned a useful lesson.

"The BIG bosses are there to help, get close to them instead of being scared! Tell them what you do, and seek their advise!"

In fact, by seeking advise and playing to their ego, I was actually marketing myself!

Bosses judge employees not only by the knowledge the employees already have, but also by the way and intensity of the employees quest for new knowledge!