'I Lead By Example'

Campbell soup southeast Asia managing director May Tim tells how hiking with her team keeps them motivated.

- Jodie Darlington

When May Lim describes her role as Managing Director at Campbell Soup Southeast Asia, she likens it to being the conductor of an orchestra. “My job is to make sure everyone performs so that we can achieve our common goals,” she explains. “So I guess my biggest challenge is to ensure that everyone is performing to the same beat and heading in the same direction. It’s an ongoing job, to reinforce the goals, direction and vision that we have for the company.”

Managing a large team of people is no easy task, yet May appears to take it in her stride. She thrives on working closely with her employees and keeping the lines of communication open. “I often try to be part of the team and lead by example, so that my staff will look at me and say, ‘Okay, this is what the boss does,’” she says. “This makes them more likely to accept the pace and culture.”

CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN

An avid hiker, May encourages her employees to get out of the office and go hiking with her once a month. “It’s good for your health, it gets them outdoors and it allows me to get closer to my staff to better understand them,” she reasons. “The hill we climb [in Bukit Gasing Forest Park, between Selangor and Kuala Lumpur] is basically at our doorstep – it’s just five minutes’ drive from our office and it allows everyone to have three or four hours of outdoor activity. It’s how I keep them motivated.”May loves sharing her passion for the recreational activity with others, regardless of their fitness level or experience. “Over the years, I have hiked extensively in different parts of Malaysia, and I have climbed lots of mountains in Nepal and China as well,” she enthuses. “I love hiking – it’s one of my hobbies.