Motivated To Seek Challenges

Raised In Difficult Circumstances, Taiwan Star Telecom CEO And President Cliff Lai Grew Up Resilient And Independent; Qualities That Have Made Him An Assertive Leader In The Industry.

- Jordan Murray

Who would you think has most inspired the leadership of Cliff Lai, CEO and President of Taiwan Star Telecom? Is it a mentor, a figure in the telecommunications industry or a member of his family? Surprisingly, it’s Sun Tzu, the Chinese military strategist who authored The Art of War, a treatise held as influential by the likes of David Petraeus and Ho Chi Minh. What does Cliff see in one of history’s most influential thinkers on modern warfare to admire?

“He wrote that war is governed by five principles,” he explains to The CEO Magazine. “They are: The Moral Law, Heaven, Earth, The Commander, and Method and Discipline.” Cliff says that he studied Sun Tzu’s concept of The Commander closely and learned how to lead in a way that was consistent while avoiding conflict. That was particularly important to him when he joined the telecommunications provider and had to map out his business strategy. “When I joined the company, I thought about how The Art of War could be applied to the business structure.

“I defined a strategy and ensured that everyone was aware that our core values were accountability, excellence and teamwork. That meant frontline employees would have a clear understanding of what they needed to do and what I expected of them, which led to them becoming much quicker and more capable of responding to their duties. It’s because of Sun Tzu’s theories that everyone in this business has become motivated to seek challenges and strive for success.”

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