[People Met Through Books] 'Pengsoo CEO' Kim Myung-jung, Former EBS President, "Leaders Must Go Beyond Persuasion to Convince"

Launched 'Pengsoo' Character One Month After CEO Appointment
Overcame Challenges with Belief in Success and Comprehensive Support
Removing Impatience Led to a Big Hit
Horizontal Relationships Played a Major Role
Achieved Record Profit and Presidential Award

Former EBS President Kim Myung-jung is known as the ‘Pengsoo President.’ He took office as EBS president in March 2019 and launched Pengsoo just a month later. Pengsoo was a groundbreaking character that broke away from the framework of Confucian culture. The name ‘Kim Myung-jung’ was mentioned frequently without any official title. Thanks to this, President Kim became the most popular EBS representative in history. Even kindergarten children would say, ‘The EBS president uncle’s name is Kim Myung-jung.’ At his retirement ceremony, Pengsoo held a sign that read ‘Kim Myung-jung, don’t go.’ This atmosphere added freshness to the otherwise serious image of educational broadcasting. Kim, a media scholar and communication expert who had worked at the Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation and Arirang TV, demonstrated what kind of leadership during the birth of Pengsoo. We asked him questions about his book Leaders Are People Who Touch Hearts (EBSBOOKS).

Kim Myung-jung, former EBS president, is posing for a photo in his office during his tenure.

-You are well known as the ‘Pengsoo President.’ Thanks to Pengsoo’s outcry, you gained the most popular image among all EBS presidents. How have you been since retiring last year?

▲Since early this year, I have been working as the director of the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology Academy. I consider it a valuable opportunity and communicate with local entrepreneurs. My daily life is not much different from before. Without the responsibility for the entire institution, I feel mentally very light (laughs). I am trying to do meaningful work rather than working out of habit.

-Pengsoo had a tremendous impact on improving EBS’s favorability. It seems there were various efforts behind its birth. What coincidences and inevitabilities do you think played a role?

▲Pengsoo was launched just one month after I took office as EBS president. Initially, the number of subscribers was not as high as expected, causing the production team to worry deeply. Some even considered giving up midway. However, because we believed it would definitely succeed, we promised personnel and material support. We set up a task force (TF) to make digital native generations the core and allowed it to operate independently without interference. I advised them not to rush or overdo things in the eagerness to succeed quickly. At that time, I persuaded the most capable department head in the company to lead the TF team, which ultimately achieved great success. We planned to spin it off as a subsidiary if annual sales exceeded 20 billion won. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, we did not reach that goal.

-You generously embraced Pengsoo, who frequently chanted your name as president.

▲I tend to think of workplace relationships as role-playing. Roles can change at any time. Basically, I believe flexible horizontal relationships should be valued over hierarchical ones. A leader’s head should be cool, but the heart warm.

-Do you think the foundation has been sufficiently laid for a second Pengsoo to be born?

▲I believe Pengsoo, who called the president’s name like a friend, became a major turning point in eliminating authoritarianism. The fact that members were not intimidated in front of the president and communicated freely seems to have resonated deeply with workers. The understanding of the online video service (OTT) ecosystem and communication experience with subscribers through the Pengsoo project form the foundation to create more success stories like Pengsoo. Of course, they must not become mere imitators of Pengsoo. Creating groundbreaking new content is never easy. It requires much thought, research, and challenge.

-What are you most proud of achieving during your tenure as EBS president?

▲There are two things. One is keeping the promise to achieve a balanced budget by the end of my three-year term. We turned a deficit of 22.1 billion won into the largest surplus in the company’s history within two years. The other is receiving four presidential awards in 2020. Our efforts to address educational gaps during the COVID-19 pandemic were recognized with the Korea Internet Award from the Ministry of Science and ICT for the ‘Online Class.’ We also received a commendation for remote education from the Ministry of Education. The documentary Anthropocene won the Broadcasting Commission’s Broadcasting Award. Pengsoo also received the presidential award for the Character Grand Prize from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. EBS’s remote education achievements were widely reported in foreign media as well.

-You mainly worked as an executive in public institutions. There must have been unique challenges different from private companies, and some issues to overcome.

▲Public institution presidents strive to provide public services for the people rather than maximizing owner profits. While companies focus on shareholder interests, public institutions aim to optimize public services for the people. For this reason, maximizing productivity and efficiency in public enterprises is not easy. The acceptance of reform drives among members also varies. There is a saying that in public enterprises, the president is a rolling stone, and employees are fixed stones. It is not easy for a representative with a three-year term to produce results. They must have expertise, responsibility, and a firm vision for the future to maximize the organization’s potential. Above all, it is important to remove barriers to the president’s office door and communicate smoothly with members. Instead of ruling, the environment should allow people to work enthusiastically. The title of my book, Leaders Are People Who Touch Hearts, reflects my philosophy.

-What did you focus on as a leader?

▲Winning the hearts of others. A leader must not only persuade but also convince. Persuasion is from the leader’s perspective, while convincing is the positive attitude that appears in the other party through the persuasion process. It is very important not to persuade organizational goals or performance from the leader’s standpoint but to convince members to understand and accept them from their perspective. Only then can the energy of organizational members unite and become the driving force for organizational development.

-There is a saying, ‘Personnel is everything.’ No one denies it, but personnel management is difficult. You have emphasized the ‘eye for people’ in this regard...

▲Placing talent in the right position at the right time is not easy. Especially for externally appointed leaders, it is very difficult to recognize a person’s true value in a short time. It is impossible to generalize methods for identifying talent. It is said that in the past, a fortune teller even participated in employee interviews. That shows how difficult it is. Relying only on appearance or reputation can easily lead to mistakes, so I usually try to directly understand employees’ strengths. Since everyone has different characteristics, I observe what they do well and assign positions accordingly when the time is right. During my time at EBS, I appointed the heads of Policy Planning Headquarters and Advertising Business Department this way, and they successfully performed their duties. Having an eye for people greatly affects work efficiency, so it is necessary to pay attention regularly. Otherwise, when problems arise, saying ‘I didn’t expect that’ is an admission of the leader’s own incompetence.

-It is important to appoint capable people, but providing an environment where they can maximize their abilities is also crucial.

▲First, after entrusting responsibility, I do not micromanage. I provide a playground where they can run freely and an environment to maximize their capabilities. I give clear authority and hold them accountable. I tend to evaluate performance strictly. Second, I do not hesitate to praise. Even if it is not a big achievement, I sufficiently encourage the results achieved by doing their best in their respective positions. After retirement, a department head told me, ‘The president’s praise and support were so active that I couldn’t help but perform to the best of my ability.’ It was not tactical praise but genuine respect. People are sensitive to distinguishing that difference. Expecting others to follow without respect is like winking in the dark.

-What activities do you plan for the future?

▲This book went into a second printing just three weeks after publication. I would like to express my gratitude to the Peng Club (Pengsoo fan club) members who have given their unwavering support. I am planning another book containing essential content for leaders. It will be a new book with fresh content.