[One Thousand Characters a Day] The Size of Thought Is the Size of the Market <4>

Editor's NoteLee Hae-seon, Chairman of the Korea Marketing Association, has concluded after leading massive marketing projects on the ground for over 40 years that "the size of thought determines the size of the market." Business starts with an idea, and this idea leads to strategy and execution. He states, "Looking back at those who have achieved their goals and amassed great wealth through business, without exception, they were individuals with 'large-scale thinking.' It was precisely because they had such grand thoughts that they were able to build such companies." Word count: 992 characters.

The calling of a leader is to lead. It is not about doing the work oneself, but about entrusting the work to someone who can do it better and guiding them to accomplish it. To do this, a leader must dispel doubts among team members, earn their trust, and ignite the passion to achieve the task even with somewhat limited information. Ultimately, what a leader desires is the achievement of the members rather than their own success.

I have often told my juniors, "For a company to become great, many juniors who can do better work than me must emerge." To meet juniors who surpass their mentors, a leader's "openness" is crucial. Anyone with determination should be given opportunities, and conditions must be created for them to work harmoniously and cooperatively.

I have played the role of a leader in various organizations and projects. In reality, it is not easy to lead people with openness while working. This is because it is difficult to escape the obsession with "profit" while being part of a company organization. However, overcoming this in actual work and achieving results is called "success," while giving up or becoming frustrated midway is called "failure."

When a new project begins, I appoint a project leader and make this request to them.

"Please look at the back of your business card. Your position should be listed as 'director,' the person who shows the direction."

From experience, when looking back at successful projects, the leader often set the right direction from the start. But when the leader starts focusing solely on management, the voyage often heads in the wrong direction. Management should be left to managers, but the leader forgets their true role.

Let us not forget. The calling of a leader is to show direction to the members and take responsibility. Of course, the weight of responsibility is not light. It is even heavier when considering the jobs of countless members are at stake. Nevertheless, one must not falter under the burden. Whether this ship can safely navigate depends entirely on the leader.

－Lee Hae-seon, <The Size of Thought Determines the Size of the Market>, Seikorea, 23,000 KRW