Know MC's People

"All of me decides all my fate" is an expression I learned from a well-respected senior colleague.
It's important to be logical, but sometimes, no matter how logical our arguments, we still won't be able to convince others to act. Mobilizing and engaging people requires three traits: logic, trust and empathy. I've come to realize that the ability to demonstrate those traits is a test of all we are and all we've learned during the course of our lives.
Just under 15 years ago, I was MC's representative in a series of M&A negotiations overseas. The talks repeatedly ran aground, and despite doing my best to analyze all facets of the deal logically, it wasn't until the 11th hour that we finally got it done. It was only after the negotiations that I learned what our counterparts' biggest concerns had been, namely whether they really wanted to do business with me and if they could actually trust me with it.
My experience has taught me that when negotiating and finalizing deals, the more concerned the other side is about those things, the more that rests on my full character, as both a person and a professional.

The most rewarding aspects of my job are that it allows me to not only think about what's good for our future and our world, but also actually act on those thoughts.
I think the very reasons that companies exist are to identify the needs of societies and provide them with solutions. They must also recognize and capture the business opportunities therein.
At present, I'm working with other members of my department on corn, wheat, soy and other food businesses. Over the medium to long term, population growth and other forces may put an even greater strain on global food supply, so it's a big challenge for everyone in this industry to ensure that humankind doesn't go hungry. What will happen in the coming years? What will be the future needs of societies? How will those things affect our sources of earning? My job is to consider, hypothesize and conceptualize the answers to those questions, and based on that, invest in and manage the right businesses.
While being able to conceive and execute one's own solutions to global challenges is rewarding, it's also a big responsibility, but in my mind, that only makes it more stimulating.

The world is going to continue changing in the years ahead. This change is being driven by moves in all manner of business domains to develop new technologies and decarbonize, and those moves are going to obscure or even bring down the barriers that have always separated different industries.
This will demand that all businesses recognize the need to be inter-industry competitive rather than intra-industry competitive; and that's why I think MC's roles are going to grow in importance, because our company has such broad, multi-industry connections. I have a feeling that our future world will be one of conglomerate premiums, not conglomerate discounts.
Even in such times, I want MC to maintain its place as an entity required by global society and well prepared to meet its needs, and as a proud member of that entity, I'm determined to do my part.