2024 “China Health Monthly” Issue No. 5

Leaders from Maigaiti, Xinjiang, visited the company for inspection and guidance.

On May 26, 2024, a delegation of leaders from Maigaiti, Xinjiang, arrived at the company for an inspection and guidance visit. Given that the project undertaken by Xinjiang Zhongjian Company has been successfully completed and has attracted great attention from the local government, the leaders from Maigaiti came to our headquarters to inspect our operations. The company attached great importance to this visit. General Manager Ye and Assistant General Manager Wei made a special effort to put aside their ongoing Xinjiang-related matters and rushed back overnight to join us in welcoming the guests. During the visit, Director Wang provided an overview of the company’s corporate culture, products, and workshop operations to the Xinjiang leaders. Accompanied by Director Wang, General Manager Ye, and other company executives, the Xinjiang delegation toured the workshops in both the southern and northern plants. Thanks to the close collaboration among all departments, the Xinjiang leaders concluded their visit smoothly and left with a very positive impression of the company. We must always keep in mind what Director Wang said: “Striving is fulfilling; the process may be painful, but the future is bright.” Under the guidance and support of national policies and through everyone’s concerted efforts, this inspection visit will greatly accelerate the completion of Xinjiang Zhongjian Company. Let us all look forward together to the successful completion of Xinjiang Zhongjian Company.

Leaders from Maigaiti, Xinjiang, visited the company for an inspection.

City leaders and Makaiti leaders jointly learned about the company’s development history.

City leaders and Makaiti leaders jointly learned about the product.

The Chairman introduces the company’s products.

Mai Gaiti leaders visit the workshop in the Southern Plant Area.

The Chairman introduces the company’s equipment.

Mai Gaiti leaders visit the workshop in the North Factory Area.

An Austrian customer came to the company for an on-site inspection.

Director Wang leads the customer to learn about the product.

The customer is investigating the weaving process.

The customer understands the weaving process.

The customer is viewing gauze products.

Director Wang introduced the overview of the company’s northern plant.

The customer understands the company’s factory premises.

The County Party School and the company held a ceremony to award the “Healthy Industry Education Base” designation.

Photo op with the award certificate

The Chairman introduces the company’s development history.

The chairman explains the company’s business performance.

Communist Party members visit the workshop.

Communist Party members visit the workshop.

The Chairman introduces the layout of the factory premises.

The county CDC visits enterprises to promote awareness of occupational disease-related knowledge.

Employees receive learning materials related to occupational diseases.

CDC staff explain employees’ questions.

CDC staff promote knowledge about occupational diseases.

How can team leaders in enterprises effectively understand their roles?

The position of team leader may not be high-ranking, but the responsibilities are far from trivial. As the frontline commander within an enterprise, the team leader serves as the vital link and bridge connecting superiors and subordinates. A soldier who doesn’t aspire to become a general isn’t a good soldier—and becoming a team leader is the first step toward that goal. To take this first step effectively, you must have a clear understanding of the “5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10”: five roles, six missions, seven types, eight authorities, nine principles, ten competencies, and ten clever strategies for excelling as a team leader.

I. The 5 Roles of a Team Leader

(1) The person responsible. For enterprises, team leaders are the frontline managers and the most direct persons accountable for achieving quality, cost, and production targets—they are the creators of enterprise profits.

(2) Leader. For operational staff, the team leader is the direct supervisor, instructor, and evaluator of work tasks; a helper and supporter of operational personnel; and the backbone and leader of the team.

(3) The bridge. For supervisory personnel, team leaders serve as the implementers of supervisors’ commands and decisions; they act as a bridge between supervisory personnel and operational staff, and serve as a window for disseminating the management ethos. As the intersection of various relationships, teams must coordinate relations among superiors and subordinates, between different teams, and among team members themselves, resolve conflicts, and foster harmonious interactions across all fronts.

(4) Colleagues. For other team leaders, the team leader is a colleague, a comrade-in-arms, a collaborator and a competitor.

(5) Assistants. For mid-level management personnel, team leaders are their right and left hands. Clearly, when an enterprise has good team leaders, it establishes a solid foundation, ensuring reliable execution of all tasks. Many private enterprises lack the team leader level in their management structure, having only workshop directors instead; as a result, their management becomes quite cumbersome and various on-site issues arise.

II. The 6 Missions of a Team Leader

(1) Complete the production tasks. Leaders should unite team members, continuously identify areas for improvement, constantly innovate, carry out quality-enhancement activities, tap into production potential, and strive toward the goals of high quality and low consumption.

(2) Training and Skill Development: Based on the operating procedures and process requirements for each position within this team, organize quality training and fundamental practice sessions to enhance operational skills, strengthen quality awareness, and conduct activities such as mutual assistance and peer learning.

(3) Quality Control: Conduct self-inspections, peer inspections, and routine inspections; perform thorough process inspections, including re-inspection of the first-piece samples and quality checks on the products produced by your own team; and implement quality control point activities.

(4) Safety and Prevention. Implement the 6S initiative to create a clean and orderly work environment, always prioritizing safety and proactively identifying and addressing potential safety hazards and accidents.

(5) Ensure smooth handover between processes. Review the preceding process, ensure the quality of your own process, and provide support to the subsequent process.

(6) Conduct quality improvement activities. Persist in carrying out quality improvement and QC group activities to continuously enhance product quality and service quality.

III. The 7 Types of Team Leaders

(1) Team leaders of the production-technology type are typically highly skilled professionals with exceptional technical expertise and strong capabilities in handling emergencies. However, they often lack interpersonal skills and tend to adopt a rather simplistic approach to their work, frequently treating people as if they were machines. Therefore, it is essential to provide this type of team leader with training in interpersonal relations.

(2) The “blindly obedient” team leader often lacks both innovation and managerial skills, simply following orders without thinking for themselves. Such leaders often display a rigid attitude and work style, giving others the impression of bureaucratic behavior. Over time, their subordinates will lose respect for them, and when problems arise, they’ll tend to evade responsibility and shift the blame onto others.

(3) The “Just Get By” Type: In enterprises, some people reluctantly take on the role of team leader. As a result, once appointed, they tend to just go through the motions, letting things drift without any real effort or accountability. It seems as though their job is merely something they’re doing for others. When superiors ask them to hold pre-shift meetings, they’ll dutifully shout a couple of slogans—but once their superiors give instructions, those instructions often simply disappear at this stage. Consequently, such team leaders are nothing but empty titles, and naturally, they lack any credibility among their team members.

(4) Team leaders of the “Model Worker” type are generally meticulous in their work, strictly adhere to rules and regulations, lead by example, and teach by both words and deeds. However, they are not well-suited for leadership positions. Team leaders of the “Model Worker” type often find themselves being constantly directed and managed by their subordinates, frequently lamenting that “as soon as I open my eyes, I’m already busy until lights-out.” As a result, you end up handing over your time to your subordinates, while they shift their responsibilities onto you—effectively turning you into a case of “reverse delegation.” Therefore, without training in management skills, it’s extremely difficult for this group of individuals to successfully take on leadership roles.

(5) The “brotherly loyalty” type excels at establishing authority, possesses strong organizational skills, and values brotherly solidarity. They often address their team members in a familiar, brotherly manner, treating them like close buddies. As a result, they tend to make decisions based on emotions and personal feelings rather than principles in their work. In reality, they’ve already blurred the line between themselves and informal group leaders. If this team leader doesn’t break free from the confines of “brotherly loyalty,” they’ll simply be unable to fulfill their role as a team leader.

(6) The “hands-on” manager insists on doing everything personally and simply doesn’t trust others. Being hands-on is different from setting a good example through one’s own actions; the result is that your employees become lazy. You’re always at the forefront of everything—doing what needs to be said, what needs to be done, and what needs to be thought about. Think about it: if you’re always behind the wheel and never let anyone else touch the steering wheel, how can you possibly train new drivers? And who would be willing to take over driving when you’re tired? More importantly, how would you ever find time to reflect: Is this the right path we’re taking? In short, due to various reasons, the six types of team leaders mentioned above generally lack satisfactory management skills and the ability to handle unexpected situations effectively. As a result, even well-crafted corporate decisions fail to be implemented and executed efficiently at the grassroots level, seriously undermining the company’s overall performance and even severely damaging its positive image.

(7) A team leader of the “surgeon” type manages just like a surgeon—meticulous and organized, with a clear focus on priorities. Team members work in seamless harmony, handovers are crystal-clear, everyone is fully engaged and able to zero in on the most critical tasks. Within such a team, sometimes no words are needed at all; a single glance or a cough is enough for everyone to know exactly how to coordinate. This kind of team leader is truly the best type of supervisory leader.

IV. The 8 Authorities of the Team Leader

(1) Has the authority to direct and manage the production and business activities of this team.

(2) Has the right to adjust the labor organization of this team according to the needs of production activities.

(3) Has the authority to formulate implementation details for this team in accordance with the factory’s rules and regulations.

(4) Has the right to refuse unlawful instructions and unauthorized operations.

(5) Has the right to submit recommendations for rewards and punishments of employees in this team to higher authorities.

(6) Has the right to allocate the bonus for this team based on each employee’s work performance.

(7) Has the authority to recommend outstanding employees from this team for further education, promotion, and advancement.

(8) Has the right to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of team members.

V. The Nine Commandments for Team Leaders: Team leaders are the commanders who guide everyone in their work. Certain words and actions can be highly destructive, so it’s crucial to always remember:

(1) Don't say discouraging things like, “I can’t do it—I’m really at my wit’s end.”

(2) Don't say things like, “I don’t know” or “I can’t help you.”

(3) Don’t say, “If it doesn’t work, just walk away—policies have always been this way.”

(4) Don't complain about your superiors in front of your subordinates.

(5) Don’t be dejected or keep your mouth shut. Straighten your back and cheer up!

(6) Don't let your emotions get the better of you—stay calm and composed.

(7) Don't stand still—always recharge and continually enrich yourself.

(8) Don’t easily give up, don’t be arrogant or overconfident, don’t break your promises or betray others, don’t be lazy, don’t get impatient, don’t lose heart, and don’t readily admit defeat.

(9) Don’t always try to cover up for your subordinates. If you constantly defend your subordinates, your employees will become overconfident and arrogant, while your superiors and peers will perceive you as being unreasonable and lacking self-discipline. Team leaders who always stand up for their subordinates are the most popular among their staff—but they’re also destined to have a short career.

VI. The 10 Competencies of a Team Leader

(1) Team leaders with specialized technical expertise are frontline commanders who lead troops in battle and must be proficient in all aspects of the “eighteen martial arts.” Specifically, they should have extensive practical experience in production and safety technologies, skillfully master the work skills required for production operations, serve as technical role models within their teams, be capable of resolving technical challenges at critical moments, guide their subordinates, and provide advice to their supervisors to help ensure accurate decision-making.

(2) The team leader, as a capable manager, should be able to set advanced yet feasible goals in terms of themes, deadlines, and quantities, as well as the ability to complete tasks effectively. They should break down the targets and tasks assigned by superiors into specific tasks and objectives for each team member, thereby enhancing employees’ sense of participation and continuously driving improvement and enhancement. (3) Problem-solving skills: Team leaders must be adept at identifying problems, dare to confront them directly, and have the courage to tackle them head-on. Only then can they achieve new breakthroughs in resolving conflicts and solving issues. In other words, team leaders need to be able to spot problems, pinpoint their root causes, and promptly implement appropriate countermeasures and solutions.

(4) The ability to delegate authority enables you to assign tasks based on each individual’s strengths, fully harness the capabilities of all staff members, and work together in harmony to achieve a “1+1=12” effect. It involves knowing your people well and assigning them to roles that best suit their talents, as well as skillfully motivating and tapping into the enthusiasm and initiative of team members. You must avoid micromanaging at all costs—delegating authority provides subordinates with an opportunity to grow, gain experience, and demonstrate their abilities; it also offers them a chance to advance and distinguish themselves. If you try to handle everything yourself, not only will your subordinates fail to receive the necessary training and development, but your own prospects for promotion and advancement will also be hindered.

(5) The ability to communicate and listen effectively—communication skills refer to the capacity to speak, listen, negotiate, clarify misunderstandings, and persuade others. Good communication and coordination can reduce friction, foster a harmonious atmosphere, boost morale, and help build strong, trustworthy relationships. You should always listen carefully to any suggestions offered by your subordinates. Under normal circumstances, subordinates will carefully consider their ideas before making a suggestion. If you dismiss their proposal with a simple “no,” they’ll likely lose confidence in their ability to be creative from that point onward. Being a good listener has at least two major benefits: First, it makes others perceive you as humble; second, it allows you to learn more about the situation. As long as you’re a good listener, you don’t even need to make any decisions to resolve the issue—why wouldn’t you take advantage of that?

(6) The ability to be humorous and witty. Humor can lighten the work atmosphere and make people feel more approachable. A humorous manager can help your subordinates experience the joy of their work. In some awkward situations, a touch of humor can instantly ease the tension. You can even use humor to gently criticize your subordinates without making them feel embarrassed—for example: Xiao Wang: “Boss, you’re still working overtime? It’s almost unbearable!” Team Leader: “Come on, I know you’re thinking about your girlfriend—got a date tonight, huh?” Just one remark like that makes employees feel really close and comfortable.