Shaping automation and leading with purpose: a journey of tenacity and growth

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I am MeiLing Lu, Senior Regional Sales Manager in China. I am pleased to share my experience of leading with purpose at Schneider Electric, a company that embraces diversity and inclusion and where all employees feel uniquely valued and safe to contribute their best.

Making an Impact on Industrial Automation

Within Schneider Electric’s Industrial Automation business, I am responsible for steering my team towards achieving sales goals that impact the South China region and building a high-performing team while establishing and maintaining the business ecosystem. It’s a role that demands tenacity, dedication, reliability, focus, efficiency, and passion.

Reflecting on the past three years, I’m proud of the many outstanding achievements I’ve driven, enabling me to learn every day and further develop professionally. One of them is winning our breakthrough Dry Quenching Elevator project in the lifting industry with Shanxi Coking, China’s largest coking coal producer. This was coupled with implementing the Schneider Electric Medium Voltage Distribution products at the Xuwei Port in Jiangsu Province, driving regional focus on the port shore power industry, and seeking growth areas.

Additionally, leading the team in North-West China to emerge, implement our ambitions, and achieve significant milestones such as the Shanxi Jinko Polysilicon Low-voltage Inverter Business and Jiugang Group High-voltage and PLC outputs, have been pivotal. These achievements underscore the importance of focus, efficiency, and the ability to review learnings from past experiences, focus on future goals, and perform well in the present.

Diversity, inclusion, and a shared sense of purpose

What continues to motivate me at Schneider Electric and drives my commitment to leading the team forward is my deep sense of mission aligned with the company’s goals and mission. This growth mindset constantly propels me to improve my skills, break boundaries, and strive for personal growth, leading with purpose.

In the current landscape, challenges such as insufficient product competitiveness and the need for improved collaboration across different business segments persist. Sensitivity, decisiveness, and active listening are qualities that I believe female leaders can leverage to navigate these challenges and lead the team effectively. What I appreciate about working within Schneider Electric is that we’ve embedded diversity, respect, and inclusiveness within our employee experience and business decisions. Everyone is fairly treated and is able to make an impact, regardless of individual differences.

A vision for continuous growth

Looking to the future, my aspiration is to share my experience with more front-line sales, fostering their confidence, efficiency, and overall growth. In this journey, the support I anticipate and have received from the Schneider Electric family is crucial for taking on larger business responsibilities and continuously enhancing my leadership.

Ultimately, I aspire to be a beacon of positivity and resilience, bringing inclusivity and inspiration to others while extending unconditional support to others. It’s this vision that shapes the kind of impact I hope to have on the people and things around me.

If I could distill my advice for other women into one sentence, it would be this: There is no distinction between men and women in work, and one’s own abilities are the fundamental principle. Gender is not the only dimension that distinguishes work results. Equipping ourselves with knowledge, lifelong learning, and systematic thinking is the magic formula.

In closing, my journey at Schneider Electric has been one of continuous learning, growth, and purpose-driven leadership. I am grateful for the opportunities and the support that have shaped me into the leader I am today. Learn more about our diversity and inclusion commitments, and if you’re feeling inspired, discover how you can begin leading with purpose on our career website.