The Character That Built the DHL International Empire — Dinner with Po Chung, Co-founder of DHL International

Sometimes the most meaningful and inspiring conversations happen over casual meals. The Time Auction Blog is a snippet of our meetings with people who have found passion in their life and career, where we get a glimpse into their mentality behind their ventures

Co-founder of DHL International, Po Chung’s service leadership philosophy and emphasis on character is what grew the company into the global network service company in over 228 countries today.

Hoping to educate the next generation’s leaders, he serves as Chairman of the Hong Kong Institute of Service Leadership & Management, the lead instructor of Service Leadership Education Workshop training 20–30 professors from 8 UGC-funded universities each year, penning books like “The 12 Dimensions of a Service Leader,” and spearheading and teaching an entrepreneurship course at HKU.

Our dinner at our venue sponsor W Hong Kong has raised 117 volunteer hours.

What is your life motto?

“My life motto is “Life is an entrepreneurial journey and I am the entrepreneur of my life. I am in the business of serving all the people I come in contact with”. I started with studying how to serve fish, and then the most important thing: serving myself. Self-leadership means making sure your values and your operating system align with established general principles from heaven, earth, society, and the individual.

Make sure your operating system does not have viruses because viruses chase people away and repel them. Even if you attract people for a short time with your charisma, maintaining relationships and having people stay with you, that is where your self leadership comes in.

If I had to describe my operating system in one word, it’d be character. In the business world, we put competence first because nobody will offer you a job otherwise. In the general community, character comes first. If you don’t have good character, people will give up on you sooner or later. Be consistent and have integrity. As Warren Buffett said, people with no integrity, the higher they go, the more damage they can do.

Another life motto is “A man’s character is his fate. Our stories can be written long before we die.” That’s a quote from a movie called The Emperor’s Club.”

Is there one habit that improved your life significantly?

“2 years ago, I read a book and picked up this habit called morning pages. You write 3 pages on whatever comes into your mind every morning.

Everything can pile up in your personal operating system. Get rid of your screw-ups from yesterday and share your mistakes with people around you so they don’t make the same mistakes. I use this habit as a secret to be grateful every day.

Usually on the first page, I’ll get rid of all my negative emotions. If I had a spat (smile) with my wife, it’d be a page and a half. Then, I write about what I’ve been working on. Where I really glean is from picking up and going back, following the same subject that I built until it becomes substantial. This is where deep work comes in; a subject that you have been working on for long time. There is another book that I recommend called “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World” by Cal Newport.”

Thank you Po for donating dinner, and thanks to everyone who volunteered and took part in raising 117 volunteer hours, generously sponsored by W Hong Kong.

For more amazing opportunities, visit Time Auction to volunteer and meet inspiring mentors!