Through my online study, reading journals and books about Lei Jun, I compile the following materials that help you better understand the leadership of Lei Jun and its relationship. The paper first gives a clear picture of Lei Jun’s life experiences and the effect on his leadership and career. Then, the paper focuses on the leadership traits of Lei Jun---assertiveness, originality, and persistence which will be illustrated by numerous facts of Lei Jun’s actions towards leading people. Then, I will talk about Lei Jun ‘s shortcomings. Last but not least, the paper will give you a summary of leadership behaviors of Lei Jun----directive and charismatic leadership behaviors.
(1) Introduction
Lei Jun was 1999, 2000 and 2002 Top Ten Chinese Information Technology. A billionaire and an engineer by training, Lei Jun co-founded Kingsoft, one of the best-known Chinese software companies, more than 20 years ago and remains its chairman. He has also been a successful investor in several other Chinese start-ups. One of the firms Mr. Lei founded, Joyo.com, largest online retailer of books, music and movies in China, was sold to Amazon for $75 million in 2004. In 2010, Lei Jun invested and created Xiaomi Tech, one of the fastest-growing smartphone companies in China, and serves its as CEO.
(2)Lei Jun’ s life experience and effects on his leadership and career
College career
In 1987, Lei Jun was admitted to the Wuhan University of Computer. Wuhan University is one of the earliest implementing credit system of university, as long as students get requested credits, they can be able to graduate from university. When he was a freshman in University, he was always strict with himself and began to take a lot of senior course. Therefore, he only spent two years getting all required credits, and even completing the graduation project.
In the following two years, he tried different kinds of jobs about computers, from which he could learn new knowledge and new technology and it does not matter whether or not he can make money. What’s more, he has a vested interest in different types of new things. To his surprise, he said, his work experiences covered a broad range in the next two years. He had written encryption software, antivirus software, financial software and CAD software, Chinese system and all kinds of practical small tools and so on. He always and had designed circuit board, welded a circuit board with his best friend—Wang Quanguo. In addition, he even did a "hackers" and cracked all kinds of software. Some skills he learned from these experiences laid a solid foundation for the business in the future.
A failed entrepreneurial experience
He read a book, named “fire in the valley” in the library and he was attracted by the story of Steve Jobs. The eighties was the age of Jobs and he was the IT hero all over the world. When he worked in the street, in which lots of stores sell electric devices, he felt he was the good one and began to dream. He was dream of writing a set of software, which can run on every computer in the world, and was dream of having a most powerful software company. Then, his friends and him started their own company. They all were confident that they would succeed, because whether they had good skills in marketing or good knowledge in technology. During this period, they began to imitate Chinese character card, which is a small expansion card of Read Only Memory (ROM),storing the Chinese character input method and its driver. Shortly afterwards, their technology of imitating Chinese character card was stolen by other companies. What’s more, these companies produced more cards than Lei’s company and the price was lower than Lei’s company. So Lei’s company couldn’t make any money and their company was dissolved eventually. Because of this failure experience, he had a solid understanding of his abilities and he realized he needed more knowledge and learned it step by