When I was first transferred to the General Affairs Department, two things struck me as odd.
One was that the office supply management was not computerized. The other was the deeply ingrained culture of receiving various gifts and gift certificates from partner companies whenever a national holiday approached.
Because the General Affairs Department was responsible for purchasing, construction, and corporate events, we dealt with numerous vendors. When the holidays arrived, gifts piled in. Our team would collect them and distribute them to various departments at the headquarters. Having previously worked at Samsung, this was a culture that was difficult for me to comprehend.
To make matters worse, one day someone made a passing remark: “If you’re distributing this much to us, the General Affairs Department must be keeping way more for themselves, right?”
It was meant as a joke, but it lingered uncomfortably in my mind.
I asked a senior colleague in my department, “Can’t we just refuse to accept them, so we don’t have to distribute them?” The answer was brief: “You’re saying that because you don’t understand our culture yet.” And just like that, the question of a newly transferred rookie was buried.
Accepting a gift doesn’t cause an immediate problem. However, when a vendor makes a mistake, it becomes harder to speak to them with authority. Even if a situation arises where we need to switch vendors, you hesitate.
Above all, gifts and entertainment can eventually become a weakness.
In fact, I had seen such instances happen multiple times in other departments. When a problem occurred, the past gifts and entertainment provided by the vendor were brought to light, and consequently, some employees ended up leaving the company. I simply did not want to create that kind of vulnerability for myself.
It happened around one holiday season. I arrived home after work and found an employee from one of our vendors waiting in front of my apartment elevator. He had waited until late into the night just to deliver a gift. Part of me felt sorry for the young man.
“Decide whether you want to hand this to me and end our business relationship, or take it back and continue working with us.”
He hesitated for a moment, then turned back with the gift in hand. And our business with that company continued for a very long time.
Sometime later, an executive from a construction firm that handled most of our company’s projects smiled and said to me, “The General Affairs Department is both easy and difficult to deal with.”
I asked him why.
“Since you don’t accept any gifts or entertainment, we have no choice but to be recognized solely by the quality of our work.” Hearing that, I smiled too.
That was exactly it. It wasn’t because I desired something grand or because I was some grand principle-centered moralist. I just didn’t want to find myself hesitating or walking on eggshells later on because of my work.
When gifts and entertainment disappear, what remains is pure, unadulterated competence.
Not who is closer.
But who is better.
That was the standard I wanted to leave behind.