Nan Nan

there_sun@163.com

DO you keep a journal? I guess most people would answer “no” in this digital world, but for 36-year-old American Ryan Reinhardt, a general manager of Philips’s Sleep & Respiratory Care business who manages 1,200 people, journaling is one of the reasons he has become so successful.

“The most important thing of the journaling process is that you are aware of what is important and you prioritize,” said Reinhardt.

Reinhardt defines himself as a “goal-driven” individual, and sets up career goals by focusing on three main areas: the strategic process, the operational process, and the people process. In 2017, his career goal is for the company to increase its manufacturing footprint by 30 percent; his operational goal is to ensure he meets his KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) this year, which include 95 percent of products being delivered on time and of good quality. His other goals include building a talented and capable team in Shenzhen and investing time on reading books and learning new philosophies and ideas.

When starting to work toward your goals, journaling is a good way to help you turn goals into action by breaking your plan down into daily tasks, according to Reinhardt.

Every day Reinhardt journals about what worked well and what didn’t for him that day, and what he could have done differently. After doing the self-assessment journaling for three years, Reinhardt can now make better decisions.

“No need to blame yourself for missing a day,” said Reinhardt, adding that one should focus on completing and tracking the present day. Reinhardt also gets good feedback when he shares his journal with his friends and colleagues, who say that “most people like how the structure of journaling can guide them to achieve personal improvements and believe it can bring them value as well.”

Reinhardt came to Shenzhen three years ago. “I enjoy the comfortable subtropical climate and cozy living environment here,” he said.