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Herng Lee
APAC Sales Strategy at Google
Professional Background
Herng Lee brings a wealth of experience and a robust professional background marked by leadership roles at some of the world's most prestigious organizations. Currently serving as the Go-to-Market Lead for APAC Corporate Strategy & Planning at Google, Herng has made substantial contributions to strategic initiatives that drive market growth and align with corporate goals across the Asia-Pacific region. This pivotal role taps into his extensive expertise in analytics and market strategy, placing him at the forefront of decision-making processes that shape business outcomes on a global scale.
Before stepping into his current position, Herng Lee held the role of Strategy & Insights Manager at Google, where he excelled in turning data into actionable insights. His ability to synthesize complex information and identify market opportunities enabled him to influence key strategic decisions that propelled the company forward during a critical time of digital transformation.
Prior to his tenure at Google, Herng garnered valuable experience as a Business Consultant at Applied Predictive Technologies, where he honed his consulting skills and developed a deep understanding of how predictive analytics can enhance business outcomes. His background also includes a role as an Investment Banking Summer Analyst at Morgan Stanley, where he gained exposure to high-stakes financial environments and developed a keen analytical acumen that continues to serve him well in his current role. Additionally, Herng served in the military as a Private First Class in the R.O.C. Army, a formative experience that contributed to his leadership skills and commitment to excellence.
Education and Achievements
Herng Lee's academic journey speaks volumes about his dedication and intellectual capabilities. He studied economics at Duke University, one of the leading institutions in the United States, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree. His education at Duke not only provided him with a solid foundation in economic principles but also exposed him to a network of influential thinkers and diverse perspectives that would later inform his professional decisions.
Earlier, Herng completed his high school education at Episcopal High School, where he achieved an impressive 4.0 GPA. This level of academic excellence reflects not only his intelligence but also his strong work ethic and dedication to his studies. His educational background paved the way for his transition into renowned institutions and eventual success in dynamic corporate environments.
Moreover, Herng attended Chien-Kuo Senior High, further strengthening his educational framework. His early educational experiences laid the groundwork for his analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, essential traits for success in the fast-paced world of corporate strategy.
Achievements
Herng Lee's achievements in the corporate world are noteworthy and provide a glimpse into his extraordinary capabilities as a strategist and leader. As Go-to-Market Lead at Google, he has orchestrated numerous successful initiatives that have contributed to substantial market growth in the Asia-Pacific region. His innovative approach to corporate strategy and planning not only supports the company's objectives but also addresses the unique challenges presented by diverse markets.
His previous roles have further enriched his professional tapestry. As a Strategy & Insights Manager, Herng's contribution to data-driven decision-making processes helped shape numerous strategic initiatives. His tenure at Applied Predictive Technologies enhanced his experience in understanding customer behavior and market trends, equipping him to contribute effectively to Google's strategic endeavors.
In the finance sector, Herng's experience as an Investment Banking Summer Analyst at Morgan Stanley provided him with crucial insights into financial markets and client management, skills that are invaluable in his current role.
Overall, Herng Lee exemplifies the integrity, insight, and intellect that are essential for success in today’s challenging business environment. His blend of education and rich professional experience positions him as a key player in corporate strategy and planning within the technology sector.
Highlights
Enough years have passed for me to make this (slightly embarrassing) confession:
When I first started working, I thought it was 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 to prep an agenda for 1:1 meetings with my boss.
Why? Because here's what I (naively) believed at the time:
❓ If I know I'm working on the right stuff, shouldn't the convo just flow "organically?"
❓ If I have to prep for every 1:1, wouldn't that imply a rather "forced" relationship?
❓ Given my manager is more senior, shouldn't I let her decide what she wants to discuss?
Of course, I would eventually learn the errors of my ways (the hard way, unfortunately).
Thankfully, I would also get better at navigating 1:1 meetings with my subsequent managers.
And here are my top 5 learnings over the years:
(for the full essay: https://lnkd.in/ggMaH9Bu)
1️⃣ 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
A successful 1:1 meeting is often decided by how much prep was done leading up to it.
This can be as simple as:
- Jotting down topics throughout the week
- Sending pre-read materials when necessary
- Giving a heads-up if you want measured answers
2️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲-𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀-𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁
Not every 1:1 meeting has to be run the same way. The format should depend on your needs.
Sometimes the discussion is intellectual and strategic. Sometimes it's operational and tactical.
Both are OK. As long as it's highly intentional.
3️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹
Early on in my career, I would jump into 1:1 meetings and just start talking.
The problem with this? The other person didn't know if I planned to spend 2 minutes or 20 minutes on it.
The key to avoiding this mistake?
Practice the discpline of "talking about what you want to talk about" in the first 2 minutes.
4️⃣ 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱
Most 1:1 meetings are a permanent fixture on our cals.
The mistake people make?
Treating the cadence as sacrosanct, and assuming they have no say over it.
But you are empowered to do things like:
- Cancel the 1:1 if you don't need it
- Extend or reduce the meeting time
- Propose longer but less frequent meetings
The 1:1 meeting is here to serve you – not the other way around.
5️⃣ 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗴𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀
Sometimes, meeting effectiveness boils down to very simple things.
For instance:
- Maintaining a shared agenda
- Tracking action items diligently
- Periodically reviewing notes for patterns
For me? It was only when I practiced better meeting hygiene, that I started getting taken seriously.
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♻️ If this was helpful, feel free to like or repost 🔔 For more like this, follow me at Herng Lee
The secret to good storytelling? "Show," not "tell."
OK... but how exactly? Well, here's my answer:
I try to 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 — whenever possible.
And here are my top 5 go-to "tricks:"
- Leverage shared knowledge
- Anchor on indexed figures
- Redefine the yardstick
- Explain with timeframes
- Paint the "but-for" picture
Let's talk about the first one first: leveraging shared knowledge.
It turns out that messages are easy to land when datapoints are self-explanatory.
For example:
▸ “She makes a million US dollars a year.” (Yes, that's always a lot.)
▸ "We doubled our market share to 40%.” (Yes, impressive in any context.)
▸ "Our customer satisfaction score is only at 60%." (Yes, that's rarely acceptable.)
But what happens when there's no shared knowledge base? Then people don't know how to feel.
For example:
❔ "We acquired 100k new users this year" (Stunning achievement or colossal failure?)
❔ "Our avg user spends $25 on our app every year" (Underwhelming or actually incredible?)
A common mistake people make?
Trying to rectify this by "telling" people how to feel, instead of actually "showing."
For example:
▸ "We acquired a 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 100k new users this year"
▸ "Our average user spend ($25) has 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀"
Of course, this is better than nothing – but it fails to meaningfully persuade.
So instead, consider contextualizing by leveraging shared knowledge bases:
✔️ "We acquired 100k new users this year; that's more than our 𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 just 18 months ago"
✔️ "Our avg user spend was $25 this year, on par with 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 in our industry"
But what if there's no shared knowledge base to rely on?
Then consider using the other 4 tricks: https://lnkd.in/gmDSUbra __
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