Looking out of my hotel window in Hanoi Vietnam 2024

Here Are Some Strategic Lessons I Learned From the Field

At Logix Trainers, we teach more than technical skills—we develop strategic thinkers. Because in today’s world, success isn’t just about working hard or even working smart. That’s table stakes.

Real success comes from seeing the bigger picture.

From understanding systems, not just tools. From recognizing that your “customer” might be the next department waiting on your feedback, or a vendor halfway across the globe depending on your accuracy. It requires going beyond the obvious and thinking like a strategist.

Lessons From the Ground: Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan

Recently, I spent time on the ground in Taiwan, Vietnam, and Japan—not just touring factories, but deepening relationships, solving problems, and scouting opportunities. What I saw reinforced a principle we drive home in our trainings: technical excellence without relational awareness will limit your leadership.

Vietnam: Repairing Relationships
We had a potential vendor with manufacturing capabilities we needed—but the relationship had grown cold. The facility walkthrough wasn’t just about specs and standards; it was about trust. About presence.
When you lead projects, your ability to realign relationships is just as important as your ability to review a BOM.

Taiwan: Creating New Opportunities
This was a newer relationship, one built on curiosity and potential. I wasn’t just there to approve equipment—we were looking for new revenue streams, new ways to partner.
Lesson: Get your hands on the work. Walk the line. Speak their language—literally or metaphorically. That’s how breakthroughs happen.

Japan: Understanding Legacy
We had to renew a 25-year master distribution contract critical to our business. But in Japan, contracts aren’t paper—they’re trust. Respect. History.
Show up. Shake hands. Sit across the table.
That’s the only way forward in many places—and it’s not so different inside your own company.

Think Globally, Act Internally

Most people don’t think of themselves as operating internationally. But guess what?

Your distributor network is likely global.

Your project lifecycle depends on overseas supply chains.

Your internal systems need to talk to each other with the same clarity and respect in a business meeting.

In a company, the next department or team is your customer.
The night shift is your customer.
The installer. The service tech. The admin who processes your paperwork.

Leaders who win are the ones who think across boundaries—technical and relational.

The Logix Mindset
At Logix Trainers, we teach more than PLCs, HMIs, and simulation-based skills.

We train people to:

– Build trust through documentation and clarity

– Avoid miscommunications by developing structured frameworks

– Innovate in the margins—those spaces between departments, suppliers, and roles

– Act like facilitators, not just doers

Every miscommunication is an opportunity to create a better process. Every outdated contract is a chance to redesign the future.
But only if you know how to see it.

The Takeaway

Global business starts local.
Trust starts on your team.
Innovation starts with asking better questions.

So wherever you are—plant floor, engineering office, remote vendor site—think like a leader. Facilitate the next step. Be the reason the relationship grows stronger. That’s how real opportunities are born.