For Shi Liangyan, IP Director of Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co., Ltd., (Goldwind Science & Technology), life is like a box of chocolate. It is full of unexpected failure, miss and meet, which then give her a number of opportunities and lead to a different life. Entering into the IP industry is the most unexpected “chocolate” for her.
She thought she would study journalism or law since her character is more suitable to study liberal arts. However, due to unsatisfactory performance in the university entrance examination, Shi finally studied engineering. Though the subject is a leading course in the university, she still preferred to study arts. In the second semester, the university allowed students with good performance in their first major to choose a second major. Unfortunately, because of missing signing up other majors, she had no choice but to study IP. Unexpectedly, with the indepth study of IP, she has gradually found out her interest in IP and was determined to make it her future career.
In the past 8 years, she has worked in a government organization, a law firm in Germany and a Chinese enterprise successively. She is always eager to take challenging tasks and accomplish them with amazing performance. In the process of self potential tapping, she has gradually built up her confidence in IP and become stronger. Also in these 8 years, standing at the new stage of life, she has started her family and learned to achieve work life balance.
Work: 100% Devotion
Close to her post graduate graduation, Shi was invited to join Hubei Provincial Party Committee Publicity Department to do publicity work due to her outstanding performance in an event reporting of the Department. This is a comparatively perfect job for girls, but she didn’t take the offer because of her adventurous nature. She packed up books and clothes and started her journey to Beijing. She firstly worked in China National Software and Integrated Circuit Promotion Center (CSIP) of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. At that time, CSIP has just set up its IP Department, mainly focusing on two tasks: the first was to provide IP support for related departments of Ministry of Industry and Information; and the second was to provide IP services for enterprises in information industry.
In addition to being involved in a number of key patent analysis projects, Shi also took some marketing, event planning and organizing work. She also established the CSIP Intellectual Property Expertise Center of Judicature, which is the first of its kind under Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the sixth in Beijing. She independently drafted the files on application, process and system, and accomplished 6 model projects. Besides, she also served as a member of the IP expert group in China Semiconductor Industry Association and attended several important industry meetings.
Because of the good cooperation with the Germany IP agency VOSSIUS & PARTNER while working in the CSIP, she got the offer from the agency and decided to accept it. In Munich, she worked quite hard and often forgot time. When it was too late to catch the bus, she had to walk home for 40 minutes in heavy snow, and was once scared by drunken man.
Though working aboard might be admirable in some people’s eyes, Shi was homesick after years of staying aboard. She decided to return to Beijing and joined Goldwind Science & Technology, a leading enterprise in new energy industry in China, for two main reasons. On the one hand, she has studied and accumulated rich experience on enterprises technology innovation and IP management; and on the other hand, the company’s mission statement “Preserving White Clouds and Blue Skies for the Future” has deeply attracted her. From her perspective, wind energy perfectly verifies how human know, exploit and conquer the nature. She can realize the value of her life by making commitment to such a great enterprise. What’s more, Goldwind Science & Technology carries good corporate culture, caring for staff and proactively fulfilling social responsibilities, which are worth her devotion.
Since she has worked in 3 different types of organizations, Shi has her own understandings of the 3 experiences. Government agency has a broader view and focuses more on IP issues at the overall industry level. Foreign IP agency focuses more on professional attainment, and self development depends more on professional ability and personality. While working in a Chinese enterprise, besides professional background, people also need to have broad view, outstanding organizing and coordinating ability, and decisive pushing and execution ability. Shi told China IP frankly that, she thinks working as an inhouse IP manager in enterprise is most challenging among the three. An IP manager should possess not only the solid technological and legal knowledge, but also skills on finance and human resources. Moreover, the manager has to consider the enterprise’s IP strategy and layout from the perspective of the entire industry, and gives timely warning and proper control of IP risks. Having been working as an in-house IP manager, Shi finds a great improvement on her ability in organizing, communication and coordination, and thus she becomes more confident on work.
Life: Exceed and Excel
There is a saying that, career and family are two wings of life, people can only make great achievements when two wings are balanced. We should neither ignore family due to busy working, nor give up career because of household affairs. For Shi, family is her spiritual harbor. She not only wants to become an excellent student and a prominent employee, but also a caring wife and mother. 24 hours a day seems not enough for working moms. Though her daughter is 3 years old now, she still remembers clearly how she has competed with time during her pregnancy and the first days of being a mother. She learns to become a multi-tasker. For example, she would dance with her kid after work, so that she could both company her daughter and exercise. After the kid falls asleep, she reads books while doing facial mask. She also sings while baking or taking bath. She thinks it is a good way to relax while doing housework. When she needs to leave for business trip, she always prepares well to ensure high work efficiency and gets home earlier if possible.
As a working mom, it is not easy to balance work and life. She fully devotes herself into family and work, and tries to reduce the interference of the different roles she plays. When encounters difficulties, she will ask her families for help. Instead of being a housewife, she hopes she can become the role model for her daughter by showing the positive image as a professional working woman.
All these fortuities make today’s Shi. She is appreciated for the kindness of her friends and colleagues and firmly believes that 100% devotion everyday will make a divine life.
