This time, we bring you an interview with Mong, the first returning member of Monosus Thailand.
He joined the company in April 2014, two years and two months ago, but he left the company one year after joining in May of last year. After that, he worked for another foreign company, and then returned in January of this year, bringing with him his girlfriend, who was a programmer.
Mong is a lovable, playful character who is usually always joking around and everyone always makes fun of him, but his innermost thoughts were very touching.
What I realized after leaving
Miyagawa
I was really sad when Mong quit a year ago, but after a few months he started coming over occasionally.
Mon
At that time, after a very difficult project during the busy season, I wanted to try designing at a Western company, so I changed jobs, but when I moved, I didn't enjoy it very much. There was not much work, and I had a lot of free time. I realized that I was just right to be busy.
The relationships between staff members were not that close.
Gradually, I began to feel like I wanted to return to Monosus, so I consulted with my seniors, Tong and Prem.
Then he said, "Why don't you talk to Mr. Miyagawa?"
I had a lot of affection for Monosus.
This is a photo from when we celebrated Mong's departure with a surprise birthday cake, saying how relieved we were that he was gone.
Miyagawa :You were only with us for a year, and I think you worked for a company longer before, so why did you want to come back to Monosus?
Mon
I think I grew up at Monosus. I can't explain it well, but even though Monosus is my third company since I changed jobs, it feels like my first company. I think I'm especially attached to it because when we had problems, we all overcame them together. Even if we stayed up late at night, it was fun. It was fun, like we were clearing an RPG together.
A scene of overtime work at the time. When it got late, we refreshed ourselves with ice cream that was brought in. From the left, Prem, Cyndi, Tong. On the top right is Mong.
Mon
My girlfriend (Joy), who was a Java programmer, was also unhappy with her workplace and was looking for a new job, so I invited her to work with me at Monosus.
On Monosus, I showed them the websites I had created and conveyed the joy of coding and the joy I felt when a site was published.
She had traveled with Miyagawa-san and the Monosus members before, and could tell that there were many interesting seniors and the atmosphere was fun.
Two years ago, when our first interpreter retired, we all went on an overnight trip to Pattaya. Each of us brought a partner, and in addition to Joy, Nu, who was with us on the trip, later joined Monosus.
Working with her and nurturing people
It's been five months since you returned to Miyagawa Monosas and started working with her. How has it been?
Mon
Even though we were together, we were colleagues at work, not a couple. I had told her before joining the company that I wanted to draw a clear line between us. I had her take coding tests and gave her a lecture beforehand.
However, when she first joined the company, I also felt pressured because her skill level was still immature. As a trainer, I was anxious to quickly train her, and sometimes I was too stoic when teaching her. This sometimes made her sulk or angry.
Since I continued to be weighed down by this bad relationship even after I returned home, after about a month, I decided to hand over the teaching baton to my senior, Prem.
As I watched him teach, I remembered when I first joined the company. I thought, "Of course I didn't understand at first," and realized that my teaching method was wrong.
From then on, I began to think about how to keep her from getting angry and how to motivate her, and I began to praise her and empathize with her.
Whenever she loses confidence or motivation, I encourage her: "Just imagine how happy you'll be when you can do it."
Miyagawa: How do you feel about being with your girlfriend all the time, whether at work or at home?
Mon
I thought it wasn't good to be together too long. At first we lived together, but we sat next to each other and I thought it would lose its vibe if we were together all day every day, so now we go back to our own homes.
However, having my partner at work makes me feel motivated and proud.
I'm not rich, and I'm not a great person. So I want to show that I'm working hard. I want to show that I can solve any problem.
Mong studied mathematics at the Faculty of Science in college. In his previous job, he mainly wrote functions for Google Maps in JavaScript. He found it interesting and fell in love with JavaScript, which led him to join Monosus.
More communication: The future of Mong and Monosus Thailand
Miyagawa : At the end of last year, when I interviewed Mong-kun to tell her I wanted to come back, I felt that she had really grown up as a person, but I feel that by working with her, she has grown even more. What are your aspirations for the future?
Mon
As an engineer, I want to write code that will make the back-end people in the next process look at my source and think, "This guy is amazing!"
I want to write source code that is as neat as possible so that the next person can use it easily.
I would like to be nominated again the next time a project arises.
Mr. Miyagawa, if I improve my skills even more in the future, do you think I'll leave Monosus?
Miyagawa : Huh? I wonder. Are you quitting?
Mon
I'm not going to quit.
We're all like family now.
Monosus can grow even more. It's the same now, and I feel like we're all walking in the same direction.
I was also very happy that Mr. Ito (Head of the Coding Factory Department) came from Japan to hold a study session, and it was also really great to have a chance to talk at length with Mr. Kawamura, who was in the same room as me on the recent company trip.
I learned what he likes and what he thinks about when he works, and we became good friends.
I really empathized with Mr. Hayashi's new project at the general meeting, and his goals and the reasons why he started the company. I would like to go to Kamiyama someday.
Before, I only thought about myself, but now I want to do my best for others too. I hope that one day, my girlfriend will feel the same way.
However, I would like Mr. Miyagawa to communicate with us in Thai more on a regular basis (laughs).
Miyagawa : I know that. I feel the same way as everyone else, but it's still hard for me (laughs).
Can I have a little more time?
Mon
Mr. Miyagawa, please don't make excuses.
I do what I think is good right away.
Just imagine.
A world where Miyagawa can communicate directly with everyone in Thai and talk about anything.
MiyagawaThat 's awesome.
It'll definitely be fun.
But Mong, you say some good things (laughs).
After the interview
When I listen carefully to the staff in this way, I always discover new thoughts and realizations that I normally keep hidden, and I feel like I am growing as a person.
I was so surprised that the playful Mong felt this way, and it made my heart warm.
I am not the type of person who can demonstrate strong leadership skills, but by listening to what everyone has to say, I feel motivated to respond to their thoughts and feelings, and it makes me feel like I have to grow even more.
"Good leaders are developed by good followers, and teams are developed by their leaders."
To achieve this, I say, "Do anything that you think is good right away."
MIYAKAWA Takuya