Balwant Grewal
Plant Manager Major, Bay Valley, United States Postal Service
What You’d Be Surprised to Know about Me
I can speak four languages.
My Greatest Strength
Everything starts with a value system. One must connect to one’s personal values. Once you have that as a foundation, your mission and economic objectives become clearer.
Who Inspires Me
I have been fortunate to have very good mentors during my entire career who helped guide me.
And if I had to name one very good mentor, it would have to be my father. He gave me a foundation of hard work, fairness, and resilience.
The Model Minority Myth
I think a very big myth is that in America we have “minorities.” We are a melting pot of diverse people who bring collective strengths to America.
Our Most Critical Issue
Critical issues include:
- Adapting Asian/Pacific-American culture to the business culture.
- APAs have been referred to as a model minority, but this community also faces a number of stereotypes, including that we are all quiet, hardworking, family oriented, good at math, passive, and nonconfrontational.
Asians/Pacific Islanders often do not self-promote, which can sometimes prevent them from moving into the upper tiers of organizations.
Lessons I’ve Learned
I have learned a number of important lessons:
- Challenge yourself and believe in yourself.
- Don’t be affected by negativity
- Surround yourself with people who will provide constructive criticism and help you see what you may not see, which will help point you in the right directions.
My Best Career Advice
- Be trustworthy.
- Let your work speak for you.
- Embrace change, because it will happen.
- Always raise your performance standards, and you will make a difference!
