How would you describe what a good leader is?
It’s someone who knows who they are leading. They are leading by example, they are not just out there dictating.
It’s someone who knows what their team is about and what each individual’s strengths are, because you cannot manage each person in the same way.
What’s one leadership lesson that you have learned along the way?
A good leader is the key to everything. I have had jobs where the position is perfect, everything is great.
But, if the leader is not there for you, or isn’t inspiring, then it’s not the right position.
They can make or break any opportunity you have. It’s all the strength of leadership.
What is your style of leadership?
I love mentoring my colleagues, especially the juniors, and showing how much you can help someone by relating to them.
Just finding out what drives them in their life and finding out their story helps, and that’s what’s going to help make you successful.
For me, it’s being able to connect with pretty much everyone that I meet because my background is slightly diverse.
How is your background diverse?
Well, just growing up in Hong Kong – I grew up with so many different cultures represented.
Our school had people from 120 different countries. And then going to school in California, which, again, was pretty multicultural.
Then my experiences in Europe and India. Even though I am Indian by ethnicity, I don’t have any family there. So ending up working there was quite a unique experience.
I am comfortable in places I have never been, I am comfortable with people from different backgrounds. I have two young girls, so I am a mom too, which I think helps me relate to a lot of different people as well.
I am a daughter, I am a sister. I think there are always ways you can connect with pretty much everyone. Finding that connection is what I love to do, and I think that is what is key in my role as well.
Throughout your career, would you say you have faced any challenges as a woman?
I think definitely, especially as a mom and going on maternity leave and trying to move up in your career when they know you’re going to take another year off.
They expect you to choose between your family and your career sometimes, so there is always a little bit of that challenge in balancing life.
In your opinion, how do we get better in pushing women into positions of power?
I think it is just giving encouragement to your co-workers that are female that there is no boundary that they can’t break through. If you feel like you can’t attain it, figure out why and work towards breaking through that barrier.
Find someone to mentor you in the community. I find that we have a lot of strong females represented here that could take that on, to help guide you to the path to get you what you want.
