When people ask me what I do professionally, my response often comes with raised eyebrows, followed by, “You work for the government? I thought you are in banking?” or “You take care of human resources or operations?”
Chief of Staff is one of the most misunderstood positions in the C-Suite. In addition to being a trusted advisor and a sounding board to an organization’s CEO, Chief of Staff is an essential role in key areas, such as stakeholder engagement, strategic project management, and ensuring goals and vision are aligned and carried out across the organization.
In my three years at VP Bank, I have had the privilege of leading numerous strategic projects, including reinforcing our branding and unique selling proposition in Asia, the relocation and renovation of our offices in Hong Kong and Singapore, and others. These projects were often complex in nature and required very close collaboration and coordination both internally and externally. They involved a holistic balance between vision, market awareness and relevance, and planning to create seamless execution and output that strengthened our Bank’s DNA to promote business growth and productivity.
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The road to reaching my here-and-now was not always smooth sailing. There were many lessons learned, but each failure is a step closer to success. Dealing with the insecurities of not being good enough is what many women go through professionally and personally. But a constant voice in my head kept asking this question, “Am I playing it too safe?” There came a point in realization that I should keep growing and evolving instead of succumbing to fear; this fear was not of failure, but success that could lead to judgment.
One may be surprised by this revelation – fear of success? That’s crazy! Fear of success is very real and psychologically, very true for many women. It is not so much about success, in and of itself, but the journey leading up to it. Due to social pressure on gender roles in society, we as women often fear being unworthy of our achievements or judged by them. We start questioning, "Am I demanding too much? Should I ask for what I am deserving of?" As a result, we stagger our own potential, feeling taken for granted and remain in an uncomfortable comfort zone. This awareness is one of the foundations to unleashing great potential and strength. Then comes determination, perseverance, and understanding that there is no thriving when there is a constant feeling of lack.
Embracing challenges in all aspects of life is an acquired skill, one that needs to be constantly trained. Mental peace and wellness help to exercise this muscle. Many adopt different methods to generate a healthy mind. Personally, yoga has been transformative, bringing about a positive impact also in my professional life. My focus has become clearer and sharper with intention and emotions more balanced.
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Purpose in life is important. Often, this purpose is very self-centric. By steering it towards a more communal approach is vital to not only our own wellbeing, but also for organizations and society as a whole, promoting strong values with consistency. We are social beings who flourish in working together; no man or woman is an island. As a member of the Strategic Planning Committee of Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), I have encountered brilliant and passionate individuals who are less about self and more about others. Having this purpose of contributing to society translates to all facets of life, including the professional one. It becomes the cornerstone of creating ways to ensure a collective achievement that focuses on team success rather than individual reward.
I am grateful to be in this era when women have been given more opportunities to advance than ever before: Equal opportunities in education, workplace, within the family unit. Our power lies in choosing the right path among choices, crafting our own destinies, and being in the present. Dalai Lama once responded to what astonished him about humanity: "Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present. The result being that he does not live in the present nor the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."
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