When and how did you decide to join the technology field (as a career)?
I joined the technology field as I enjoy the fast-paced and ever-changing environment of the technology field.
Did you ever feel discriminated against in your work place because of your gender?
I believe the increasing numbers of women rising to executive positions in technology companies is a trend towards greater equality in the workplace and recognition of the importance of women’s contribution to the technology industry.
How do you balance your work and family responsibilities? Do you think you have to sacrifice one for the sake of the other?
At Promethean, my responsibilities include managing the staff and employees across the Asia Pacific region. I also oversee the corporate strategy, business development and channel management in our Asia Pacific operations.
On the home front, I do what most mothers do, spend as much time as possible with my children. When I am not traveling, I will drive my children to school everyday. This allows me to have one-on-one time with my children.
I define work-life balance not by striking a balance between the number of hours spent at work and personal life. I define work-life balance by having a strong belief of not allowing work to intrude on my personal life and vice versa.
This distinction is like a virtuous cycle. By being focused 100 per cent at work gives me the satisfaction that I have done my best, which allows me to be able to spend time with my family without distraction and ensure that my family’s needs are met when I am at home.
Please describe your typical day in office and at home?
0615 – The alarm clock wakes me and I prepare for the day ahead.
0745 – Arriving early at the office as I try to do most days, I start with the most pressing things, including anything that requires approvals, priority issues that need to be addressed, and quickly review any research or recommendations that have come in from colleagues across the globe overnight. By doing this, I can quickly address the most time-sensitive issues quickly, as well as complete a large amount of work before lunch.
1000 – On a typical day, I’ll work with teams from the different markets to keep track of particular projects or activities. Sitting down mid-morning with a fresh cup of coffee, I read emails, highlighting the more important ones that require immediate action, and mark the other less-urgent ones to review later in the day.
1200 – Lunchtime! Today I’m catching up with colleagues over lunch to discuss a project we’re working on together and to discuss management development. Occasionally I’ll take my lunch at my desk while catching up on some reading.
1300 – My afternoons are reserved for discussions and meetings on specific issues ranging from policy decisions, local market regulatory or legislative changes, team projects to one-on-one meetings with my staff or managers.
1600 – Time for my regular meeting with the senior management team to provide feedback or direction on Promethean’s projects and staff support, or to provide advice and counsel on any new projects.
1700 – Today is a traveling day, so I need to grab my bags and head out to the airport. I usually travel to one or two countries per week, which is physically demanding, but always rewarding. Often, I look forward to catching up personally with members of my team and meeting with employees from different departments.
1730 – While I am on the road in between meetings or in transit in the airport, I always try to make it a point to call and catch up with our channel and business partners to touch base and maintain a tight and strong relationship with them.
1750 – Before boarding the plane, I quickly check my Blackberry to make sure that there’s nothing that needs to be addressed immediately or requires a quick phone call, before I switch it off.
In the West, the proportion of women in IT is declining. Do you think the situation in Asia is better in this regard?
While I do not have exact figures on the proportion of women in IT in Asia, I encounter women in IT in work on a regular basis and do not believe that the proportion is declining.
Women leave IT because they can and that men typically don’t have that alternative because they tend to be the primary breadwinners. Do you agree?
I don't think it has anything to do with women and men, I think it has to do with competency and how badly you want something.
I think women are less focused on crashing through the glass ceiling because I don't know that it really exists. They are spending more time evaluating what they really want, like balancing family and personal time, with their professional life.
Balancing career and family obligations is the most difficult challenge for women, you're always going to make trade-offs when making career decisions. I think most women will agree that they have made sacrifices along the way to the top. They will have given up personal time and other opportunities outside the office.
Does gender diversity bring a competitive edge to IT companies?
I don't think it has anything to do with women and men, I think it has to do with competency and who can perform better.
Should IT companies consciously increase the percentage of women in their employee pool?
IT companies are commercial companies and will hire the best talents available to them to succeed. I do not think the gender mix is a key criteria of being a successful business. It has more to do with finding and keeping the right talents to develop competencies and capabilities within the organization.
What are the benefits of doing so?
Promoting a culture of meritocracy, where the organization rewards those who demonstrate talent and competence, promotes healthy competition amongst employees and is a fair system where each individual is given equal opportunity.
What are the challenges of recruiting, retaining and managing women employees? Is there a need for special policies to retain women?
The ever-increasing demands of professional careers today requires a new approach to a healthy work life balance for the average single woman. The challenge for working mothers is maintaining performance at work while trying to raise a family in the right way.
Some questions to consider in light of this challenge are:
1. Are women on key committees and task forces in your organization?
2. Do you have policies that support work work-life balance?
3. Do you offer individualized flexible work arrangements to your employees?
4. Do you offer opportunities for advancement for individuals using flexible work schedules?
5. Do you provide alternative work options for employees on family leave, such as laptops and opportunities to participate in training and CPE activities?
6. Do your employees have adequate technology support (PDAs, laptops, cell phones, etc.) to allow for flexibility?
7. What options do employees have in creating alternative career choices at various stages of their family and life development?
Despite a large number of talented and successful women in the field, why is it that society tends to associate only men with technology?
This statement is not accurate as many talented and successful women are the face of high profile technology companies. In Singapore, Tan Yen Yen, Vice President and Managing Director of HP Singapore is a familiar name associated with technology and on the international field, there are even more women who are associated with technology such as Caterina Fake, Co-Founder of Flickr and Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Facebook.
Do you think one of the reasons for marginalization of women in technology are the social myths such as women are emotional whereas technology is logical, and compared to women, men are better with maths and machines?
No.
One of the myths is about women’s looks: technical women are unattractive, arrogant and abnormal. Your comments on this?
This is a stereotype and does not reflect the increasing strong profiles of women in technical fields.
An internet survey polling over 2557 women working in the technical field found that 56% of women had never been able to wear a skirt to work in any tech industry job because they are afraid of being perceived as unprofessional. Is this a right or wrong perception in the light of your experience?
Women should be able to wear what they feel comfortable in within the norms of professional and business etiquette, but ultimately, perceptions will reflect one’s competency.
Do the media also play a biased role when it comes to coverage of IT professionals? Most IT magazines go for male CEOs or CIOs or male industry analysts for their stories. Is there a need to ensure that successful women in IT are displayed more regularly? Is there a need for government advocacy in this area?
There are many platforms to profile women in IT. Certainly, columns like this are fantastic platforms but there are many international and local associations that allow women to network and shine among themselves within the IT industry. They are also awards that recognize women in IT.
Does lack of networking, compared to the opportunities that men have, also play an enormous role in rendering women in IT invisible?
The women in IT are not invisible, there are many international and local associations that allow women within the IT industry to network among themselves. I believe that women will play an increasingly influential role in the technology industries on the 21st century.
