Cultural expectations vs personal ambition: Finding your voice as an Asian leader
It is about knowing when to assert yourself, when to listen and how to bridge the gap between different leadership styles
EARLY in my career, I found myself seated at a long, polished boardroom table in Tokyo, surrounded by elderly men in dark suits. The atmosphere was formal, the hierarchy unmistakable.
I was there to lead the discussion, representing the regional office in Singapore, but the expectation in the room was clear – they were waiting for someone else. I had been asked several times that morning: “Serene-san, where is your boss Ong-san?”
I knew what they were thinking: Surely, the “boss” was a much older man from the regional headquarters; someone who would come with a small army of assistants to take notes and carry his bags.
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