#TECH: Mums in charge

ONE can be a mother and yet assume a leadership role at a company. In fact, being a mother makes her a more capable leader.

Author and activist Dorothy Canfield Fisher says it succinctly: “… women (who) excel in their own fields are outstanding examples of how mothers are exemplary beings.”

‘The most incredible job’

Catherine Lian is a fine example. Being IBM Malaysia’s managing director since 2019, Lian is responsible for all strategic and operational matters related to sales, marketing, services and delivery operations.

“I lead the Malaysia team to win new business, shape new opportunities and help key stakeholders and clients apply IBM’s AI (artificial intelligence), hybrid cloud platform and cognitive solutions to advance digital transformation,” said Lian.

She was the recipient of Channel Asia Women in ICT Awards 2020, where she was the “Highly Commended” winner under the Achievement Category in the Asean region.

Despite her corporate achievements, being a mother is the “most incredible job” in the world to her.

Lian believes that all working mothers are super women.

“Regardless of whether you are a working executive or a stay-at-home mother, motherhood is a lifelong journey. A good mother provides love and fulfils every need in her children. At the same time, she can also pursue her career aspirations with much personal satisfaction.

“Being a mother has definitely shaped me into the person I never imagined I could become today,” said the mother of a teenage daughter.

Blessed with a wonderful and close-knit family, Lian said her family was “her rock, comfort and strength as well as the greatest supporters” of her career growth over two decades.

In a corporate world where women are at the frontline in executive roles, there is always a need to balance work and life responsibilities, she added.

“As women, especially Asian women, we take on the role of mother, sister, wife and daughter. Hence, being efficient and productive are everything.

“This means knowing with certainty what I am doing every day of the week and prioritising what is important versus what is urgent,” she said.

Touching on the workplace’s role in empowering mothers, Lian said her company has rolled out many initiatives to support working mothers.

“At IBM, we have the diversity and inclusion policy to support our diverse talent.

“For example, new mothers returning from their maternity leave have access to private space and adequate time to pump breast milk. We also have free breast milk delivery for nursing mothers who are travelling on business,” she said.

It’s all about planning

For Farah Dinie Abdullah@Ramli, her position as regulatory affairs lead in an e-commerce company provides her with the challenges she needs.

“I love the environment here. Everyone is driven, ambitious, committed and hungry for more. We never rest on our laurels. This passion and perseverance do not allow room for one to be lulled into complacency. It is for all these reasons why I enjoy working at ShopeePay,” she said.

Farah feels that being the mother of a 4-year-old girl has made her better at time management and being goal-oriented too.

“Time is (more) precious now. I simply never have enough of it so I use it as wisely as I can. The key to successful parenting is to plan everything… meals, trips, playtime, bathtime. As children are unpredictable, planning helps prepare for eventualities such as meltdowns. It’s applicable in an effective working life too,” she added.

“E-wallet is the next big thing. I am excited to see how my skills and experience can help develop the future of Malaysia’s e-wallet scene,” she added.

With 14 years’ experience in compliance and having served in some of the largest fund management and investment banks in Malaysia, the 38-year-old is excited about the challenges ahead even as she juggles and enjoys her roles as mother and mover in the corporate world.

Challenging norm

Kwa Yin Leng, 32, may be a mother to a 16-month old girl but at work, she holds an important role taking care of warehouse operations, something generally associated with men.

As a senior operations and warehouse manager at Shopee, Kwa overlooks the back-end business operations including warehouse management, expansion and operations.

She brushes off the perception that it’s a male-centric job.

“That’s not true. Male or female, we all work in a fast-paced environment, serving consumers and sellers 24 hours a day. That means that we need to be ready to respond to users’ needs as and when they occur.

“There are some days when I do not even get to see my daughter and I feel really guilty. But what really counts is the quality time that I am able to spend with her and ensure that I am a part of her childhood, learning and development journey,” said Kwa.

“Being a mother has trained me to be patient. I find myself taking the time to understand the gaps and shortfalls, not just at work but also personally. From there, I strive to make the necessary changes so that at work or at home, things are managed well and to everyone’s satisfaction,” she said.

Kwa’s colleague, Woo Mei Kheng, also “discovered” the virtues of patience upon attaining motherhood.

“My team once told me that I was very short-tempered. Now that I have a child of my own, I definitely believe patience is key to succeeding in what we do at the workplace.

“Being a mother has taught me how to make the most of my time. I was never an organised person. I lived on on the edge and was always scrambling to complete tasks at the very last minute.

“While things get done this way, it’s very chaotic and not effective in the long run. It also doesn’t work in parenting,” she added with a smile.

Passion and patience

Melissa Norman is another high achiever who is a contented mother as well.

Not only is she the founder and managing director of Aisling Group, a home-grown talent solutions provider, Melissa also has another very important role — being a mother to 5-year-old Jayden Kylo Gupta.

Her companies focus on human resource, especially recruitment, learning and development. They include Aisling Search & Selection, Aisling Consulting and Aisling Professional Development.

“As with many entrepreneurs, I am quite hands-on in the everyday operations and client engagements.

“My day-to-day commitments include client meetings, project implementation, team catch-ups, collaborative initiatives with partners and providing the necessary support wherever they are needed,” she said.

However, her “real” job starts as soon as Jayden wakes up.

“Motherhood has helped me understand my own mother better,” said Melissa, who now echoes the sacrifices her own mother made over the years.

“I now have a better understanding of why parents can be over-protective.

“It has also taught me all about balance. I started my own business partly because I wanted the flexibility to juggle work and mummy-hood. Now I do have that and I am grateful,” she said.

For Melissa, motherhood has allowed her to “live for today and being present, as opposed to constantly putting things off to the future”.

“I have the highest respect for mothers. Being a mother can be challenging but it is (by far) the most rewarding job.

“Jayden has helped me listen more, to be more attentive and to see the lighter side of things. I now have play infused in my life,” she said.

Source: NST