The Organization of Chinese American Women’s (OCAW) twentieth anniversary national conference and gala banquet was held in May 1997 at the Rayburn House Office Building. Speakers and workshops addressed the topics of financial independence through entrepreneurship, managing career success, business and government, and legal rights of women/domestic violence. Women’s leadership awards went to Dr. Yeni Wong.
Nearly twenty years later, a lifetime of leadership reached an apex when Yeni was elected to serve as the chair of the board of the Institute for Taiwan-America Studies (ITAS).
In an interview, Yeni talked about how she defines leadership, how lasting achievements happen, and how her experience as an immigrant has shaped her understanding of leadership.
What do you plan to share about leadership during the interview?
While I am constantly learning how to be a better leader, I’d like to share some observations that may be useful to others striving to develop their own leadership potential. These include the importance of understanding the drivers of our rapidly changing globalized economy, the importance of understanding the culture of the organizations in which we work—especially how the public, nonprofit, and government sectors differ—and some of the personal attributes that characterize good leaders.
How would you define leadership?
A good leader is someone who, first and foremost, understands that the mission of a leader is to serve others, to create value for others. He or she must have a vision of where the organization needs to go, the ability to inspire others to follow that vision, and the skills to elicit the best performance from his or her team members.
You’ve held a wide variety of leadership positions in government, the community, the private sector, and the nonprofit world. Is there a common thread in your approach to leadership that unites all of these different experiences?
One of the most important lessons I learned from observing many other leaders build their careers was this: Llasting achievement is based on a series of incremental steps that build upon one another. There is no such thing as overnight success. Always be prepared for the next step. For example, I prepared for my position in a national association by first leading a smaller local charity group.
Do you feel that your experiences as an immigrant taught you any unique lessons about leadership—lessons you might not have learned any other way?
Yes, my experience as an immigrant has been invaluable in providing many insights into the importance of building bridges of understanding between cultures. Today, America is much more diverse than when I immigrated here as a student, as my English was not very fluent. That’s especially true in the workplace. So it’s helpful for leaders building a team in a diverse environment to cultivate a leadership style that is respectful of different cultures, sensitive to cultural differences, thatand listens to the verbal and nonverbal communications from stakeholders so they can better understand each person’s strengths in order to elicit the best from the team.
When you were starting out, did you have a career path in mind? And was there a mentor you met along the way that gave you guidance on how to manage such significant roles?
When I was starting out in my career, I had very simple wishes. I wanted to get an apartment on my own—that is, move out of my parents’ home—isn’t that every young person’s dream! And I wanted to get a good job, so I could be financially independent and make my family proud of me. By working hard, persevering, and maintaining a positive attitude, I won many mentors along the way. Most people want to help young people who are eager and willing to learn. But while mentors are helpful, it is even more important to have some idea of where you want to go in life, to possess drive, and to cultivate inner motivation.
Chinese American women have been making major strides in the workforce, and today we remember that you are an icon we’ve all come to recognize instantly. While there is a long way to go in certain areas, the progress has been remarkable in many ways. For young women starting their careers or wrestling with those tough decisions about balancing work and family, what are the most significant issues that women in the workplace will contend with in the next ten to twenty years?
Today, the workplace is much more accommodating than it was thirty years ago. Both women and men, however, still have to wrestle with the tough choices of balancing work and family. It is important to understand life’s major choices and to make these choices carefully and mindfully in order not to look back with regret.
How can we enter and engage more in mainstream America?
From the more than one million immigrants who journeyed across the Pacific and arrived on Angel Island to the Chinese American laborers who risked their lives to link our coasts by rail, the determination of this vibrant community represents the best of our national character. Immigration is a prominent part of the United States’ DNA. Nevertheless, concerns still exist about immigrants’ ability to integrate into broader society. But, as the globalized economy brings us closer and closer together, it is more important than ever before to continue to build bridges of understanding between us and mainstream society and to create win-win scenarios that benefit everyone. It is ironic that as the information revolution brings people together, it also has the potential to create misunderstanding. So let us be instruments of harmony and set a positive example of giving back and contribution to mainstream America.
The catalyst for growth as a person, a professional, and a leader is to constantly challenge oneself. This is something I learned very early from my parents, who faced many challenges throughout their lives, yet they never gave up on their dreams and kept moving forward. So my pieces of advice are as follows:
- Never give up.
- Love what you are doing! If you love what you are doing, you have a greater chance of excelling and succeeding.
- Remember that the true treasures of life are family, friends, and love.