What qualities make an effective leader? What traits must a person possess to become a successful leader? What are the key qualities of great community leaders? If you are interested in finding out the traits and qualities that make men and women great, then read on. You’ll find them here. In this chapter, I describe what makes Yeni Wong, the dynamic owner of the Chinatown Garden, an effective leader.
In person, in interviews, and on the street, Yeni gives the impression of being a private person. It fills us with admiration, and it makes us nervous; it’s the origin, most likely, of our obsessive and keen interest in her method, legendary discipline, and effort. The power and grace of Yeni’s benevolent actions seem to emanate from something she’s made contact with deep within, intensely private and specific to her experience but also mysteriously universal. Proud of her Chinese heritage, she wants to revamp and modernize the image of Chinatown business.
There’s something that our greatest entrepreneurs connect to in their hearts, and, in making that connection, they manage to spread it into the atmosphere and infuse it imperceptibly into those around them.
Yeni carries her talents and achievements modestly, charmingly, and generously. She’s a deep-sea creature who is unexpectedly approachable and thoroughly delightful company. She’s a concerned and active community citizen. But when Yeni leads, she makes the physical metaphysical and vice versa. She’s an entrepreneur whose generosity isn’t just great—it’s essential.
In person, in interviews, and on the street, Yeni gives the impression of being a private person. It fills us with admiration, and it makes us nervous; it’s the origin, most likely, of our obsessive and keen interest in her method, legendary discipline, and effort. The power and grace of Yeni’s benevolent actions seem to emanate from something she’s made contact with deep within, intensely private and specific to her experience but also mysteriously universal. Proud of her Chinese heritage, she wants to revamp and modernize the image of Chinatown business.
There’s something that our greatest entrepreneurs connect to in their hearts, and, in making that connection, they manage to spread it into the atmosphere and infuse it imperceptibly into those around them.
Yeni carries her talents and achievements modestly, charmingly, and generously. She’s a deep-sea creature who is unexpectedly approachable and thoroughly delightful company. She’s a concerned and active community citizen. But when Yeni leads, she makes the physical metaphysical and vice versa. She’s an entrepreneur whose generosity isn’t just great—it’s essential.
As one of the most influential female entrepreneurs in Chinatown, she’s a trailblazer and an inspiration to women everywhere. But when I think back to our time working together, the gender distinction melts away. She is simply one of the smartest, most talented leaders the community has ever known. The community was lucky to have her to help us grow into what we became, and CCBA was lucky to have her taking them someplace new. But really, it’s those hundreds of people who were looking for information—for answers—who benefited most. Because of everything Yeni has done and will do in the future, their need was infinitely more likely to have positive results.
An entrepreneur, particularly one dealing with the highest of pressures, relies on many things: perspective and context, strategic counsel, and courage of conviction. But perhaps chief among these is loyalty. And in a word, that describes Yeni.
A strong and dedicated leader in her own right, she is a good friend to former President Bill Clinton. She brings clarity of thought and purpose to her work. She is a good listener who comes to the table not with some preset notion of distrust but an open mind; she asks tough questions and tries to find solutions. She has been tireless in her outreach to the business community. She has both the former president’s best interests and his back in mind—and at all times.
In today’s climate, where people spend capital, avoiding blame instead of finding common ground, these qualities she brings to her job are rare. That only makes loyalty like hers more valuable, and it is why I admire Yeni Wong.
Modesty is a learned affectation. It’s just like decals. As soon as the community shakes modest people against the wall, that modesty will drop off them. But humility comes from the inside out. It says someone was here before him or her; he or she has already been paid for. All he or she has to do is prepare him- or herself to pay for someone else who is yet to come. And that’s exactly what Yeni Wong is doing with the crusade for the Chinatown revitalization. She considers all people in Chinatown her responsibility—newcomers or senior citizens, rich or poor.
Philosophers tell us that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is as if power doesn’t touch her. Yeni hasn’t tried to become anybody else’s idea of the mayor of Chinatown. She has remained herself, with her grace, her gentleness, and her sense of humor. She dares to wear clothes off the rack, go out on the street., and have a conversation with a stranger on the sidewalk. She knows how to be a public figure without being separate from her family.
Too often in Washington, opposing sides don’t speak to one another. The best way to find solutions and common ground is to build personal relationships based on trust. No one in Washington understands this better than Yeni Wong. Her list of accomplishments is impressive, but most impressive to me is her ability to build bridges, bring people together, and get things done. Even though we disagree on many issues, she creates opportunities for future collaboration.
Yeni is indeed a striking figure. She is also one of the most dedicated people I have encountered in our community. Selflessly, she has surrendered to the enormous task of shaping a better culture for the local community. She does that by treating people with kindness and respect and by speaking with honesty and candor. Working closely with her during community service activities, I experienced this firsthand. I value her insights and understanding of how Washington works and how it can work better for all Asian Americans.
Female community leaders are often tested in ways that men are not. Yeni has what it takes to usher in an era of hope and happiness for Chinatown’s people and to contribute to the stability and dynamism of the community and the greater Chinatown region, benefiting her own community as well as the larger Asian American community. As the first female chairperson of CCBA, Yeni Wong is an inspiration for all Chinese American women trying to break through the glass ceiling and for all individuals committed to serving the people.
Yeni is clearly an inspirational leader, which is so rarely seen in the Asian American community. She allows her staff to be confident enough to let the enthusiast feel free to show his or her personality, and she is intent on producing good service at the right price that people want. Yeni is a very savvy businesswoman and creative visionary.
Yeni is clearly an inspirational leader, which is so rarely seen in the Asian American community. She allows her staff to be confident enough to let the enthusiast feel free to show his or her personality, and she is intent on producing good service at the right price that people want. Yeni is a very savvy businesswoman and creative visionary.
But none of that is how she defines herself. The first time she walked into my office, she said, “I want to know how you got this.” When I asked her what in particular, you can imagine my surprise when she pointed to a picture of my family. I’m convinced that Yeni’s warmth and heart are why so many newcomers gravitate to her—she treats people on the street like members of her own family. And what most people probably don’t know is that Yeni has found a way to connect her heart to everything she does, incorporating a philanthropic side into all her initiatives. I’m confident she will be influencing people for generations to come.
I think it’s a great accomplishment when you do the most you can with the time you have in life. Yeni has accomplished a lot at an early stage, taking advantage of all possibilities, and yet she’s found time to give of herself too—she gets and gives back. She has spirit. She does God’s work through using the most of her talent. For more than a decade, Yeni has been the best community leader in Chinatown—not “one of,” not “arguably,” but the best. I know I’m not alone in anticipating the final stages of Chinatown’s revitalization. I also know I’m not alone in waiting with bated breath to see what Yeni does next.
Her first principles of leadership are remarkably simple and clear. As a new generation of women picks up the mantle of progress, she will always be among the first to stand up and step forward. Yeni is a voice of reason, awakening the local community to what must be done to restore prosperity and preserve the blessings of liberty for future generations. She exudes her love of people, life, and culture that exudes in her communitywide enthusiasm. Yeni takes the wonderful heritage of Chinese women into the future, translating it throughout for every Chinese American woman and man who wants to be a part of the American Dream.
As a final note, these are the traits every entrepreneur must possess to become a good community leader. If achieving extraordinary accomplishments is your concern, then you must strive to develop these qualities. It’s a paradox that Yeni is working to improve our community at the same time she’s building businesses to help us benefit. But true vision is binocular—and Yeni Wong is clearly a woman who can see many things at once. In nearly everything she’s tried, she’s found success. And in doing so, she’s proved that the American Dream is alive and well.