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Redefining success with competence and empathy
Meet our Women in Professional Services
Jessie reflects on how she was able to navigate the delicate balance between prioritising outcomes while remaining warmth in a dynamic work environment.
Jessie Or Yue Ying
Tax & Legal Assistant Manager
Deloitte Singapore
Jessie has connected her passion for helping others with her profession in the Immigration service line of the Tax & Legal business unit, shaping her into the empathetic and inclusive leader she is today. Her role allows her to positively impact individuals during some of the most challenging moments in their lives, including relocations and navigating situations like the travel restrictions imposed by COVID-19.
In the early stages of her career, Jessie found herself navigating a familiar challenge encountered by many women: the delicate balance between projecting competence as well as empathy in her leadership style. Initially, Jessie’s approach leaned towards being outcome-oriented and assertive, traits often associated with competence in leadership roles.
Fortunately, she was surrounded by strong female role models in her team. This proved invaluable when Jessie was given the opportunity by her leaders to support the Deloitte United Arab Emirates (UAE) team with a client project which arose from an ongoing international crisis. Despite her limited experience in UAE immigration matters, coupled with the project's criticality and time sensitivity, the warm encouragement from her leaders and peers paved the way for success. One key lesson she took from them is to embrace diversity and be sensitive to unique communication and learning styles.
Observing how they managed to achieve a well-rounded leadership style, Jessie integrated what she learnt into her approach to managing stakeholders and her team on the project. This experience deepened her understanding of herself and the leader she wanted to be. She understood that it is possible to deliver value to clients even in challenging circumstances all while ensuring effective communication and considering both individual and team viewpoints.
Applying this insight to her day-to-day interactions, Jessie shares personal experiences with her team to forge meaningful connections, and she actively listens to everyone’s concerns and feedback, establishing a safe space for others to express thoughts and feelings and makes the effort to get to know her team on a more personal level.
This personal revelation became a cornerstone in Jessie's approach to leadership role that it is possible to be competent and empathetic simultaneously.
Empowering a team means embracing diversity. It is about recognising and supporting each individual so that they can develop their unique strengths to their fullest. - Jessie Or
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