Our female leader who leads with creativity and empathy

At ADVANCE.AI, we are strong advocates of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (DIB). More than ever, we're making it part of our commitment to build and leverage a diverse and inclusive workforce and workplace to shape the success of the company. In our "Life at ADVANCE.AI" series, we will be interviewing ADVANCE.AI employees to hear from them directly on the company culture and management direction, when it comes to building a supportive and inclusive culture for all employees, where Advancers can bring their full self to work.

This week, we're interviewing Jiazi Xu, a passionate B2B Marketing Leader, who has recently joined ADVANCE.AI as Marketing Director for International Markets. Graduated from National University of Singapore, Jiazi has built a remarkable career in the field of marketing and has worked with many renowned multi-national corporations like ByteDance, Oracle, Genesys, and BlackBerry.

How has the ADVANCE.AI's journey as the Marketing Director been for you?

My journey here at ADVANCE.AI has been off to a great start. In a matter of days, I had discovered the diverse working environment, and witnessed the passion of my colleagues here. This positive and passionate working culture has created a very vibrant and healthy environment to work, where collaboration and performance are key to our success. For a startup in our current stage, having this positive environment remains one of many driving factors in attracting great talents, and ADVANCE.AI definitely meets the mark.

What do you think is the most significant barrier that you have faced during your career journey as a female leader?

As a female leader, I'd prefer to view "barriers" as potential enablers that we can focus on building for future leaders. For example, in an environment where confident speakers get more air time with the management, there's a disadvantage for employees who may not be as comfortable to speak up. In such situations, there's an opportunity for leaders to take an active step to give junior or female colleagues the opportunity to speak up. When creating a 'safe environment' for anyone to speak up, we will create a more open culture where great ideas are shared and considered equally.

Inevitably, barriers are a part of work and life, but also very crucial for our growth. I find that I can be the best version of myself, and find the same of others, when I thrive to be an enabler, and break these barriers within the workplace. And I try my best to do so with strong passion, and a bold attitude!

Was there someone who was your source of inspiration in your career and why?

I have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by strong and confident female (and male!) leaders, who have made a significant impact on my career growth and personal development. With every manager I had, I picked up on the good leadership qualities I aspired to have, and even learned from negative examples of management. And I continue to do so as my career develops. This on-going development is what has helped me create my personal style of leadership.

One of my previous managers, who inspired me a lot, led with a very collaborative and empowering leadership style, providing a very positive environment for the middle managers under her to thrive and succeed in our various roles. I'd say she was a positive role model to me then, and still continues to be my confidante and advisor in my career. Also an enabler, she led with a strong sense of camaraderie and instilled the same positive leadership style within me - one of inclusion and empathy. I definitely find myself emulating her style a lot in my roles.

What's your mantra of managing and leading your team?

As with most people, I developed my own leadership styles over my 16 years of career, and I find myself resonating the most with "Lead with empathy" as a mantra. As a rule, I prefer being a guiding leader, helping my team members make the right decisions within their scope, as well as in their career development. I also strongly encourage the team to be courageous, and try out new ideas! In a start-up where we're still figuring out the success tracks, set-backs are inevitable, but the most important thing is to learn from all and any experience. This is a journey for all of us, where we will learn from each other's experiences and will help bring out the better version out as individuals.

How do you think ADVANCE.AI's environment contributes in women empowerment in your opinion based on your time here?

One of the best thing about the working environment in ADVANCE.AI is that the management works hard on ensuring that employees feel like we are a part of this big family, regardless of the cultural and geographical differences. As a leader here, it's within my mandate to ensure all employees get the equal opportunities for career progression as well as visibility amongst the leadership team. More prominently, management stands behind our female employees through their personal journeys, be it motherhood, or just simply more balanced work-life management. Our leaders, Dong Shou and TS believe in empowering all employees with the best resources and this definitely extends to the female employees of the company.

As part of the group's DIB@Advance efforts, there are always on-going initiatives to empower employees via resource groups, and that also includes female empowerment groups in support of female employees in the organization.

How do you maintain a work-life balance and how do you encourage your team for the same?

As a working mother, work-life balance is truly the key for me to manage both family and work responsibilities successfully. For me, I rely heavily on a strong support system set up at home, so that I can focus on my work daily. And when I am at home and with my family, I ensure that I am fully present, and focusing on the needs of the family. Having clear distinction and separation between work and home allows me to be the most productive at work, and the most present for my family.

Work-life balance remains to personalized to each individual's needs and priorities. As a manager of the team, I work to support the desired work-life management as individuals require. There's a need for us to focus on the outcome and results in our work, but I regard the mental health and home responsibilities of my team as important factors to having productive and effective team members too. By having regular check-ins with the team, and encouraging them to slow down in midst of chaos, I can help them to regulate the stress and pressure they face daily. Managing the pressure from work effectively will enable them to be productive at work, and in effect, be more present at home too.

What advice would you give to the next generation female leaders, driven by your own experience?

There's traditionally a societal bias that might limit the role of women, but in this time and age, we're equipped and empowered to remove stereotypical thinking, and let women be the narrator of our own stories. With that, we should be able to go for what we want, and shape our own success in life. My advice for all future female leaders will be to have the courage to go after what you want, and don't be afraid to fail. With every attempt, you're one step closer to your own success.

If you feel ADVANCE.AI's is the place for you, we will be delighted to welcome you to our extended family! Apply to our current open roles from https://hubs.ly/Q010_r3D0 or send your CVs to aai.hr@advancegroup.com; we will reach out to you for suitable roles.