In our TEDxPuxi Speakers series, we interview some of the event's headliners. Find them at the half-day of talks on November 3 at the Shanghai Centre Theatre. Tickets can be purchased here.
Emily Chang is the CMO for Starbucks in China. Having split her career between the Middle Kingdom and the US, she has carved out a career known for her personal and authentic brand of people leadership after having spent time in executive roles in companies such as IHG and Apple. The past 18 years has seen Emily demonstrate an acute ability in cross-cultural team leadership, change management and innovative brand building.
Ahead of her talk at TEDxPuxi, we spoke with Chang about success in her international career, balancing different cultures at work and this year's event theme, "Yes! And..."
How did initially studying Biology and Biochemical Engineering lead you toward pursuing an MBA in Competitive Strategy and Finance?
Actually, one didn’t directly lead to the other. In fact, I went into science as pre-med, so that I could pursue a dream of becoming a pediatric oncologist.
However, I realized very early on, that I lacked the emotional distance to be an effective doctor. I almost adopted an abused baby when I was still a teenager! That baby, Dellsaida, ended up with a different foster family.
That experience helped me realize that I could still want to help kids, but didn’t have to do it as a full-time job. In retrospect, this revelation may have paved the way for our Spare Room.
Having split your career between the US and China, in what ways has that benefitted you in both the past and at present throughout the various roles at companies you've undertaken?
This year marks my midpoint – I’ve worked about 10 years in China and 10 years in the US. So this question comes at an opportune time!
The world is so big… and the world is so small. It’s only through working in different roles, different companies and different regions, that I came to appreciate this.
On one hand, the world is full of incredibly diverse cultures, perspective and styles. On the other hand, people are people, brands are brands and a few basic human truths remain the same wherever we are. In a previous job, we used to say we were looking for “purple people" — those who aren’t “red” (Chinese) or “blue” (Americans), but “purple," the bicultural, bilingual leaders who understand both worlds.
Having worked in both regions for some time, I believe the “purple people” have the future – those who understand both cultures, can thrive in both cultures and yet can understand when and where the blue and red need bridging.
To what extent has the phrase "Yes! And..." been present in either your professional or personal life?
Hearing this theme, I was particularly excited to become part of TEDxPuxi. One of my first bosses at P&G used to drive me nuts, because when faced with a choice, Rick would always ask, “Do we have to choose? Can we do both?”
I realized over time that he was asking a great question – because there’s power in the AND. This was a paradigm shift for me.
A few bosses later, I worked for another boss who never said the word “but." Tia focused on the “and," which — particularly in a sales environment — gently dismantled mental barriers. So over the years, I’ve learned the power of “and."
In life, the lesson rings true every day. We witness an injustice… and? We identify a social need… and? We recognize that we need to do something about a particular issue… and? What do we do? When do we step up? And how can we play a role?
See Chang at TEDxPuxi on November 3 at the Shanghai Centre Theatre. Check out our preview here, and purchase tickets here.
Read more interviews in our TEDxPuxi Speaker series here.
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