Q: We hear many stories of being disadvantaged as a woman or Asian. Is there a situation where this can be an advantage?
Dr. Fernandes: That is an interesting question. I can tell you in major companies before I founded my own company, it can be used as an advantage. I was the only female out of one dozen EVPs at Bristol Myers Squibb. They could call each other pretty bad names, but they wouldn't call me the bad names. That was certainly an advantage. Someone who is petite or a foreigner or a minority; they don't view you as a threat. Men, on the other hand, are very competitive with each other. They didn't view me as competition to them. In some ways, it is an advantage. It can also be disadvantage because they don't recognize you as one of them. So it can be both sides of the coin.
Dr. Wang: You ask an interesting and important question. We (Chinese) are a minority and in some situations are not treated fairly. I have experiences as such. On the other hand, you have to be confident that you are a very important person. Right now, China is a big story. In fact, more people are interested in China than ever. In terms of business, we have an advantage being Chinese now. Though people do have many stereotypes. Right now China is growing very fast and offers so many financial and market opportunities of huge potential, so indeed of interest to America right now. This is the best time to be Chinese.
Ms. Ueng: It's interesting to look at this over time. Earlier in my life, I was very much of a "banana". I wanted to be white and mainstream. In my executive roles, I was the only female, and only nonwhite on my executive teams. I tried very much to be male and white...I was a banana! I thought "how can I get ahead if I'm not manly because all these other people are men."
Fast forward, now that I'm in my later 40s, things have changed. It is "in" to be Chinese. It can be an advantage to be female. It's interesting how big companies at the board level are trying to add women and non white women. Data shows that companies that have diversity on their boards perform better. While the correlation is not causal, the data definitely bears out a connection. There is pressure for diversity. These companies have more innovation in their HR practices and are usually more successful.
The good news is now that I'm older and hopefully wiser, I am no longer a banana. In fact, our company is now helping companies with their China initiatives, as that is an area that larger companies as well as smaller companies are trying to figure out.
You have to accept that you are who you are. People will be interested in differences and people now are more open to understanding and embracing the differences.
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