Who would have thought that a young girl from small-town Ontario with little in the way of role models or opportunity would become the first woman to lead a major chartered bank in Canada?
To flourish in global business and in a man’s world, I had to develop my own brand of confidence. One thing I learned early on in my career is that you can’t count on things to happen, on decisions to be made, or on opportunities to arrive. You have to go out and make them happen.
I believe that McGill is an institution that shapes resilient and authentic leaders who are determined to make things happen and to create positive change in their fields.
I’m proud to be a part of the McGill community as a parent and honorary degree recipient, and to help support the University’s mission as a member of the Principal’s International Advisory Board. Volunteering at McGill has been a great opportunity for me to learn continuously, work with fantastic people, and maintain a strong connection to the world of post-secondary education. It is a privilege to work with Principal Fortier and her team to ensure that the University grows ever stronger in the years ahead.
In 2017, I had the opportunity to address the Desautels Faculty of Management’s graduating class, a year after my own daughter graduated from McGill. My advice to McGill graduates is the same now as it was then:
- Always lead using the power of your personal authenticity. If you’re not reflecting your true self, you can’t really expect others to relate to you. Authentic leaders use their minds to the fullest, but they also lead with their hearts.
- Never lead through the power of position, only through the power of example. I’ve learned that people will perform at extremely high levels if they believe in what they’re doing, feel they’re part of a culture and a value system they can relate to, working with leaders that they trust.
- Be a student of people and a master of relationships. Every person you will encounter in life has experiences and perceptions that have shaped their own realities and it’s important to acknowledge them and learn from them.
- Surround yourself with people who think you can be better than you think you can be. Success in life is a team sport, so build a network of people who believe in you and who will push you and lean on them.
- Remember that the opposite of success is not failure – it’s not trying. Often, successful people seem on the surface to have had an easy time of it, but this is rarely the case. My own setbacks have taught me tenaciousness, persistence and adaptability. So be brave, take chances, and aim high.