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What does an executive look like? What does an executivesound like? And who gets to decide?
After 16 years in corporate finance, Jenny Chen receivedplenty of feedback. At one point, she was told she wasn't nice enough. She adjusted. Later, she was told she was too nice. Then, at a senior level in her career, she was told she didn't look or talk like an executive.
Her response? “What do executives talk like?”
Jenny joins Powered by Authenticity for a conversation aboutleadership, feedback and the assumptions that can shape our careers. She shares her journey from finance into work focused on people and culture, and ultimately into entrepreneurship as the founder of Catalyst Consulting.
We talk about a gap that exists in many organizations:talented people are promoted into leadership roles without being taught how to lead. Jenny shares why mentorship and sponsorship matter, but also why leaders need more than advice about what they should be doing. They need helpunderstanding how to actually do it.
We also dig into feedback. Jenny believes feedback can fuelgrowth when it gives someone something tangible to learn from. But not all feedback is created equal. Sometimes it says as much about the person giving it and their own biases as it does about the person receiving it.
Jenny is equally open about leaving corporate life andbecoming an entrepreneur. After spending much of her career inside one organization, she had to figure out who she was without the title and the brand behind her. She talks about the uncertainty that comes with building something of your own and the freedom to choose work and clients that align with your values.
That willingness to have honest conversations also led Jennyto create her podcast, Tune Up Your Warrior. The name came after someone told her to “tone down” her warrior and stop sharing personal experiences that might make others uncomfortable. Instead, she decided to keep talking.
Throughout our conversation, we come back to somethingsimple. People want to feel seen. They want to feel valued. And leadership does not have to be overengineered. Respect, curiosity and compassion still matter.
Because our own experiences don't define someone else'sreality. And sometimes the first step toward understanding each other is simply being willing to listen.
Thank you, Jenny, for such a wonderful conversation …we hope you’ll join us back on the podcast!
Links to Jenny:
Catalais Consulting Ltd. |We Don't Fix People. We Fix the System.
