ACCA -引领包容性：简单行动显著进步 LEADING INCLUSION – SIMPLE STEPS AND SIGNIFICANT LEAPS

LEADINGINCLUSION–SIMPLESTEPSANDSIGNIFICANTLEAPS

AboutACCA

ACCAistheAssociationofCharteredCertifiedAccountants.We’rea

thrivingglobalcommunityof227,000membersand544,000future

membersbasedin176countriesthatupholdsthehighestprofessional

andethicalvalues.

Webelievethataccountancyisacornerstoneprofessionofsocietythat

supportsbothpublicandprivatesectors.That’swhywe’recommittedto

thedevelopmentofastrongglobalaccountancyprofessionandthemany

benefitsthatthisbringstosocietyandindividuals.

Since1904beingaforceforpublicgoodhasbeenembeddedinourpurpose.

Andbecausewe’reanot-for-profitorganisation,webuildasustainable

globalprofessionbyre-investingoursurplustodelivermembervalueand

developtheprofessionforthenextgeneration.

ThroughourworldleadingACCAQualification,weoffereveryoneeverywhere

theopportunitytoexperiencearewardingcareerinaccountancy,finance

andmanagement.Andusingourrespectedresearch,weleadtheprofession

byansweringtoday’squestionsandpreparingusfortomorrow.

Findoutmoreaboutusat

©2021AssociationofCharteredCertifiedAccountants

March2021

LEADINGINCLUSION:SIMPLESTEPSAND

SIGNIFICANTLEAPS

Fromitsfoundationin1904,ACCAhashadinclusionand

accesstoallasacorevalue.InourreportLeadingInclusion

wediscusstherelevanceofthisagendatoaccountancyand

financeprofessionals.Motivationtosucceedoftencomesfromunderstandingthestoriesofothers.Inthisreport,wepresentseveralstoriesfromACCAmembersandfuturemembers

fromaroundtheworld.Theseindividualsarenotuniqueinovercomingthechallengesthattheyhavefaced;rather,theyarerepresentativeofthemany.Sowehavecompiledthis

collectionofstoriesinthehopethatitprovidesmotivationforotherstofollowintheirfootstepsandseethatwhatmay,attimes,seemunachievablecaninfactbeattained.

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Foreword

HelenBrandOBE

Chiefexecutive,ACCA

Therichnessofthejourneysthatourmembersand

futuremembershavetakenintheircareersandthe

breadthoftheexperiencesthattheyhavegainedareakeypartofwhatmakesACCAspecial.Somanypeopleinourglobalcommunityhaveaninspiringstorytotell.Andrecognisinghowthatstorycanmotivateotherstoachieveandsucceedisimportant.

Thestoriesinthisreportdemonstratejustsomeofthetenacityandperseveranceofourcommunity.TheindividualswhohaveallowedustosharesomeoftheirjourneysarerepresentativeinmanywaysofACCA’smembershipasawhole.

Inpresentingthem,thehopeisthatotherswillbeinspiredby

them.Ibelievetheydemonstratethat,whateveryourbackground,whateverpreviousopportunitiesyoumayhavehad,thereisaplaceforeveryoneinaccountancyandfinanceprofession.Joiningitisanopportunitytoseize,torecognisehow,asindividualsandaglobalcommunity,wecanbeaforceforgoodinsociety:helpingtocreateasocietythatisinclusiveandopentoall.

Enjoyandreflectuponthesepersonaljourneys,allofwhichmakemeincrediblyproud.

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Contents

Ourownstories–whytheymatter

6

Ouroverallreflections

6

Theindividualstories

8

Thegirlwhocrossedthestream–SomboChunda

9

Neverstopdreaming–RachaelAgenTegwi

12

Theloveofnumbers–TaThiThuyHang

15

Theonewhoalwaysgivestheanswers–SitiFatimah

17

‘Iprefercreatingmoney’–JaniceWong

20

Givingstudentsworkexperience–DawnWilliams

23

‘I’mwearingallmyprevioushats’–AnastasiaChalkidou

26

Mydreamwastobeabusinesswoman–ErionaBajrakurtaj

29

Don’thaveaglassceilinginyourmind–GeetaDegaonkar

32

It’sdangerousoutthere–LooiPuiMun

34

Notbeingpigeonholed–ChristinaChristoforou

36

Accountantsarefunny!–AyeshaAlZaabi

39

Conclusion

41

Acknowledgements

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LEADINGINCLUSION:SIMPLESTEPSANDSIGNIFICANTLEAPS|OUROWNSTORIES–WHYTHEYMATTER

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Whilethesestoriesmightseeminconsequentialtous,

theycanoftenbeinspiringtoothers,justaswehave

gainedinspirationfromthestoriesofothers.Itisthe

simplestepsthatmatterasmuchasthesignificantleaps.

Inthisreportwehighlightseveralsuchstories.Eachoneispersonalbutcaninspireconfidenceinothers.Itcan

illuminateadarkness.Eachhaselementsofreflectionthatarepotentiallyrelevantnomatterwhereyouareinyour

career.Maybeyouhaveprogressedbeyondthepointatwhichaparticularstoryconcludesbutitmayhelptoinspireandenlightensomebodythatyouknow,orhelpyouunderstandtheirjourney.

Ouroverallreflections

Learningandseekinginspirationfromothersisoneofthemostpowerfultoolsforpersonaldevelopment.Reflectinguponourownlivesisalsoavaluableexercise:hindsightisawonderfulthing,andwemayseedecisionsinadifferentlightwhenweconsiderhowthingshavedevelopedsince.Beingabletosharetherealitiesofoneperson’sstory

helpsotherswiththeirownmomentsofreflection.

Allthoseinterviewedforthispublicationagreeonone

thing:gainingtheACCAQualificationrequiresfocusandeffort,andthatiswhatmakesitvaluable.Byachieving,

orseekingtoachieve,thismilestonetheyhavegained

notjustknowledgeandaninternationallyrecognised

qualificationbutalsoaninnerconfidencethatmeanstheyarenotafraidtotakeonanyfuturechallenge–andnowhaveanappetiteforlearningthatneverleavesthem.

FatimaHassanAlZaabi,CFOofADNOCSourGasintheUAEremarked,‘Ibelievethathardworkdetermination,

dedication,anddisciplinewerecriticalinenablingmetoadvancemycareer.Also,itwasveryimportanttohaveaclearplanandgoals.Steppingoutofmycomfortzone

andchallengingmyselfwasalsokeytoachievingpersonalandprofessionalsuccess.

Ourownstories–

whytheymatter

Lifeisacollectionofstories.Ourpersonaljourneysarenarrativesofthesuccessesandchallengesinwhichwehavegainedpersonalandemotionalsatisfaction.

Usingourpersonalstoriesisaneffectivewayofshowinghowwecanmakeadifference,bothasindividualsandcollectively.

'Iamalsoafirmbelieverincontinuouslearning.

Throughoutmycareer,Ihavesoughtopportunities

toexpandmyknowledgetogainnewskillsand

expertise.IamveryproudthatADNOCplacesgreatemphasisondevelopingyoungfemaleEmiratitalent.ADNOCisanACCAapprovedemployerfortraineedevelopmentandsupportsACCAtraineesworkingtowardsthequalification’.

Manythingsinspiredourintervieweestofollowthis

course:parentsorrelatives,aninspirationalteacher,orjustanaptitudefornumbersandlogicandacuriosityabout

theworldofbusiness.Thereisacommondesirenotjusttobetteroneselfbuttoaddvalue,bothtotheorganisationsinwhichtheyworkandtothesocietiesinwhichtheylive.

KennishaThomasfromJamaicareflectedonherownjourney,‘myprogresshasbeensteadyduetothe

financialchallengesofcombiningwork,studyandsingleparenthood.

‘WhenIfinishedtheCATlevelIhadabsolutelynosavings,

andIhadjusthadachild,soItookabreak.ThenI

completedmyACCAfundamentalsfollowedin2013by

myemployerssponsoringmewithascholarshipforapost-graduatediploma.IdidthatandthenwantedtogobacktoACCAagain,butafterayearinschoolIwasalittlelowonthefinancialsideandwantedtobuildupmysavings’.

NowKennishasaysthatsheisdeterminedtocompletethefinalstagesofACCAin2021.

‘It’smatteroftimemanagementanddedication,becauseifyoureallywantityouwilldoit.Mychildisateenager,sothatissomethingIwanttoshowher,intheeveningswecomeinfromworkorfromschool,wecangetsomeworkdone’.

LEADINGINCLUSION:SIMPLESTEPSANDSIGNIFICANTLEAPS|OUROWNSTORIES–WHYTHEYMATTER

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Havingachievedthequalification,therearemany

opportunities.MalavikaVishwanath,fromIndia,foundthataftercompletingherACCAQualificationandstartingoutasafinanceprofessional,shewantedtoexplorefurther,

andalsolaythefoundationsforaleadershipcareer,bytakinganMBA.

‘IwasactuallysurprisedbyhowmuchofACCA

wasrelevant.IlearntalotofthingsinMBA,like

howasupplychainfunctions,howcompaniesmake

investmentdecisions,andothermanagementpriorities.MyACCAQualificationhelpedmetakeonestep

furtherasafinanceprofessional,forexample,“howdoesthisdecisionimpactfinancially?”,or

“howwouldyoufundsuchadecision?”’

Theobstaclesencounteredonthewaytoasuccessfulcareeraremany:financeandlogistics,theneedto

meetthechallengeofjugglingwork,familyandstudy.Manyoftheintervieweeshavefaceddiscrimination,andnotjustongendergrounds.

Theassistanceofamentorwashighlightedbyseveralinterviewees.LiWen,basedinChina,commented,thatherlinemanagerhasbeenarolemodelandamentor,

‘Sheofferedmetheopportunitytoworkhere,

eventhoughIhadn’tstudiedaccountancyandfinance,andIreallyappreciatethat.Sheisamotheroftwo

children,andshecanalsobalanceworkandthefamilyquitewell:Ihavelearnedalotfromher’.

Promotioncanbringitsownstresses:CelianaIrawati,

fromIndonesia,commented:‘Iwasonthefasttrack

ofpromotion,sotherewerealotorexpectations,that

labelisverydifficulttomaintain.Butseniorswhohadhadthesameexperiencesaid,“you’regettingpromoted,soyouaredoingsomethingright”.Justdoasyou’vebeendoingandyoushouldbeabletodeliver’.

Fortheinterviewees,withprofessionalgrowthhas

comepersonalgrowth.Theyhavedemonstratedthat

theyhavedevelopedthemselvesasconfidentandablecommunicators,solvingcomplexissuesbycommunicatingfranklyandopenlywithcolleaguesandclients.

MarcelHolderRobinson,basedinCanada,commentedthatakeypieceoffeedbackcamefromaverysenior

governmentofficial:

‘Iaskedhim,howcanIreallymakeadifference?

HesaidifIcouldhelphimaddresstheissuesthatkepthimupatnight,Iwouldhavehisears.Eversincethenthat’sbeenmyguidingprinciple:howamIhelping

thosewhoarecustomerorclientfacing?It’salways

aboutseekingsolutions,notjustidentifyingaproblemandleavingitintheirlap’.

Whileplacingahighvalueonself-relianceandhardwork,theyalsowarmlyacknowledgewhattheyhavereceived

fromothers:family,governmentprogrammes,colleaguesandmentors.Nowtheywanttoplayasimilarrolefor

thosewhoarefollowingintheirfootsteps,whetherby

goingbacktotheirschoolsanduniversities,bymentoringandcoachingcolleaguesorbyvolunteeringtocreate

valueintheircommunities.

FatimahAduadjoe,basedinNigeria,reflecteduponhercareerwiththecomment‘ACCAisnotaboutpassing

exams,it’saboutunderstandingthemarketasawhole’.LiWenadded,thatforherstudyingACCAalsohelps

developleadershipabilitiesandperspective,

‘Ithinkthathelpedmetohaveawiderviewof

howasacompanyisorganised,andhowyoucancontributetothecompany’.

FatimaHassanalZaabicommentedthat‘inmyexperiencetherolesandresponsibilitieswithinourprofessionhave

expanded.Today,financeprofessionalsarenotonly

expectedtokeepandmaintainaccountingrecordsbutalsoplayamuchbroaderstrategicroleinthebusiness’.

YifanWang’scuriosityabouttheworldledhertostudy

BusinessEnglishtohelpherunderstandothercultures

andtotakeadualBachelor’sdegreeinbothAustraliaandChina.Shewassurprisedtofindhowmuchsheenjoyedstudyingaccountingfundamentals.

HeradvicetothosefollowingasimilarcareerpathtoherscomesfromEleanorRoosevelt.‘Shesaidthatyougain

strength,courageandconfidencefromeveryexperienceinwhichyoureallystoppedtolookfearintheface.Thebiggestchallengetoovercomeisourownminds’.

Eachofthestoriesinthisreportdemonstratesapersonaljourneyandcommitmenttoavision.Thatvisionmayevolvebutitisthefortitudethatthesestoriesdemonstratethatisthekeytounderstandingthem.Adversitycanoftenseemtobeaninsurmountablechallenge.Whatthesestoriestellusisthatadversitycanalsobeanopportunity,especiallyifyouhavethesupportandencouragementofothers.

LEADINGINCLUSION:SIMPLESTEPSANDSIGNIFICANTLEAPS|THEINDIVIDUALSTORIES

Theindividualstories

InthefollowingpagesseveralACCAmembersandfuturemembershaveallowedustotelltheirstories.Eachofthestorieshaspointstoreflectupon.Asareaderyoumaybeabletoidentifywhatyouneedtotakefromthese,butattheendofeachpiecethereareafewsuggestionstoinitiatetheprocess.

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LEADINGINCLUSION:SIMPLESTEPSANDSIGNIFICANTLEAPS|THEGIRLWHOCROSSEDTHESTREAM

Thegirlwhocrossedthestream

SomboChunda

It’seasytosumupthetopthreegoalsofSomboChunda’scareer:education,education,education.Butreachingthosegoalshasnotalwaysbeensoeasy.

‘ForthefirstfouryearsofmylifeinZambia,Ihadtocrossastreamtogotoschool.Andwhenitrained,wewouldhavetotakeoffourshoes,becauseyourshoescouldbewashedaway,andmyparentsdidn’thavemoneytokeepbuying

shoes.Andatfirst,IfeltasenseofpowerlessnessandIwouldbescared–whatifasnakecomes?ButlookingbackIthinkitsetmeuptosucceed,andtothink,anythingcancomemywayandIcanovercomeit’.

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LEADINGINCLUSION:SIMPLESTEPSANDSIGNIFICANTLEAPS|THEGIRLWHOCROSSEDTHESTREAM

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Atschool,Somboexcelledatscienceandmaths,andalthoughmostofthewomenaroundherworkedasteachersornurses,Sombosethermindonbeinganaccountantoranengineer.

‘That’snottosaythatthere'sanythingwrongwith[being]theteacheroranurse,butIjustwantedtobedifferent’,shesays.‘IwantedacareerthatwouldmakemedifferentfromalltheotherwomenthatIsawinmyneighbourhoodandinmycommunity’.

AfriendwhosebrotherwasstudyingaccountancyhelpedherobtainanACCAprospectus:

‘Shetoldmethere’sthisbigthingcalledACCA

thatyoucando,anditjustopenstheworldforyou.AndwhenIlaidmyhandontheACCAprospectus,atthatmomentIknewIwouldhavetobeworkingtowardsthat.Ijustwantedtobeanaccountant’.

Itwasn’teasy:atonepointshethoughtshewouldhavetogiveupwhenherparentsranintofinancialdifficulties,butsheeventuallymanagedtogainascholarshipand

continueherstudies.

Eventhoughshejoinedtheclasslate,shehaddonesomuchbackgroundreadingshegotastraightAinherfirstauditpapers.Andthisinspiredhertostudyevenharder.

‘Ifyouneededtofindme,I’dbeinthelibrary’,shesays.‘Iwashighonaudit.IfeltlikeIwasheadedintherightdirection,thatthiswaswhatI’msupposedtobedoing’.

Butwhensheappliedforjobswithauditfirmsshecouldn’tevengetinterviewed,and,shetookajobasanaccountsclerkinabatterycompany.

‘Inmyfirstconversationwiththefinancedirector

Iaskedhim“areyougoingtopaymyACCAfees?”.ThatwastheonlythingIwanted.Ineverreally

botheredabouthowmuchIgotpaid’.

StudyingACCAwhileworkingwasavaluablelessonin

perseveranceanddiscipline:‘Itbuiltmymuscles’,she

says.‘Lunchwasanhour,soIwouldbuyapieandadrink,andIwouldtimemyselftoeatthepieanddrinkthedrinksoIwouldhave40minutesofstudyeachdayatlunch.

AndIwouldstudyathomeintheeveningandgetupearlyanddoatleastanhourortwoofstudies’.

But,asSombopointsout,youneedtotakelifeasitcomes,andshealsohadtotakebreaksfromstudytogetmarriedandhaveachild.

‘IloveACCAbecauseoftheflexibility.AndthebeautywithACCAisthatasyouprogressyoubecomemoremarketable’.

Shesaysheremployersalwaysknewtheyweregettingherreadyforanotheremployer.

‘TheyknewIwouldleaveeventually,andtheytoldmetheywereveryproudoftheprogressIwasmaking’.

Afterworkingforanot-for-profit,Somboworkedon

projectsrelatingtofamilyeducation,andthisgaveheranewpurpose.

‘Iwasn’tgoingtobeanauditoranymore,IthoughtmaybeIshouldworktowardsbeingafinancedirector,butafterIgotintothenot-for-profitsectormygoalwastoworkonprogrammesthathadadirectimpactonpeople’slives’,

shesays.‘Beingpartofthesecomplicatedcorporatestructuresjustdidn’tsit[well]withme’.

WorkingforaSwedishnot-for-profitbroughtthe

opportunityfortravel,andstudyatSaïdBusinessSchoolatOxford,butalsonewchallenges:shewasappointedasacountrydirector,butonlyonashort-termcontracttoclosetheofficewhenit’sfundingpartnershiphadended.

‘AndIwasthinking,whatisitthatACCAteachesyou?

Theydon’tonlyteachyouhowtocloseoffices,theyteachyoustrategy,theyteachyouresilience,theyteachyoutothinkdifferently,theyteachyou

tobounceback’.

Sombodecidedthatshewasnotgoingtobethepersonwhoclosedtheofficeand‘callingonallmysuperpowers’workedwithcolleaguestoraisethe$2.7mneededfortheprojecttocontinue.

‘Istartedthinking,whatelseistheretodointhisspace?Icouldhavestayedon,buttheambitiouspartofme,thegirlthatusedtocrossthestream,alwayswantstogoforsomethingbigger’.

LEADINGINCLUSION:SIMPLESTEPSANDSIGNIFICANTLEAPS|THEGIRLWHOCROSSEDTHESTREAM

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ShedecidedtostudyforPhDinPublicPolicyand

AdministrationintheUSwhichshefundedbybeing

awardedagraduateteachingassistantshipandwinningacademicprizes.

Shesaysherresearchisvery‘actionoriented’:shewantstocreatechange,notjustreportsonashelf.

‘Ifthereisacorrelationbetweengoodpublic

managementandthewell-beingofthepeopleinacountry,thenIthinkACCAhasahugeroletoplayinthat.Weneedtotrainaccountantsthatvalueethicsandhaveagoodmoralcompass’.

Nowshewantstocomefullcircle,fromlearnertoteacher,eitheratauniversityorwithanaccountancyinstitution.

‘WhatI’verealisedisthatthereareveryfewprofessorsthatteachaccountingandbudgetinginpublicfinance.So,Iwouldreallylovetomakeacontributionin

thatspace’.

Sombobelievesthatifshecanfindaroleinhigher

education,thisiswhereshecanbothliveherpassionandmakethebiggestdifference.

‘Rightnow,I’msoldonhumancapital:Ijustwanttogetpeopleeducated,getasmanypeople

trainedaspossibleandgetthemintothese

institutionsasexperts,whetherasaccountantsorpublicpolicyspecialists’.

Reflections:

.Beflexibleandlookforalternativeroutestoachieveyourcareergoals.

.Viewsetbacksasopportunitiestofindsolutionsandgrow.

.Short-termsacrificeshelpachievelong-termgoals.

LEADINGINCLUSION:SIMPLESTEPSANDSIGNIFICANTLEAPS|NEVERSTOPDREAMING

Neverstopdreaming

RachaelAgenTegwi

Rachaelowesherstartinaccountancytoheruncle(Mr.MudohFelix,Chicago),

whogaveheracollectionofaccountancybooks.Thisnotonlyinspiredherstart

hercareerjourney,butalsomeantshecouldseethe‘lightattheendofthetunnel’whenthejourneygottough.

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LEADINGINCLUSION:SIMPLESTEPSANDSIGNIFICANTLEAPS|NEVERSTOPDREAMING

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‘Therewerealotofbarriersthatcausedmetostayatajuniorlevel.‘ThenImovedtoseniorin2012andsincethenI’vebeenflying’.

Oneofthebarrierswaslanguage.

‘IhailfromoneoftheregionsinCameroon,whichis

Englishspeaking’,shesays.‘Ididn’tknowFrench,butIhadtoworkinafirmthatwas100%Frenchspeaking’.

NowsheisSeniorManagerinaclusterofofficesacrossninecountrieswhere95%ofthepopulationspeaks

French.Butwithnosupportfromherfirstemployer,shehadtoteachherselfFrench–andlearnedsomevaluablelessonsalongtheway.

‘WhenIwritesomething,Iamnotashamedtotakeittoajuniorauditortosay,“pleaselookatthisandtellmewhatyouthink.Isitgoodenoughtoimpress

aclient?”Youjustneedtobehumbleandlistentoeverypersonthatcanhelpyougettothetarget’.

Inadditiontocomingfromalinguisticminority,Rachaelalsoencounteredsexualdiscrimination/allegations

beforejoiningEY.

‘Whenyouareawomanyouaresystematicallyconsideredtobeweak’,shesays.‘Forexample,whenyouaregoing

todoaninventorycount,yourbosswillask“Areyousureyou’regoingtobeabletoclimbupifyouneedto?Are

yousureyouarenotgoingtobestressed?”SeveraltimesI’vebeenremovedfromanengagementIwasplannedforbecauseamalecolleaguebecameavailabletofilltherole’.

‘Generally,whenyoumanagetogaintheconfidence

ofclientswhowerepreviouslyunwillingtohandover

sensitiveinformationtotheauditteams,youcanbe

consideredhavinganaffairwiththeseclients.Manyof

timesyouwillbeexpectingexcellentevaluations,buttheteamleadscouldbemadandbeaskingthemselves;howdidyougetthisinformation’.Inasituation,Rachaelwasaccusedofhavinghadanaffairwiththeclient.

‘Youneedsoftskillstodealwithsomeclients.Idon’tknowhowtheytreatedtheclientbefore,butIwasjustbeingsimple:explainingwhoIam,whereI’mfrom,

myobjectivesandcareerambitions.Attheendofittheclientsaid:“letmehavealistofwhatyouneed”Breakingthatcommunicationbarriercouldbeseentobeunprofessionalratherthanprofessionalsometimesbytheteammanagementwhereasit’sjustbasicsoftskills,asolutiontothisbarrier’.

Work–lifebalancehasbeenanotherpressure:Rachael

hashadtosuspendherACCAstudiesseveraltimesand

isnowveryclearaboutsettingpriorities.Sometimesa

simpledialoguewithmyspousewasenoughtoclear

thecloudyairaboutmyjobandtheseveraljob-related

travels.Onthedaysthatfamilybecomesapriority,Ichosefamilyovermywork,andItakeabreakfromwork.It'sallaboutprioritisingandcommunicationwhenitcomesto

familyandwork,withoutforgettingthemainobjectiveofgrowingyourcareertothetop.IkeptworkingandwalkingalongwithmyfamilyandfinallyIamheretoday.

‘Peopleaheadofyouwillalwaystellyouthisisaverydifficultcareerwhenyouareafamilyperson.Idoitbyorganisationandsettingmilestones:youjustneedtoplanwell,andyouwillachieveyourobjectives’.

FouryearsbeforeRachaelcompletedACCA,thepracticethatsheworkedforwasacquiredbyaBigFour(EY)andshewaspromotedtoSenior,assistantmanager,thenmanager,andatsametimeofpromotiontoManager,shewas

chosentotakeonanewchallengeinriskmanagement.

‘It’sadifferentmindsetinaBigFourfirm:peoplelookatyoudifferently.Theyseepotentialsinyoubefore

youseeityourself.Andbeforeyouknowit,they’realreadyputtingyouonthenextlevel’.

Butshestressesthat‘youarethenumberoneperson

responsibleforyourcareerandyoushouldalwaysbelieveinyourself.Youarewhatyoulearn.Yourcharacteriskey.

LEADINGINCLUSION:SIMPLESTEPSANDSIGNIFICANTLEAPS|NEVERSTOPDREAMING

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Hardworkdeliversgreatrewards!Youneedtobeyour

owncheerleader.Ifyouaredreamingtobealeader,tobereallyseenandbeheardbypeople,youneedtobeloud:tobeloudmeansyouarepositivelyimpactingthem.Beaconsciousworkerandnotaneye-servant!Continually

workinghardtowardsachievingyourgoals,consistently,withalotofresilience,tenacity,andhumilitywillgetyoutothetopoftheleadershipladder.Behappywhenyouarecriticised.Criticismsarehardtobegiventosomeone,sowhengiven,beappreciativeofandworkonthose

weaknessesforthebettermentofyourself.

Rachaelalsobelievesthatanyoutwardshowofconfidenceneedstobebackedbyasolidintellectualfoundation:shehasgoneontoacquiremoreandmorequalifications,notjusttoexpandherownskillsbuttoenablehertopassonknowledgetoherteamandmentees.

‘Alotofpeoplecountonme.Ijustfeelthat

teachingisthebestwaytokeepskillsandgivingbacktothesociety’.

Sherealisesthatshehasnowbecomearolemodelforothers,whichisagreatresponsibility.

‘Weneedtobehumble:thereisnosuccesswithoutfailure.Butneverstopdreaminglifecangofrom

zeroto100sofastyouwouldnotbelieveit.IfIkeptgrowingandgoingyoutoocandoit.Justworkonyourself:youwillbemarvelledbytheoutcome’.

Shesayshermentees,‘wanttobelikemetomorrow.ButIalwayssay,youdon’thavetothinkofonlybeinglikeme,youcanbemorethanme–andyouwillmakemeproud’.

‘IntheprocessIhadthreechildren,Iwasamentor

to,andstillmentoringmany.Iwasmentoredandisstillbeingmentoredbymany.Iwanttosaythank

you,toallmymentors,mentees,family,andfriends.Iamhappytodaydespitemyadversitiesmymenteescontinuallymakemeproud!’

Reflections:

.Setmilestonestohelpyouachieveyourcareerpathbutbeflexiblewiththesemilestonesasotheropportunitiesmaypresentthemselves.

.Worktoovercomeexternalbarriers.

.Humilityandempathyareessentialleadershipattributes.

.Actingasarolemodelisofbenefittoothers,butdonotbeafraidiftherolemodeleclipsesyou–takeyourownsatisfactionintheirachievement.

LEADINGINCLUSION:SIMPLESTEPSANDSIGNIFICANTLEAPS|THELOVEOFNUMBERS

Theloveofnumbers

TaThiThuyHang

AsaschoolgirlinVietnam,ThuyHanghadagreatloveoflogicandnumbers,soherparents,afarmerandateacher,suggestedshemightstudyaccountancyandauditingatuniversity.Itwasahappychoice.

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LEADINGINCLUSION:SIMPLESTEPSANDSIGNIFICANTLEAPS|THELOVEOFNUMBERS

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‘Afterstudyingthebasicsfortwoyears,wegottothetechnicalknowledge.NowIthinkthatreallyIwasborntostudyaccounting!’

Shealsorealisedthataccountancycouldbeabasefor

othercareersandbegantostudyforACCAinherthirdyear.

‘Havinganinternationalqualificationwillgivemeanadvantageinthelabourmarket.Italsocontainsknowledgeaboutmanagementandfinance’.

ShechosetoapplytoBigFourfirmsasthebestwayofusingherqualificationswhilecontinuingtorevi