Adelaide Chan works in the customer experience area in international banking. In her 2021 Spotlight Series interview she tells us about her motivation, her 2021 mantra, and much more.

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I joined an international bank as a Management Trainee in 2016 after graduating from HKU that year. I embarked on a 2 year rotation, trying my hand in frontline and back office roles. It was an amazing journey and I am now in the Customer Experience department driving strategic improvements to deliver incredible and measurable customer experiences for our clients. 

Think back to when you were starting out your career. What advice would you give your younger self?

I have been working in the industry for over  4 years now and if there is one key advice I would have given to my younger self  it is “don’t be shy and be proactive to expand your network!”

Totally understand if you feel content just mingling with colleagues within your team. I have been there! But I’ve come to realize the power of a strong network both inside and outside of the organization that you are in. Having colleagues who have gone ahead of you and sharing their experiences is invaluable. Understanding how their area of work plays a part in the holistic picture of the organization can also open opportunities for collaboration. Expanding your network to those outside of your organization widens your horizon and keeps you on top of latest market developments.

What will be your 2021 mantra to keep you motivated, either professional or personally?

My 2021 mantra is to stay healthy, stay informed and stay intentional. 

2020 has taught me physical health must be top priority. If you’re like me and don’t have natural born talent in sports, no sweat! Even if gyms are in lock down, there are still many ways to keep moving, be it following Pilates instructors on YouTube, or running with the Nike Training Club on the weekends. There are so many physical activities available free of charge and at your availability. Staying physically fit must be a priority!

Staying informed is next in line. On top of reading the news, I am re-discovering my love to read in 2021. With information bombarding us at every turn, it may be challenging to grab a book, stay focused and finish it till the end today. However, the joys of reading should never be forgotten, and reading books outside of your area of work, be it historical fictions, auto-biographies or self-help books, can expand your thinking more than you expect and further equip you as a well-rounded individual, staying curious about things around you. 

Last but not least, my third goal is to stay intentional. This can be viewed in two ways. Firstly, it is staying intentional in my relationships with my family and friends. Being actively involved with their lives and building on relationships with loved ones should be a priority no matter how busy life gets. 

Secondly is staying intentional in my career development. With work from home becoming a reality, it is important to stay intentional in my communication with managers and teammates. It is easy to start working in silos and lose sight of the bigger picture, the strategic priorities of your managers and the needs you can help fill in the team. Therefore, I am determined to stay intentional this year both in personal and professional settings.