She's kind and sweet... but wait, she's a disruptor.

As a first-generation-born Filipino American, growing up in the corporate setting was challenging. The intersectional challenges of being one of the only young women and a person of color in any workgroup taught me to adapt as a leader. When I started my career, I often pondered the question, “What does it mean to be your best authentic self?” In recognition of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I stand with the community and embrace all that makes us unique. 

A History of Resilience

In my family history, one theme is consistent and passed from generation to generation – resilience. During WWII, the Japanese ravaged the Philippines. My grandmother told tales of escaping capture with two friends in a canoe, using a bucket to bail water and prevent the canoe from sinking as they raced to be with their families. In her own time, my mother became a registered nurse and braved the ocean expanse for a better life in America. She sponsored my father and others, expanding a community of Filipino-Americans committed to mutual support.

I came into the world to a large family of over 20 first cousins whom I see as my own siblings. When my mother died at 35 years old, my father was left to raise three children and work three jobs in a new country. At every turn, my family carried on by working together in mutual resilience. This resiliency is not a gaudy or heroic thing of individual achievement but rather a shared victory, a virtue of communal support forming a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Remembering what has brought me to where I am today and the privileges that came along with it represents the building blocks needed to understand who I really am.

Being the Change

I was fortunate to have graduated from university and start my career at a tech company. I was in my early 20s’ and joined the HR function as one of the youngest employees the organization had in several years. There were plenty of women but when I looked around me, there were very few people who looked like me. Over time, it became clear that I was different. I was told to “stay in my lane” or to “be more reserved” or not to come off as “too eager” or to “know my place” and not speak in meetings with senior executives. It was bizarre but I knew that I didn’t understand the rules. I changed myself through the clothes I wore, how I styled my hair, minimized laughing and hallway conversations, and I stopped asking questions. The irony was the comments stopped; inside, however, I started to dislike who I was becoming.

I transitioned roles and was asked to lead a cultural transformation with the VP of Organizational Effectiveness. This role was meaningful and gave me a sense of purpose. It provided an opportunity to ask tough questions, solve hard problems, and collaborate with great minds. I had let slip some of the curiosity I had around unconventional approaches to leading change and my manager stopped me. He asked, “Do you know you have a systemic way of thinking? You’re able to see the whole of a system but also identify the pieces that make up that system.” I was puzzled by his question but even more puzzled by his openness to hearing what I had to say.

Through conversations with my manager and mentors, I chose to take the opportunity to learn and step into the role of leader. They shared that if I can see something that others might not, I should speak up so more brains can solve the problem together. It was in those moments that I felt empowered to be part of the change. My family history taught me that life is too short to be anyone other than myself. So, I learned, asked questions, built relationships, made friends, and focused on the impact I wanted to have as a leader. It was easier to operate this way and I was happier. My mentors helped me discern the feedback that was helpful or hurtful, and I chose what to action without having to compromise who I am. Over time, I established the reputation of challenger, disruptor, and change agent… I embraced it.

Leading Authentically

Since I joined Microsoft four years back, I have continued to learn to not just be my authentic self but to be my best authentic self in relation and association with others for the good of the whole. I believe the practice of leadership actively includes others regardless of background, physical traits, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. It is about how we engage one another to create an environment where every person is valued and is treated fairly, where they are involved and believe they can do their best work. I’ve met many amazing people with different backgrounds. Some share they might not have the skills or capabilities to be an inclusive leader. Others believed they are not at a certain level of seniority to generate any meaningful positive impact through inclusion.

The truth is anyone can lead inclusively. The key is to operate from a place of empathy, curiosity, and the willingness to learn. Finding common ground and understanding where others are coming from helps influence what we have control over – ourselves. If there are points of view that others might not see, that is a gift to be shared. Having to be the role model or being the one to lead the way is sometimes frustrating, tiring, and seemingly hopeless. I’ve felt this before, and it can be lonely at times or awkward to go against the grain. When I met colleagues across Microsoft in my first few months, I learned this was a shared sentiment. In fact, there were many colleagues I met that formally and informally lead efforts to accelerate our cultural transformation. It was natural for us to unite. We understood that standing together for the shared purpose of creating a more inclusive environment is more important than operating independently. This effort is called - operation:maverick. The mavericks

consists of change-makers, colleagues, and friends who aim to learn, grow, and mutually support each other to accelerate our cultural transformation as a company. All are welcome to show up as they are and exercise what it means to lead authentically. While the term “mavericks” has many definitions, to our community it means daring to be role models of our cultural attributes, actively include others, share learning and experiences, and speaking up with respect to advocate for others. In two-years, the community expanded to over 40 countries by word-of-mouth.

The power of inclusion is welcoming the ideas and contributions of anyone, even if it is different from your own point of view. The best things I have learned from my mentors is to surround yourself with people you can learn from and who can challenge you. Ask questions and lean in with curiosity to spark different ways of thinking about a problem, situation, or where others might be coming from. Through listening and genuinely learning about people’s backgrounds, their interests, and what motivates them, I have learned greatly about the people I meet.

Being a leader does not mean to only direct others, rather it is to bring out the best in others. Being different does not mean we have to show anger to express our needs but to engage with others in a way so what we share can be heard. As Ruth Bader Ginsburg shared, “Fight for the things that you care about but do it in a way that will lead others to join you”.

The journey that I described is one of resiliency, empowerment, and how the events leading up to today contributed to who I am and how I choose to show up every day. There is still so much to learn and practice, and many more relationships to nurture. I am grateful to be at Microsoft where we strive to be a learning organization and where I am encouraged to show up as an Authentic Leader to drive meaningful change. It is an honor to share my story and commemorate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. 

Images: (banner) WWII memorial in Washington D.C.; (1) My mother at her nursing pinning ceremony; (2) With my mentors Courtney Harrison and Craig Bardenheuer; (3) With my siblings, Edrienne Yuag (RN, BSN) and Jason Yuag (DPT). To learn more about operation:maverick visit aka.ms/mavericks #operationmaverick #MicrosoftLife #MicrosoftEmployee #AAPIHM