Editor’s note: This is the third article in an FM series of interviews on leadership with CFOs who are women. Read the first, “Tips for Leading With Integrity From an Engineer Turned Finance Director“, and the second, “South African CFO Champions Collaboration“.
Trust in leadership is crucial during times of uncertainty and change, and for one CFO — Singapore-based Jasmine Zhong, FCMA, CGMA — this trust is instilled in employees by having a clear vision, empowering her team, and learning through effective listening.
Zhong is group head of finance for the operations and integration division at the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). Previously, she worked for AstraZeneca, IBM, and Deloitte in China and the US. Working and learning from a diverse set of cultures and leadership styles has been a key enabler for her growth, Zhong said.
In an interview with FM, Zhong shared insights into her work as a finance leader in the LSEG — from adapting to a hybrid working environment to the benefits of 360-degree feedback. Her responses have been edited for length and clarity.
What is your preferred leadership style and why?
Jasmine Zhong: There are three attributes that I greatly value. Number one: being visionary. Leadership is about direction and purpose and getting the team behind the mission. Having a vision and bringing people along with this vision is probably top on my list.
The second element is empowering the team. Without empowerment, the team goes into a status of managers being micromanagers. Empowerment is the secret behind maximising the team’s potential and encouraging the team to go beyond what they can normally do.
Lastly, it is about being humble. The great leaders that I observed to be effective are all humble people. I think humility enables people to be willing and truly open to listening — to be attentive to other people’s perspectives, and to learn in the process.
What three essential skills or characteristics are needed to lead in a hybrid work environment?
Zhong: When people can’t interact in person or talk to each other often, it’s particularly important to be able to build trust. Establish a foundation by, for example, arranging an activity or a cross-team project where people get to know each other better. And then build on that engagement.
Another skill is communication. Leaders, managers, and everybody in a hybrid environment must be comfortable talking to colleagues from diverse backgrounds. Also, leaders particularly must sharpen their communication skills and be clear on their strategies, objectives, and purpose, since time is more limited in Teams meetings than when you’re in an office environment.
The last point is being empathetic and understanding employees’ feelings and viewpoints. Hybrid working offers flexibility that can sometimes lead to extended meetings and work times, as it is much more convenient to reach out to people across the world. Having the right level of empathy and respect within a team can help make this new way of working more sustainable and avoid burnout.
How do you plan your day?
Zhong: We all need to look after ourselves before we can make exemplary contributions. Having at least three to four times a week set aside for exercise or even just walking outdoors is important for me, so I try to embed that in my mornings.
Meetings require thoughtful planning — the agenda and participants. Leaders need to ensure sound decision-making but also that they have enough time with the team for developmental discussions. Calendar planning helps me focus on those different but essentials priorities during the week.
Can you learn to become an effective leader — or do some people have those innate qualities?
Zhong: Early in my career, I considered leadership as more personality-driven, as a capability some people just seemed to be born with. For example, one typical misconception is that it’s advantageous to have an extroverted personality. But my beliefs have evolved over the years.
I don’t think there is a fixed personality for a successful leader. Great leaders are not all the same.
Now, I believe many skills can be learned, for example coaching, communication, and goal-setting — all very important skills that can and should be consciously acquired. Effective leadership takes more than copying other people. It’s about creating the “best version of me”.
What are the strengths of 360-degree feedback?
Zhong: It’s a useful tool to open the discussion and provide more grounded input into a person’s developmental thinking. It helps us see the blind spot, right? We all have our blind spots.
Have you had a mentor or champion who has helped your career?
Zhong: I’ve had many. Some may not have realised they were my mentors.
I’ve had mentors with whom I’ve kept in touch for years. There are formal mentors that I would go to for sponsoring ideas. Sometimes, just one conversation can greatly help. I had experiences where one conversation or specific observation from a great leader gave me a lot of fresh ideas. I take that as a mentoring experience, too.
So, I think it’s a combination for me. Some are more formal, but many have been spontaneous.
What three pieces of advice would you have for those aspiring to move to the C-suite?
Zhong: For me, I think people must first believe in themselves and not shy away from the opportunity to learn.
One key attribute I look for is a person who is driven to contribute. Try to contribute to every team you are in and through every conversation you have. The willingness and capability to make a contribution is a fundamental for developing professionally.
Lastly, I think it’s about being able to reflect and learn from the experience, either success or failure.
How do you see the role of the CFO and CEO changing?
Zhong: It’s tough nowadays to sit in corporate leadership roles because it’s so dynamic — internally and externally.
Expectations of companies are changing. Being competitive is no longer enough — executive leadership must also foster a sense of social responsibility. It’s difficult to attract and retain great talent. Leaders must be able to ensure employees feel their company is doing something meaningful. The capability to engage people in topics such as sustainability and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is really important.
There’s lots to learn. New skillsets may soon be needed, not just for the CFO but at all different levels of the finance function.
— Hugo Johnson-Driscoll is a content writer at AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Oliver Rowe at Oliver.Rowe@aicpa-cima.com.