2017 여성 리더 응원 메세지 , Sophia Zhao < 여성 인 재 아카데미 특별 강사 인터뷰 > 
 소피아 박사 인터뷰 전문 보 기 
 Dear Dr . Sophia Zhao 
 Thank you so much for taking special lecture on May 31 
 First of all , feel free to comment on what you felt after the lecture . 
 What is your thought about “ women ’ s Leadership ” ? 
 Leadership is about setting direction , aligning people and motivating commitment . This is the same for both men and women . That said , people ’ s expectation and perception of men and women leaders may be different . This is because , in most of the societies , a typical leader ’ s figure is associated with a man : one that is strong , powerful , and masculine . This figure has been deeply implanted in our mind that we expect leaders to behave in a certain way and use the image to judge them . 
 With the development of technology and the nature of work , leaders nowadays need to have other competencies to motivate employees . For example , research has shown that empathy and listening skills are critical for leadership effectiveness . Women leaders have some natural advantages because women are more relationship oriented . But it doesn ’ t mean that men cannot be empathetic , either . 
 How do people in developed countries promote women who are talented and how do they support them to develop women ’ s career ? 
 Based on the interviews I had with successful women leaders in Singapore , a lot of them benefits from their organizational culture and policies . They mentioned that : first , the organizations they work for have a culture that values talent . The top leaders understand the importance of diversity and “ walk the talk ” to advocate women leaders . Other leaders , especially their direct bosses also value talent and support talent development . Second , they also benefit from some organizational policies such as flexible working hour . Last but not least , Singapore is a meritocratic society where both men and women have equal access to education and work opportunities . Also , young parents also benefit from the child - care infrastructure built by the government . 
 What is your career development method that has come to your position ? 
 How did you become such an influential person to many people ? 
 Haha , I am not an influential person … I just love my job and keep doing it . 
 Why is it Important for Women manager , such as “ Korean Women Ledership Academy ? 
 Please give us a word of cheer to the women manager who will become a good leader in the future . 
 “ Let ’ s be the role model of our children . Let the boys know that Daddy and Mommy are equally capable of being leaders and doing housework . Let the girls know that she can achieve anything if she set up her mind to . ”