BY J.M. LEE
She was born and raised in Kitimat, BC, and moved to the Lower Mainland after high school. In 2005, she joined Envision Financial, a division of First West Credit Union, where she has spent a considerable portion of her career. Over the past decade, Kam served various aspects of the branch operations in a leadership capacity.
Women leaders often face unique challenges and barriers in the workplace, including gender bias, pay inequality and limited advancement opportunities. Kam’s past and current leaders have always been notable inspirations to her. They all showed strong leadership skills, resilience, and a commitment to advancing women’s rights and opportunities.
Each one of us has moments of vulnerability in our lives and careers. Kam felt vulnerable and experienced doubt when she was considering career transitions. Now, she knows that acknowledging these moments and feelings is essential, and it encouraged her to seek support and guidance from others.
Building her confidence allowed her to take risks, pursue her goals, and overcome her challenges with resilience and determination. Growing up, she was a shy child. She set achievable goals to help her build confidence, sought mentors and role models, practiced self-care, and celebrated her small successes.
When she considers a mentoring relationship with someone, it’s important to establish expectations upfront, be transparent about expectations, ensure a good fit, and maintain open and honest communication throughout the relationship.
Kam believes leadership confidence and a strong voice can develop through various experiences, such as education, training, mentorship, and personal reflection. A vigorous leader’s authentic voice reflects that person’s values and beliefs. Identifying your values and being true to yourself can help you build credibility and earn the respect of others.
While these traits are essential and can help navigate leadership challenges, Kam also believes additional factors contribute to success in leadership. She recommends strategies to women to help them succeed, including seeking mentors and sponsors, building a solid network, developing leadership skills, embracing challenges, and advocating for themselves.
“My relationship with my team is crucial to me. As a leader, I play a critical role in setting the tone for my team. I believe in:
- Fostering a culture of collaboration
- Building trust
- Encouraging continuous learning and development
- Setting clear expectations and goals
- Leading by examples
- Empowering and recognizing team members
It is essential to recognize and address the biases and inequalities in our society and to create more inclusive environments where the evaluation of individuals will depend on their qualifications, skills, and performance—regardless of their gender.”
Kam admires Envision Financial as it has made tremendous progress towards greater gender equality and giving opportunities to those who have shown growth and are best suited to be promoted.
Having a young family of her own, Kam knows it’s challenging to find success in one’s career while also finding success in one’s personal life. Finding the right balance between work and personal life can be challenging.
These are principles that have assisted Kam in finding a successful routine: prioritize your time, set boundaries, practice self-care, learn to delegate, use technology, such as online calendars or task management apps, to your advantage.
“Women have the power to create the life they want,” Kam states. “They must stay true to themselves, work hard, and believe in their capabilities. Women should strive to reach for the pinnacle of success.”
Thus, Kam always reminds her team to believe in themselves, pursue passions, embrace their uniqueness, learn from failures, and advocate for themselves and others.
“I believe it’s essential to promote diversity and ensure that everyone feels welcome and valued,” Kam asserts. “As an organization, we can achieve this through various means, such as creating inclusive policies and practices, encouraging respectful communication and behavior, and actively seeking diverse perspectives and experiences. Ultimately, inclusion is about creating a sense of belonging for all individuals, regardless of their differences.”
Kam appreciates her mother, and everything about her is admirable. It took her a lot of dedication, sacrifice, and love to stay home and care for her three children. Kam loves how she taught them to include and love everyone and foster kindness and empathy toward others. “My mother is truly an amazing person, and I’m proud of her for all she has done and continues to do for my family and me.”
“Being a mother is truly a unique and rewarding experience,” Kam reveals. “I love that I can nurture, guide, and support my boys as they grow and develop. I know I have a significant impact on their lives and play a crucial role in shaping their personalities, values, and beliefs. The same values my mom did for me, I will instill in them. I would like to thank her for all the love, care, and sacrifices she has made for me. I would tell her how much I love her and how grateful I am to have her as my mother.”
