I remember when I joined Accenture back in 2019; it was the first time I met Cecilia Lim in the Accenture Singapore Office, and she became my hiring manager.
It was recommended by another Managing Director (MD) within Accenture for hiring, who is a seasoned leader with the ability to guide the team to success and achieve targets. Many of his team members have accomplished professional and personal goals while working with him and I felt lucky I have been recognized by him, but when he referred me to another MD, I felt a bit uncomfortable about how a new person would be.
I went to the office to meet Cecilia Lim, and after meeting I found she is very friendly. It's amazing to meet the MD of such a big company with so much ease. I found a great listener, and in a few moments, I sensed trust eventually, it brought natural comfort. These initial gestures and trust gave me confidence and a sense of belonging, which helped me create a direct communication channel to discuss the offer and my expectations, and finally accepted the offer and joined Accenture in May 2020.
After joining, I began the project by working remotely, as COVID-19 had spread worldwide. I never had a chance to meet in person, and over time, project commitments did not permit time for formal or informal meetings.
After some time, the organizational structure changed, and we worked in different verticals. We never got a chance to meet in person, and then we received the news that "Cecilia is leaving Accenture." Immediately, I thought I must meet her before she left, so I made a plan to meet her.
Then, my colleague Vivek Kaul (who became a good friend during work on the same project) and I met her in Singapore's most serene and charming place for an early dinner, where we delved into the past, present, and future.
We enjoyed the food and the vicinity, and the echoes of priorities over time and behavior go a long way in both personal and professional life.
- Spend time with family and cherish the present, especially with kids; once they grow up, those moments become everlasting.
- If anyone exhibits rude and unnecessary unkind behavior, they will be removed from the priority list and become the last choice for professional progress.
- Adjust your priorities as needed between professional and personal life. "Overall progress is a genuine success; if success is on one side and failure on the other, you will realize that overall, you have failed."
- Be open and responsive; it will save time and energy, and people will trust you.
- When you realize you are stuck or stagnant in your career path, take bold steps to move forward.
- Be kind, be open, and love what you do.
Cecilia Lim has now moved to Deloitte to pursue her career—best wishes to her in future endeavors.
