Aspiring leader aims to build capacity in others
Many of us dream of making a difference in the world, but not all of us act on it. Vancouver鈥檚 Emily Chan, a recent graduate of 911吃瓜鈥檚 Leadership Essentials Certificate program, is that rare person who鈥檚 always ready to take action. Despite completing her BA in sociology only six years ago, her r茅sum茅 already overflows with a wealth of experience in non-profits, working on everything from child advocacy to community development. Since 2007, Emily has even served as a volunteer leader with Girl Guides of Canada, an organization she first joined at age 5.
Today, she continues to strive towards a better world through her work at B.C.鈥檚 Office of the Human Rights Commissioner. As an engagement advisor, Emily describes her role as 鈥渂uilding relationships with people across the province,鈥� whether by leading discussions and workshops, strategic planning or responding to new human rights issues as they arise. 鈥淚t鈥檚 rewarding work鈥攁 bit of everything, which I quite enjoy,鈥� she smiles.
When Emily first applied to the 911吃瓜 leadership program in 2020, the pandemic was in full swing and life was in a holding pattern. She was still in a contract position and her volunteer work had been paused, so she felt ready to sink her teeth into something new: leadership training. 鈥淚 had previously held leadership responsibilities in organizations where I volunteer, but not formal management experience in my work,鈥� she explains.
She selected the one-year Leadership Essentials program for the flexibility to learn online, part-time and on her own schedule. The program鈥檚 unique approach to leadership through a lens of equity and decolonization also drew her in, she recalls: 鈥淚 knew that would be interesting as a leader, but also just as a person鈥攖o be a good person in the community.鈥�
While equity and decolonization were new areas for some classmates, Emily says she鈥檚 fortunate she鈥檇 already had some experience through her work and volunteer life. 鈥淏ut I still found the program helped me to understand how to communicate those concepts,鈥� she says. 鈥淭o see them explained in a way that鈥檚 tied to leadership was really useful to me. I think that wherever you are in the journey, the program can be valuable.鈥�
She recalls a particular lesson on intersectionality that focused on one individual who faced a variety of different barriers. 鈥淚t helped me to take these very big and complicated topics and see them through an individual person鈥檚 eyes,鈥� she says. 鈥淪eeing it explained so clearly from a personal perspective was really valuable.鈥�
Emily also appreciated the discussions with classmates, which allowed her to trace the class鈥檚 collective development, as well as her own, over the 10 weeks of each course. Since completing the program in 2021, Emily reflects that what she took away wasn鈥檛 what she鈥檇 thought she needed. In some ways, it was something better.
鈥淚鈥檇 gone in thinking I want to manage someone in the future, so I need the skills to be able to do that,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut what I left with was a more holistic way of thinking about leadership and breaking down stereotypes about traditional management.鈥�
She also learned the value of slowing down: 鈥淚 find that if something鈥檚 complex, it鈥檚 because people are complex鈥攁nd that鈥檚 a good thing. It deserves the time it needs. So, if I鈥檓 leading a project, I encourage others to take a breath, and think about where we want to go and why before jumping into it.鈥�
While she still aspires to a management role someday, Emily says she discovered something else through the program. 鈥淲hat excites me is not necessarily being a manager,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ut being in a role that can help build capacity in others.鈥�
Whether she鈥檚 supporting colleagues at work or mentoring the next generation of Girl Guides, one thing is certain. If true leadership isn鈥檛 about a job title, but about helping others grow, Emily is already a leader.
By Kim Mah