TELUS manager aims to future-proof her career
The pandemic may have made the future more uncertain than ever, but Angela Finch remains unfazed. 鈥淵ou never know what the future holds,鈥� reflects the recent graduate of SFU鈥檚 Executive Leadership Certificate program. 鈥淲ho knew COVID was going to hit us? But I think this program has given me the foundation to be able to adapt and keep growing.鈥�
Since joining TELUS six years ago, Angela has already experienced plenty of change as she moved through various roles. Looking to advance her career further and become as effective a leader as possible, she began to consider opportunities for leadership development.
While her ultimate goal is to pursue an MBA, she knew the timing wasn鈥檛 yet right for that level of commitment. Flexibility was key to Angela, who has two young children at home. 鈥淲hen the SFU program came up, with its flexibility and curriculum, I was incredibly intrigued,鈥� she says.
Taking the Executive Leadership program online allowed her to juggle caring for her family, working full time and even managing a disruptive home renovation. Adding to the pressure, she also took on a new position with TELUS Business Solutions as manager, products and services, while still enrolled in the program.
鈥淚f you can survive anything, last year was it!鈥� she laughs. Angela credits Canvas, SFU鈥檚 online learning system, with helping to keep her on track, no matter what life threw in her way.
鈥淚t was very intuitive and easy to use,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he way assignments were scheduled and the way that we were able to organize our days was really great. Canvas helped me manage my workload throughout the program.鈥�
She appreciated the leadership lessons even more. 鈥淭here are so many different things that you learn throughout each of the different modules that you can apply both to your personal and your professional life,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚f you want to develop in your own life and figure out where your blind spots are, I highly recommend this program. You learn a lot about yourself and your own gaps.鈥�
For Angela, one important takeaway concerned her own biases as a leader: 鈥淚 learned that going in with the intention of seeing the best in every situation, making sure you go in with a clear mind and being as unbiased as possible, can really open your mind to different perspectives and let you engage people in a different way.鈥�
Since rethinking her approach to leading others, Angela has proudly seen two of her direct reports and mentees promoted into positions equal to her own. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something I never would have done before,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ut going into a conversation with a more direct and desired outcome, and letting others facilitate and drive their own careers through those intentions, has made a big difference鈥攏ot only for me, but for them.鈥�
If bringing out the best in others is the hallmark of a true leader, Angela has clearly learned her leadership lessons well. Whatever the future holds next, she鈥檒l no doubt be ready.
By Kim Mah