{"id":362,"date":"2018-07-09T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/a0109a0e50.nxcli.io\/\/the-importance-of-leaning-in-with-clients\/"},"modified":"2021-07-28T12:13:16","modified_gmt":"2021-07-28T16:13:16","slug":"la-importancia-de-apoyar-a-los-clientes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.savvyladies.org\/es\/education\/the-importance-of-leaning-in-with-clients\/","title":{"rendered":"La importancia de apoyarse en los clientes"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]By:\u00a0Marguerita M. Cheng<\/strong><\/p>\n

As the daughter of a Chinese father and American-born mother, I have been exposed to many different stereotypes in the US, Europe, and Asia. I also grew up taking in mixed messages about what it means to be a successful, professional woman.<\/p>\n

While both my parents expressed their belief that I could achieve anything with hard work, focus, and dedication\u2014I saw that professional women\u2019s struggles in Asia are exacerbated. As I grew older, I saw that women are not taken seriously professionally if they are too passive, but that they can also be derailed professionally by being seen as \u201ctoo ambitious,\u201d \u201ctoo expressive,\u201d \u201ctoo opinionated,\u201d or \u201ctoo individualistic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finding a Way to Lean in That Felt Right to Me<\/strong><\/p>\n

While I firmly believe that women can \u201chave it all,\u201d and that they should consistently \u201clean in,\u201d my experience gives me a slightly different perspective\u2014one that I bring to my career as a financial planner.<\/p>\n

Indeed, juggling my responsibilities as a daughter, wife, mother, caregiver, professional, and professional financial planner has taught me to strive for balance\u2014not perfection.<\/p>\n

When I started out in financial planning, it was rare for a recruited female to be successful with a toddler and an infant, not to mention one from a diverse background. I knew, and so did everyone else, that the odds were against me. But with my success, 14 years later, that perceived liability is now an asset and a source of inspiration to other young women professionals in the financial planning field.<\/p>\n

In my professional experience, I have always valued a collaborative approach involving negotiation, mediation, and compromise rather than an autocratic approach to resolving disagreements and conflicts. Being \u201chelpful,\u201d or \u201ca good listener,\u201d or \u201cvaluing connections with clients\u201d may be dismissed as \u201cfemale\u201d traits, but make no mistake. They do not mask weakness. In fact, I have had to stand up against the criticism of some male managers for my professional approach with clients\u2014which puts a premium on client service\u2014because they view it as too time-intensive.<\/p>\n

And to be honest, the comments of those who doubted me were responsible in part for motivating me to persevere. When I lean in, I am not just leaning in for myself. We all need to do our part to break through the stereotypes.<\/p>\n

Though men hold a disproportionate share of corporate leadership positions, \u201cMany industries lack the inclusion and participation of people of color and women, perhaps none more egregiously than the financial services sector,\u201d said U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), in a statement.<\/p>\n

The key for me is to lean in\u2014on behalf of my clients and the financial planning industry. With my clients, I work to help them achieve balance between their financial-related goals for their lives now and their hopes for secure financial futures. With what the National Journal<\/a> says \u201cmay be the most chauvinistic industry in America: Wall Street,\u201d I work to clear the career path for other women and people with diverse cultural heritages.<\/p>\n

Here is how I am leaning in with my clients:<\/strong><\/p>\n