Pearson, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Manager of DLA Piper UK LLP Beijing, says being different can lead to social isolation, especially if you do not conform to certain etiquette. “In London, drinking and going to the pub is a form of social bonding, which most lawyers do after work. As I don’t drink, I didn’t fit into this social scene, so I carved out different social circles for myself.” In China, she adds, lawyers are extremely tolerant of social differences, and they are good at embracing diversity, unlike the situation in Britain, which remains a relatively conformist society.

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Earn Respect, Loyalty

In today’s global economy, “if leaders don’t make an effort to understand local cultures, respect social inequalities and
reach out to varying levels of people — be they floor cleaners or company directors — they will never integrate, nor be accepted by locals,” says Pearson. “It doesn’t matter where I am posted in the world, I embrace local differences quickly. For example, I will eat with colleagues in local canteens, rather than socialize with expats in Western restaurants. As a result, many ex-colleagues remain close friends, because I cared enough to understand them.”

Pearson credits her ability to integrate with colleagues, adapt to local cultures and embrace different work ethics to her
parents, whom she says are strong role models. “The greatest lesson my dad taught me as a kid was social equality. My dad was a pastor at the local church, and he made a point of befriending the most unpopular people, like the homeless and refugees, never looking at superficial differences,” notes Pearson. “I never got into trouble for having bad grades at school, but only got into trouble if I looked at anyone with prejudice or difference.”

Today, even though she has achieved success and promotions, Pearson continues to socialize with diverse crowds, from high-ranking officials to poor migrant workers. She is aware of social differences in both the community and workplace, and she tries to align what she does in her law firm with charitable causes. Her passion, effort and ability have won her immense respect and loyalty from her colleagues — around the world.
Clare Pearson

. Nationality: British

. Born: 1971, in Zambia, Africa

. Education: Bachelor of Science (honors degree, Economics) York University, the United Kingdom; Diploma of Law, City University, London; Legal Practice Certificate, London College of Law (obtained in 1997); Qualifed as Solicitor (England and Wales, 1999)

. Current Position: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Manager, Asia, at DLA Piper UK LLP Beijing, China

. Work Experience: Leading multicultural teams in six Asian markets for DLA Piper, a top international law firm; helping guide DLA Piper during the firm’s growth into one of Asia’s foremost players in CSR; founding an industry-level platform, the “CSR Forum,” and co-founding the “Beijing Ethics Committee;” three years as a mergers and acquisition lawyer, in the United Kingdom, before moving to Asia; advising governments and Fortune 500 companies on legal and social issues; guest speaker at CSR conferences for the Economist Intelligent Unit, academic institutions and various international chambers of commerce; head of the Climate Change committee for the British Chamber of Commerce in Beijing

Pearson answers questions, as a speaker, at a CSR conference in Shanghai

Low Points Strengthen Character

Chiang and Pearson say a good leader embraces all experiences as learning opportunities. There is a saying, “what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger,” and both women, who have experienced this in the most literal way, agree that what may seem to be the worst experiences in life are often the most revelatory. It is a matter of perspective. Both women have had brushes with death, and both have since changed their outlooks on career and life.

At 22, Pearson was diagnosed with “grave’s illness,” or when the metabolism goes wrong and the body cannot function properly. While her friends were starting ambitious careers in the UK, Pearson underwent medical treatment for two years, taking pills and undergoing radioactive treatment. She says it was a very depressing time.

“When you are faced with death, it changes you. I had a massive realization at how precious life really was, and became
very aware of two worlds: The healthy and unhealthy,” she describes. “I met people with serious illnesses, people who would probably never leave the hospital. I feared I’d be one of them.”

Pearson eventually recovered, and she became an advocate at 24. She relished the freedom to work again. Her brush with death taught her to view life with a balanced perspective; that career, money and success were not everything, but good health was the most important asset.

Similarly, Chiang’s experience with illness was an important turning point in her life. In 2004, doctors discovered a rare form of cancer in her appendix. “After an operation, in which doctors took out a large portion of my intestine, I spent the next year in chemotherapy, and I suffered from a severe bowel problem,” says Chiang. “It was difficult and I wanted God to take my life. I told Him that I had no regrets and had lived a wonderful life … I was willing to go peacefully.”

However, one week after making that plea, Chiang started to feel better. She recovered within months.

Chiang’s positive attitude soon transformed the lowest point in her life into an important turning point. “I was so thankful at having a second chance to live that I made the decision to move permanently to China, and devote my life to helping migrant children,” explains Chiang. “As executives, it is important not to be consumed with despair and negativity when bad things happen, but to look at the future with hope and a willingness to move on.”

Today, Chiang, at 69, is president of Bright Angel Fund, where she uses her corporate talents and skills to serve the poor.

What Makes Good Leaders Great?

Successful businesses need leaders who can step up to the challenge. Still, “an individual cannot appoint him/herself a
leader. Leadership is an honor that can be bestowed only by those who are led. Top management cannot assign leaders any more than leaders can assign themselves,” notes Chiang.

As Chiang and Pearson show, being a good leader means demonstrating a successful attitude and behavior — such as humility, positivity, patience, understanding and mutual respect — that can earn the loyalty of the people they lead. However, the thing that makes a good leader truly exceptional is his/her ability to multiply his/her talents and skills to inspire, not only people in the confines of an organization, but also movers and shakers and the mass community.

In Beijing, Pearson regularly meets with government bodies, such as the Ministry of Commerce, in an effort to influence charity laws to make it easier for people on the frontlines to work and be better represented. During her time in Asia, Pearson has founded an industry-level platform — the CSR Forum — in both Hong Kong and mainland China. That forum gathers some of the country’s well-known philanthropists. She also co-founded the Beijing Ethics Committee, which gathers multinational executives to discuss and improve corporate ethics in China.

“The CSR Forum is a platform for people who don’t want to stand on a platform — for people in the community who serve and get no recognition for doing so,” says Pearson. “The most fascinating people I’ve met don’t like to bring attention to themselves. But, I feel compelled to help highlight their social issues, so the community as a whole can get involved.”

Pearson’s first event in Beijing, “A Corporate Response to the Sichuan Earthquake,” gathered more than 100, who included corporate donors, representatives of non-governmental organizations, government officials and members of the public.

Like Pearson, Chiang’s external appointments are just as impressive as her career achievements: Chairwoman of the Telecommunication Committee, with the American Chamber of Commerce, in Taiwan; counselor at China’s Peking and Tsinghua universities; board member of the United States Information Technology Office, to name a few. She uses her position, influence and contacts to raise awareness of community projects, industry issues and social problems in China.

While she lived in Taiwan, Chiang understood the importance of having a strong family unit and, by applying what she learned in the corporate setting to the home, she led counseling courses for married couples, during which she taught them how to cultivate healthy family relationships. “Being a leader is a huge responsibility, because you can positively (or negatively) impact a great number of people. Personally, I believe successful leadership needs love and passion at the core, because without these, you cannot positively influence a team,” says Chiang.

Successful Attitude, Behavior

What does it take for women executives to rise to, and stay at, the top of today’s business world, Chiang and Pearson agree, in addition to a well-balanced life, it takes a solid foundation of core values, such as humility, positivity, patience, understanding and mutual respect.

Those traits, they say, are keys to effective leadership. Chiang believes that growing up in a nurturing environment with trusting relationships, positivity and mutual respect helped her cultivate good core values.

Pearson says a balanced life is essential to surviving a demanding career. “You need a stable support structure, because it is very difficult to balance a job and personal life without perspective. Self-sufficiency is a lie, because you need to rely on other people, or a spiritual source, like God, for balance, mentorship and love.”

It can be said that success as a leader is usually in proportion to success as a person. After all, a leader is responsible for getting the best performance possible out of all people under his/her charge.

Leadership is not everyone’s cup of tea, but is a role that is reserved for an elite few. The skills of leadership can only be learned through experience, but the decision to accept the role is a deeply personal one.

(Source: Women Of China English Monthly, February 2009/Editor: YE SHAN)