Shirley Santoso talks about the importance of finding your passion, being a servant leader, and creating access to opportunities.
Chapter: Nurturing and developing female talent
About: Shirley Santoso holds three roles with Kearney, a global management consulting firm. She serves as the Asia Pacific leader for the leadership, change, and organization practice, is the co-head for Kearney Asia’s transaction and transformation practice, and is the president and director of the firm’s office in Indonesia. She is also a champion of Kearney’s Southeast Asian and Asian women’s initiatives and a member of the firm’s global talent committee.
What leadership traits should organizations nurture in their female talent?
For me, there are two key things. First, organizations should aim to nurture women to have the right balance between IQ and EQ while also being authentic to their true selves. This has become more evident to me since the COVID-19 pandemic as many businesses have been undergoing transformations in the midst of uncertainty along with health and mental wellness issues. A true leader needs to be able to navigate such challenges while inspiring and guiding, rather than directing, their team. This means it is crucial to be not only empathetic but also compassionate with your team and your clients, especially during this crucial time.
“To stem the tide of ‘the Great Resignation,’ we need to double down on helping women find their passion, address the burnout and mental wellness issues, and help women find their purpose at work.”
Then there’s passion. Passion is what drives a person to love what they’re doing; it provides energy and motivation. I have been with Kearney for 20 years, and I love my work. Each day, I am able to make a change and impact my staff, my clients, society, and my country. Throughout my career, I have been blessed to have opportunities to help many leading organizations transform, develop country-specific strategies, and work on a variety of social impact projects, whether it’s working with a foundation for HIV-positive children, doing a COVID-19 fundraiser for Indonesia’s medical infrastructure, or addressing issues on women empowerment.
My clients and my social impact work have given me purpose. Organizations should try their best to enable their female talent to find their passion, whether it’s by providing opportunities to work in different areas or by having open conversations about their passions and purposes. To stem the tide of “the Great Resignation,” we need to double down on helping women find their passion, address burnout and mental wellness issues, and help women find their purpose at work.
How can organizations ensure the long-term success of their female talent?
First, we need to provide the right opportunities for women to learn and grow. I see this as an extension of helping them find their passion—by providing the right opportunities and giving them a vote of confidence to become leaders in areas that they are passionate about and have deep expertise in.
Nurturing female talent to become leaders is essential since there are few female leaders at the top. Organizations need to play a part to ensure that women can become confident leaders who can apply their skills and knowledge effectively. As such, mentorship and sponsorship become very important.
“We need to double down on helping women find their passion”
Lastly, it is also crucial that organizations provide the right environment for female talent to flourish. Women face a variety of challenges at work, whether it’s about balancing work with family or just having a better work–life balance. It is vital for organizations to create workplaces that are inclusive so that diverse talent—including women—feel like they are being supported throughout all the stages of their personal and professional lives. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate that Kearney has been so supportive.
I have been able to work part-time or take time off when my son was very young and still advanced in my career. Kearney also provides personalized programs such as Success with Flex, Pathway for Parents, and a sponsorship program to attract and retain its female talent.
“Nurturing female talent to become leaders is essential since there are few female leaders at the top.”
Could you share with us your leadership philosophy and what being a leader means to you?
I have always believed that leadership is not about being served, but instead, it is about how one can become a servant leader. In my view, great leaders must serve and create an impact for their clients, organizations, and society to bring about positive change. Beyond that, leadership is also about empowering others to become their best self and about grooming other leaders. For me, leadership is not about creating followers; it’s about developing and grooming other leaders. It means empowering other people to become their best and grooming future leaders by providing the opportunities and the vote of confidence that they need to become great leaders.
“Leadership is not about creating followers; it’s about developing and nurturing other leaders.”
What is your view on the importance of role models in a woman’s career journey?
Role models can make all the difference in a woman’s career. When I first became pregnant, I wanted to leave consulting, given the demanding hours and travel schedules. However, my sponsor and a great role model, John Kurtz (who is still my sponsor to-date and now a good friend too), suggested that I take time off which was not so common at that time. So, I ended up taking two years off to focus on my family and then came back to consulting fully energized.
In my opinion, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to mentorship and sponsorship. Sponsorship for me goes beyond mentorship. Sponsorship not only gives guidance and coaching but also provides advocacy and promotes visibility. My sponsor John played a huge role in my career journey, and he is a great ally to women in the workplace and a role model for me. Of course, some women prefer having female mentors, and organizations should account for that too.
“Role models can make all the difference in a woman’s career.”
At the end of the day, sponsorship is a two-way relationship, and sponsees should feel like they’re receiving the support, advocacy, and guidance they need while in return giving their best to the organization. If the relationship is not working out despite multiple tries from both parties, move on and try to find another sponsor who can really help.
If you could give one piece of advice to women, what would it be?
I would say that learning to build resilience early on in life can be very valuable. You know, life isn’t easy, and we all face challenges throughout our lives. But the lessons that we take away will enable us to grow not only in our work but also in our lives. Mistakes or failures should be viewed as great learning experiences that provide growth opportunities and not as stumbling blocks that will hinder our careers and our lives. I have always learned and grown the most during my most challenging time. Having resilience and a growth mindset will set us up for success in our careers.
“Mistakes or failures should be viewed as great learning experiences that provide growth opportunities and not as stumbling blocks that will hinder our careers and our lives.”
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