30572_Kao Data Critical Careers_Pages - Flipbook - Page 88
What skills do you think make people
successful in this industry?
What do you think you bring that is
unique as a woman?
uriosity has always been my guiding principle. This
industry changes so fast, and if you’re not constantly
learning, you’ll get left behind. It’s not just the
technology that’s evolving, it’s the structure of the business, the
way we build, the way we partner, everything. So staying curious
and keeping that hunger to learn is essential.
his might surprise some people, but I think as a woman,
we have an edge in our “motherly instinct”. Someone
pointed it out to me once and it really made me stop
and think. It’s that natural tendency to check in on people, not
just professionally, but personally too. I’ll ask, “How are you
doing?” or “How’s your workload?” and genuinely mean it. It’s
not just small talk. And honestly, I don’t see that kind of check-in
happening as often with the men I work with—not in the same
way, at least.
C
The second one is 昀氀exibility. You have to be able to adapt
quickly. Things don’t always go to plan, especially in data
centres. Timelines shift, requirements change, new challenges
come up—being 昀氀exible and resilient really helps you stay in
the game.
Another big one is being a team player. This isn’t an industry
where you can go solo and 昀椀gure everything out on your own.
It’s too complex. You need strong collaboration across teams,
partners, and even regions. Building a data centre involves
a lot of different players, and bringing it all together takes
communication, coordination, and a willingness to listen.
Which brings me to something people don’t always talk
about—people skills. Even though we’re in a very technical,
machine-driven industry, it’s still about people. Especially on the
infrastructure side, a lot of the work happens on-site, and how
you engage with others really matters.
88
T
Some people might 昀椀nd it unexpected, especially if they’re more
introverted. They might think I’m prying into their personal life,
but really, it’s just about connecting. And that connection helps
me understand where they’re coming from. Because if someone’s
feeling supported, they’re more likely to stay motivated and meet
the deadlines—and that’s the reality in this industry.
Another thing I’ve noticed is that women often feel a stronger
drive to 昀椀x things. Even if it’s not in our scope, or we don’t have
the answer yet, we’ll still try. We care enough to step in, to
support, and to keep things moving. That kind of proactive care
makes a big difference, especially in a space like data centres,
where things move fast and the work is high pressure.
