Disa Lee Choun: Using Technology to Improve Healthcare Services
Women comprise half of the world population and their contribution in every sector is essential for the overall development. Technology reduces the barriers and offers women solid opportunity to grow. Better representation of women in technology sector is critical to tap the full potential of technology and improve various services offered by organizations and businesses.
CIOLook recognizes valuable women contributing largely to technology sector. One such impeccable leader is Disa Lee Choun.
Below are the highlights of the interview between Disa Lee Choun and CIO Look.
Kindly take us through your journey on becoming a proficient leader.
When I was young, I was shy and lacked self-confidence, but I thank my mother for cementing the seed that women can be leaders and women are equal to men. This was significant for me especially growing up in Central America. My father passed away when I was very young so my mother had to play the role of both parents. She sacrificed for her children and for me she was my hero and role model. My mother believed in me and that’s all I needed to pursue my dreams.
My first job was helping my mother in one of her stores. I learned the business and became the supervisor. Later, I co-founded an IT company, providing hardware and software products and services. Managing and leading the company was quite a learning experience and a big responsibility. From strategizing to coaching employees to making courageous decisions affecting the future of the company, I learned a lot about being an effective leader. I tried to mentor our employees to be the best they could be, reminding them along the way that it’s okay to make mistakes if we learn from them and from others.
After completing my pharmacy degree and Executive MBA, I decided to pursue my passion in healthcare. I want to help patients improve their health through research and find the cure for diseases, also creating awareness on disease and prevention. Later I joined UCB where I’ve been fortunate to continue growing as a manager and a leader. I learned about managing projects in matrixed organization and leveraged new skills to lead without authority. I am also grateful to the leaders I’ve worked with over the years who saw my potential and gave me the opportunity to thrive, while allowing me the space to grow. I gained respect and trust from my colleagues who believed in me and in what I was creating. Being recognized by my peers in the industry as a top 100 Women in Technology 2018 for my work in blockchain, celebrating women in technology, and encouraging diversity was a great career highlight.
I am humbled by what I’ve been able to accomplish with great colleagues and leaders around me. Success is not just hard work, luck, and the right timing. It’s also continuing to have confidence and persevering to achieve our goals. If I fall, I get up and do it again and again. If I don’t fight for myself or I’m afraid to ask or raise my hand and speak up, no one is going to do it for me. I am in a place where I am able to pass on my learnings to others and encourage people not let their fear of failure cloud their minds. Take courageous decisions, pave the way for others to follow, inspire your team, and listen.
What are the vital traits that every business women should possess?
From my experience, determination and a desire to succeed are key traits for business women. Stand by the choices you make, good or bad, and learn from your mistakes and move on. I’ve learned as a woman sometimes I need to work harder and prove myself 110%. I learned this early in my career when I realized my male counterparts often were not put to the same set of tests I was. I found as a woman, I need to be more vocal, direct, to make sure I am being heard.
As per your opinion, what roadblocks or challenges were faced by you in a corporate business? And how did you overcome them?
Working in a world of continuous change is an ongoing challenge. Managing that change in particular, when implementing a new solution or innovation, requires bringing people earlier on in the process and have the buy-in from all levels from employees to managers. Managing through change has taught me to plan ahead, get buy in for new ideas, and be clear about the value the idea will create. This goes beyond looking for a return on investment, its understanding your customer’s needs and how a new solution could help them and tailor the communication to their needs. Building a team of champions to help spread the word and to provide support to users also helps move along the change continuum.
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https://ciolook.com/disa-lee-choun-using-technology-to-improve-healthcare-services/