Shin Sujeong on Women’s Leadership: "Abandon Perfectionism and Start by Accepting Yourself"

Membership for Women Leaders 'K-Woman Club' 2nd Session
Sharing Career and Leadership Concerns with Shin Sujeong, KT Division Head
Setting 'Goals' Important When Creating Career Portfolio
New Insights and Careers Stem from 'Weak Ties'

Shin Su-jeong, Head of KT Enterprise Division, is holding a talk concert on the theme "Everything about Work Life and Career" at the "2023 K-Women Club Seminar" hosted by Asia Economy on the 28th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Lee Bo-ram, CEO of Third Age (left), served as the moderator. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

"Female leaders should volunteer and express themselves more when there are important projects or challenging opportunities. The caution is that showing emotions can often lead to disadvantages."

Shin Su-jeong, Head of KT Enterprise Division, who has experience ranging from startups to large corporations like Samsung and SK, pointed out the areas female leaders need to complement from a male perspective.

At the ‘K-Women Club’ seminar hosted by Asia Economy on the 28th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, Shin Su-jeong said, "In the past, successful female leaders were like men, but it is difficult to compete in the old way when the rules of the game have changed. You need to understand your members, manage the organization according to the mission, coach, and inspire, and in this trend, female leadership is more suitable." The K-Women Club is a membership program for women who want to build their careers well. This seminar was conducted in a format where participants freely asked and answered questions on the theme of ‘everything about work life and career’ with Shin Su-jeong.

Shin Su-jeong, Head of KT Enterprise Division, is holding a talk concert on the theme "Everything about Work Life and Career" at the "2023 K-Women Club Seminar" hosted by Asia Economy on the 28th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

The common question from participants that day was, "As leaders, we need to become specialists, but what is the best way to connect diverse experiences well?" Shin advised approaching this from the perspective of a ‘career portfolio’ that combines various careers rather than a ‘career path’ that advances step by step. To connect seemingly unrelated experiences (Connecting dots) and utilize them in new environments, ‘goal setting’ is important.

Shin said, "In the past, a map was needed, but now a compass is necessary. You must set the goal you want to reach, your ‘North Star.’ Especially from your late 30s, you need your own North Star." She added, "That goal can be found by asking yourself what kind of person you want to be called when you are 90 years old and what three values are most important in your life."

Shin also advised that in the process of building a career, ‘strategic incompetence’ is necessary rather than putting full effort into everything. She said, "Women tend to become perfectionists and sensitive. You should not do things that don’t matter. For example, I only attend family events or golf when absolutely necessary. I decided to be incompetent in some areas because I don’t want to lose all my time."

When a participant in her 40s asked about tips for managing mental health when dealing with bosses with different personalities, Shin said, "Women tend to over-reflect. Don’t blame yourself when issues arise. You are already enough. The start of mental health management is recognizing your own value."

Shin Su-jeong, Head of KT Enterprise Division, is holding a talk concert on the theme "Everything about Work Life and Career" at the "2023 K-Women Club Seminar" hosted by Asia Economy on the 28th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

It is said that 80% of successful people’s careers are made differently from their plans. Shin’s career is no exception. She described her journey from startup founder to Samsung SDS, SK C&C, SK Infosec, and KT as ‘planned serendipity.’ Shin said, "I was persuaded by a trusted boss to start a business, but most of my career was made by people and events I met by chance." She emphasized the importance of networking, saying, "Curiosity brings accidental luck, and new insights or careers come from ‘weak ties.’ You never know what help new people outside your company can offer."

About 60 women who attended the event chatted while placing exchanged business cards on the table and nodded repeatedly as they took notes of impressive answers. After the event, some participants who were still inspired took commemorative photos with Shin and promised to meet again. Kim Sun-ha, who works in the technical sales part, said, "Although I have worked for nearly 20 years, the points female leaders need to complement from a male perspective, not from a female perspective, really resonated with me."

Lee Jung-eun, a woman in her 20s, said, "The idea that strengths can be manifestations of trauma and that there can be strength within weaknesses was impressive. It made me wonder if I have an unresolved ‘inner child’ and how those affect me." Ha Soo-min, who attended the seminar with her working mom, said, "After starting my first job as an intern, my mom and I found a new common interest in a different field, and it was great to not only talk about it between us but also get new information at the seminar."

On the 28th, Shin Su-jeong, Head of KT Enterprise Division, held a talk concert on the theme "Everything about Work Life and Career" at the "2023 K-Women Club Seminar" hosted by Asia Economy at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@