Leaders of Tomorrow Executive Roundtable with Scotiabank

By Grace Chun

Members of the Leaders of Tomorrow mentorship program gathered at Scotiabank's regional office in downtown Vancouver bright and early on Feb. 6, for a roundtable discussion with two senior level executives, Bruce Arthurs, District Vice President, and Winnie Leong, Senior Vice President.

Attendees had the privilege of enjoying the above-it-all views from the 34th floor while networking with other mentees in the program.

The roundtable discussion kicked off with Arthurs and Leong sharing their career history and their experience working at Scotiabank for more than 30 years. Following the presentations, the speakers answered questions from the LOT participants and provided insightful advice regarding the banking industry, workforce trends and essential skills for students preparing for graduation.

Here are key takeaways from the roundtable discussion:

• A career is not a sprint. Realize that the time you spend at a particular position is not always indicative of your knowledge of the position. Do not be so impatient to move up to the next level or the next job in an organization that you shortchange yourself in terms of experience or learning. 
• We are constantly faced with challenges both inside and outside an organization. Follow a career that you are truly passionate about and this will help you move along your career.
• Be willing to move laterally or even sometimes "consciously downwards" into a different business line or division within an organization if those opportunities will help you grow and prepare you for greater success in the long-run.
• In today's world, you have to be receptive to change no matter what industry or field you are in. It is important to be able to adapt to changes by understanding the change and why the change is happening.
• Never stop learning and always ask for feedback.

Having been a mentor of the LOT program for six years, Bruce also offered a piece of advice for mentees – be the driver of the mentoring relationship, stay in touch with your mentor even after the year ends, and remember that mentors benefit as much as mentees do through the program.

The Vancouver Board of Trade would like to thank Bruce Arthurs and Winnie Leong for sharing valuable insights into their career progression, as well as Scotiabank for hosting and sponsoring the event.

Please visit Scotiabank for more information on future opportunities.