Aligning Our Being to +Influence

Dorian Lo, a senior leader in the health care industry, has a favorite story about Tsun-yan delving deep into his being to +influence others.About a year into my time with McKinsey, Tsun-yan gave me the opportunity to observe a dinner with a senior management team of a North American bank. I didn’t know what to expect, since I was a doctor before joining McKinsey, with little experience of business, and no exposure to senior management teams. I was astounded by what I saw Tsun-yan do. Since then, it has inspired me to push myself constantly beyond what I am capable of.Tsun-yan is a well-known introvert, but in the dinner, he was anything but! He gave a rousing, passionate speech which energized the team to cheer, literally cheer at the top of their lungs for the better future they will have together. ‘Phoenix rising from the ashes’ was how Tsun-yan described this team, and they believed in him. They believed more in themselves because of him.We left the meeting, and as soon as we were out of sight of the client, Tsun-yan’s shoulders sagged, and he looked so tired! Only then could I see how much energy he harnessed in service of that cause and how much of himself he gave.I didn’t say anything to Tsun-yan then, but this episode stayed with me. He dug deep into himself to give the team what they needed to do better. It takes a lot for an introvert to perform at that level. If Tsun-yan can push himself far beyond the comfort zone, surely I can too! This has inspired me to dig deeper into myself.