This week’s Women in Business Spotlight features Donna Yee (she/her), Product Manager at The Knot. Donna earned her B.A. in computer science from Wellesley College, and began her career as a Software Engineer at Next Jump, an e-commerce platform that partners with over 30,000 merchants. She thrived with coding; however, she aspired to utilize her strategic mindset in the workplace. Since then, Donna transitioned to more product roles, working as a Product Expert at LiveRamp and Director of Product at Fuigo. Donna is currently a Product Manager at the Knot, where she takes ownership of key wedding planning tools within the organization.
Read our conversation about the history of product management, the effect of the model minority myth on Asian Americans, and the lack of Asian American representation in corporate leadership.
Aug 20, 2020, 11 am EDT
Written by Sarah Chu
Product Management
SC: The role of a Product Manager (PM) is relatively new and seems to vary across industries and organizations. Demand over the next 10 years for PMs is growing faster than any other occupation. What explains this phenomenon?
DY: PM is an interdisciplinary role that was likely filled by multiple people. Maturity within an organization could also explain this upward trend. For instance, tech companies that were founded in the 90’s didn’t need a PM, as they only have one or two products to manage. As a company grows, there needs to be a person (or team) that handles this aspect of the business.
SC: That makes sense – and what are some skills necessary to thrive as a PM?
DY: PM is a blend of design, engineering, marketing, analytics, and leadership. Leadership skills is pivotal in a PM role because you become the voice of the customer and the voice of the organization. You need to constantly be thinking of the consumer’s needs and demands, while also effectively communicating these trends with your team.
SC: No wonder why I never saw any PM positions open for a recent grad! PMs need a few years of experience before stepping into such a demanding role like yours.
DY: I agree. Diversity of experience, along with diversity in the workplace, is key for an organization.
The Model Minority Myth
SC: The model minority myth characterizes Asian Americans as the ‘polite’ group that achieves a higher level of success than other racial groups. As an American-American woman, how do you see Asian Americans perpetuating this stereotype in the workplace?
DY: Our culture teaches us to be ‘quiet’ and ‘complacent.’ We are trained to ‘do as we are told,’ which is not conducive to leadership development. This is known as the bamboo ceiling, where Asians Americans are known to be ‘successful’ in terms of educational attainment, yet fail to climb the leadership ladder.
SC: Perception also plays a huge role in our ‘success.’ Others expect us to be ‘quiet’ and ‘complicit’, and it can be difficult to break out of that stereotype. Can you think of a way in which corporate, intentional or not, preserves this stereotype?
DY: Culture within an organization often excludes racial groups, which is especially poignant for Asian Americans. For example, firms that look for specific qualities when hiring, like people who are outspoken extraverts, often exclude people in our community. We saw this in the Harvard admissions case, where Harvard ranked Asian American applicants lower on personality traits. Granted, not all Asian Americans are quiet introverts, but many of our parents instilled these beliefs in us.
SC: Exactly! With the racial attacks on our community, such as political leaders using insensitive language to describe the coronavirus, it is crucial to debunk these stereotypes, so we can speak up on these racial injustices. What are your thoughts on how we can combat this myth?
DY: Be an advocate for yourself. Constantly saying ‘yes’ to every demand in the workplace is unsustainable. Becoming a champion for your own well-being goes against the stereotype, which will also allow you to help others in the process.
The Bamboo Ceiling
SC: Research suggests that Asian American white-collar professionals are the least likely group to be promoted into managerial positions. How can we explain this leadership gap?
DY: Like many first-generation Asian Americans, my parents didn’t have the luxury of knowing the metrics of getting promoted to managerial positions. What my parents didn’t emphasize, were the soft skills needed to thrive in the workplace, such as effective communication, strong teamwork, and conflict resolution.
SC: What are some initiatives that corporations can implement to develop Asian American talent?
DY: The talent already exists: firms need to be more aware of the bamboo ceiling. Secondly, professional development programs that specifically foster Asian American leadership will allow us to cultivate our management abilities.
SC: Yes, exactly! To add onto your point, firms need to be cognizant of the cultural differences within each employee. Instead of having a homogeneous style of leadership, perhaps we should move toward a diverse set of leaders; ones that are extraverted, introverted, and in-between.
DY: That’s a great point. We should be looking for diversity in leadership. From my professional experience, there were very few introverted leaders, and I think there is room for improvement in this regard.
SC: I hope that this honest conversation highlights the struggles our community faces in corporate, and identifies the ways in which firms can push toward a more equitable workplace. I look forward to continuing this conversation with you!