Coaching my team: Franty’s story

Franty Cheng, Executive Director & Division Head, Commercial Banking

Hong Kong

From the age of sixteen, I wanted to become a teacher.  I remember having a great economics teacher who was patient and generous in sharing his knowledge with me.  Instead though, I’ve enjoyed a great career in Financial Services over the past 22 years, 15 of which have been with Standard Chartered.  But that desire to teach never really left me, that’s why I enjoy coaching and mentoring my team.

"For more experienced members of my team, I show them trust.  They have their own skills and experience, but I give guidance where needed and empower them to trust their own judgement."

The most satisfying element of being a People Manager is helping the members of my team achieve their business goals and adapt to our culture.  If the person is young or new to the industry I help them understand the regulations, processes and ways of working.  Regulations form such a big part of our day-job, and it’s up to me to demonstrate the right behaviours and ensure the team is engaged.  I’ve found that I can get the most out of people when I treat them as individuals, and show empathy for any difficulties they may be facing. 

For more experienced members of my team, I show them trust.  They have their own skills and experience, but I give guidance where needed and empower them to trust their own judgement.  I remind them that when it comes to their career development, they should look beyond just the function they already work in.  The right opportunity for them may be in a different department or country, or involve taking on a secondment so they don’t feel limited in their ambitions.  I took a secondment in our Shanghai office a few years ago.  Not only did this give me the chance to develop professionally, but it also strengthened my sense of belonging to Standard Chartered because I enjoyed the experience so much.  I want to ensure anyone else who wants this opportunity can take advantage of it.