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Our team and business have grown significantly over the last few years and we couldn’t do it without the passion and dedication of each of our team members. We believe in fostering a culture of ownership and accountability and creating an environment where everyone can bring their own selves, do their best work and become leaders in their fields.
In this next series “Leaders in the Making” we shine a spotlight on our rising stars that help drive our business forward and share the lessons they have learned on leadership. First up is Ryan Tan, former intern with the Regional Data and Automation Team.
Over a year ago I started my long-term internship at Hyphen which was part of a partnership programme between Google and the Singapore Management University and once I finished my 6-month internship I decided to continue working here part-time for a few more months. I stayed on because I knew I could learn more and there were some other really exciting projects I could help drive forward. The many months spent here really were eye-opening and invaluable. Here are a couple of thoughts and lessons that I have learned during my time at Hyphen.
Take ownership
Quickly after starting at Hyphen, what struck me most was the level of ownership and accountability that interns receive. I got involved with the implementation of a new business intelligence tool that helped generate clearer and easier to use data dashboards for our teams across the organization. I was able to see the project through from end to end – from the initial stages of gathering the technical and business requirements, to implementing a tool that was adopted throughout the organization, to seeing the business value the tool created. Receiving this level of ownership was new to me and gave me insight into how projects should be managed and led.
Communicate more, especially now
I completed most of my internship from the comfort of my home since the Covid-19 situation didn’t allow us to go into the office often and meet team members in person. But that was solved by this constant interaction and communication from my team members and supervisors which helped me tackle any blockers I had. With the meetings and interactive video calls I never felt alone in my room just working down a list of tasks, but rather part of a dynamic team. Not all meetings were about projects or work though, we also kept things relaxed and fun. We had online yoga classes, learning sessions about random topics, which were fun and also allowed me to connect with those in the team outside of the direct projects I was working on. This constant interaction with my team members, whether it was for work or casual, created a real sense of belonging as if the team was right next to me.
Be curious
Be ready to have an open mind and to learn on the job because you will get thrown into many different projects. While my internship focused a lot on data I also had to learn about the many aspects of digital marketing, for example what the key metrics we analyze are, how digital touchpoints are used, and how all of this data connects back and influences our business. Starting a new job, internship or project will always be nerve-wracking and overwhelming but embracing this with a curious mindset will be vital and will get you further than expected.
Written by Ryan Tan, Former Intern Regional Data & Automation Team.
