Communicating with Intention and the Power of Feedback with Global Leader Cecilia Mao

“Feedback is a gift, and I think that that is the biggest gift I received throughout my career,” says Cecilia Mao, Global Chief Product Officer of Equifax.

As we sat down with Cecilia to talk about her career story, she reflected on how the way others may have perceived her earlier in her career did not necessarily match her intentions. She shares a story of how she was misperceived and what her true intentions were in this video.

Learning how to verbalize her intentions along with being open to feedback are impactful lessons that she continues to take with her in her journey.

Cecilia so strongly believes in the importance of how to effectively deliver and receive feedback that she has brought in leadership coaches to help train her teams on this skill. She also recommends 360 feedback as it has personally helped her grow in her career.

“When it comes to feedback, it’s important to separate what you can do better from who you are as a person,” says Cecilia, speaking on the notion of how to receive feedback so that it’s not being internalized and taken personally. 

She encourages her teams by sharing feedback more regularly versus waiting for the annual performance review. “When I have unsolicited feedback, I ask them if they are open to hearing it.”

“For me, part of growth is having a growth mindset, to not only be curious about learning new areas and new perspectives, but also being very open to feedback.”

Providing feedback while communicating the intention behind the feedback can lead to more meaningful collaboration and open up avenues for continued growth.

Listen in further to our discussion on the topic and find out what Cecilia’s top 3 tips for career growth are here.

Learn more about available opportunities at Equifax.