ABOUT PAULINE
As an executive and leadership coach, I partner with established female leaders and high potential women to help them overcome their fears and lock into lasting confidence, so that they can show up unapologetically to leadership and life on their own terms.
Hi, I’m Pauline.
If you’re anything like me, or many of my clients, you might be Asian. Or, irrespective of your race, culture or ethnic background, you have experienced the double-bind of being seen as “a conscientious team-player” and needing to advocate for yourself as a leader.
Or, perhaps, you’ve spent too much time in an environment that had rigid definitions of what success should look like and you find yourself following other people’s expectations rather than charting your own course.
In your desire for both recognition and acceptance, you’ve accomplished a lot. But, despite all your achievements, you’re often still feeling like an imposter. At the same time, it’s becoming more and more stifling to stay in line with other people’s expectations, and you’re finally hearing the siren call to be more of who you really are.
You know you have a voice and ideas to share, but the fear of failing or being judged erodes any confidence you’ve built up. As a result, you are playing smaller than you really want, and you are not truly advocating for yourself.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
From an early age, I had unconsciously picked up the message that it wasn’t safe to be myself.
That it was better to make sure others were happy, be it my family, teachers or the bullies at school. And so I was the dutiful daughter, a straight-A student and the quiet agreeable kid. I became the good girl, learning not to rock the boat so that I could be liked by everyone.
It wasn’t until after college, with a degree I was no longer interested in, that I finally started to hear a faint internal whisper that said, “Pauline, it’s time to go figure out what you want to do. Who you want to be.”
In my desire for growth and to become more myself, I’ve taken several leaps. Every time I wanted to step into a new level of growth, it was because I had this sense that more opportunity and possibility existed if I could stretch beyond my comfort zone. At the same time, it also felt hard and scary. My brain would freak out, and I would ask myself, “Am I good enough? What if I fail this time? Should I just settle instead?”
What I’ve learned through my own experiences, and through piecing together advice from mentors and coaches, is that the fear is normal. That fear shows up when we’re on the cusp of stepping into something big, whether it’s a stronger presence in meetings, shifting into a new role, or promoting our personal brand.
The solution wasn’t to get rid of fear (which never worked for long), but it was transforming my relationship to fear that finally enabled me to step forward confidently with more ease and grace.
That’s why I’m on a mission to show professional women how to discover that inner confidence to trust their own voice and step into full visibility as their unique and brilliant selves.
In a time when we need more diversity in leadership to address an increasingly complex and intertwined world, it pains me to see many talented and highly qualified women play small. My deep compassion for women wrestling with similar desires and demons is what fuels my passion to help them break out of their fears.
I Believe…
- I believe it’s possible to live your dream life. That life becomes more fulfilling and joyful when you’re aligned to your purpose and your values.
- I believe that we are more capable and have more potential than we allow ourselves to think. The people that trust this are boldly taking action to turn their vision into reality.
- I believe in taking a holistic approach to living your best life, one that considers both the personal and professional aspects of your life. This isn’t about achieving that mythical work-life balance. It’s about making conscious choices to avoid burnout or discontent.
- I believe while taking purposeful action won’t always feel comfortable, what’s necessary is to allow space for self-compassion and to surround yourself with people who will support you.
Professional Bio
Pauline Cheung is an executive and leadership coach. She supports professional women to develop the mindset and the skillset to trust their own voice and create professional and personal success – without conceding to people-pleasing and perfectionism.
Prior to coaching, Pauline spent 12+ years as an international executive working directly with C-suite and senior level executives at leading Fortune 500 companies, including The Walt Disney Company and Ralph Lauren Corporation, in the areas of strategy, marketing and business development. She has also spent time as a management consultant assisting FTSE companies launch new ventures. Pauline’s experience has spanned across Europe, Asia and the United States, which has developed her capacity to collaborate and motivate people across business units, nationalities and cultures.
Stepping off the corporate track and into the entrepreneurial world, Pauline trained at the renowned culinary school, Johnson & Wales, followed by a short stint at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. Pauline went on to launch her own business, consulting for various food businesses, as well as teaching avid home bakers the secrets to baking like a pastry chef.
Pauline is a professionally certified coach with the Co-Active Training Institute, a leading ICF-accredited organization, and holds an MBA from Bayes Business School. She also serves on the coaching faculty for the LEAP Organization (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics).
