Today we’d like to introduce you to Dianne Lee.
Hi Dianne, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in a rural town in a predominantly Muslim country, Malaysia. I arrived to America as a foreign student at the age of 17 to attend Indiana State University. I am Chinese by ethnicity, Catholic by religion and Malaysian by nationality. Today, I am an Asian immigrant living in Los Angeles as an American citizen and currently serve on three prestigious construction industry boards. My industry and professional volunteer activities and platform I have established gives me the opportunity to promote, highlight and elevate the contributions of all women in a highly male-dominated industry.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Adapting to my new life and career in America has been challenging, however I have been extremely fortunate and blessed because of my ability to harness and leverage the people and circumstances around me. As an Asian woman in a predominantly Caucasian and male-dominated industry, I’ve been faced with multiple stereotypes but with the right mindset, mentors and focus I have been able to navigate and manage most situations and have been able to leverage those instances as opportunities for reflection, perspective and growth. As a woman in a highly competitive industry (construction), I experienced inappropriate sexual advancements, colleagues who were unsupportive and unkind and individuals who were intentionally dismissive.
As documented in my book Leveraging Stereotypes to your Advantage, I was able to harness the core values my parents instilled in me to maintain my purpose and focus and to appreciate the opportunity to have the American dream. My struggles have allowed me to come out of negative situations stronger, smatter and better. Through Leveraging Stereotypes I am sharing my personal lessons learned and am paying it forward.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a transformational leader and business development executive in the program and construction management industry. I work tirelessly to advocate on behalf of my firm and the construction industry at-large. With 15+ years of experience, I have an instrumental leadership role in the identification of new clients, recruitment of new team members, led proposal management efforts and have successfully guided the awards of multiple national and international billion-dollar contracts. As a transformational leader I am responsible for the teams strategy and approach on each pursuit and lead by encouraging out-of-the-box thinking.
I currently serve on three prestigious industry boards. I am the President of the Asian American Architects and Engineers Association (AAa/e) of the Southern California chapter. I am on the board of the Society for Marketing Professional Services, Los Angeles Chapter (SMPS – LA) and on the Executive Board of the Western Winter Workshop.
By serving on these boards I am able to actively pay it forward by giving other women in the industry the platform to shine by showcasing their contributions through these industry organizations. I am focused on inspiring others to find their voice, and I encourage all women to identify and to ignite their passion, I empower all women to step up, to have a seat at the table and I encourage all of us to come together by uniting in support of each other.
We’d love to hear about what you think about risk taking?
I am a firm believer that growth happens when you step into the unknown. When I came to America at 17, I was stepping into the unknown. Stepping into the unknown starts with allowing yourself to be included on new things. Things we are not experts on and things we are unfamiliar with. With that comes risk, no matter how big or small. The key is to allow yourself to take calculated risks and then learning and leveraging from those experiences to come out more aware and stronger from the entire experience.
Many would say I am a risk-taker, the risks I have taken in life and in my career have allowed me to get to where I am today. I have said “yes” to stepping into the unknown many, many times. Yes to new career opportunities in new markets, yes to working in the Middle East, yes to visiting countries I would have never thought of, yes to speaking engagements and yes to new relationships. All these yeses have contributed to my upward trajectory and ultimately my success as a executive in the construction industry.
In Chapter #15 of Leveraging Stereotypes to your Advantage – What makes you a game changer? Being fearless helps.
This chapter addresses this question. What would you do today if you weren’t afraid? Well, I chose to write a book about my life’s story as an Asian woman immigrant in a highly male-dominated industry and how I have had to navigate precarious situations and relationships to achieve success. Being fearless means allowing ourselves to take certain risks. It doesn’t mean you give up being vulnerable; it means being keenly aware of your weaknesses and learning how to disarm them. It requires a delicate balance of owning who you are and realizing nothing will hold you back from your aspirations.
When you allow yourself to take risks, you are giving yourself permission to step outside of your comfort zone and when we do that, new opportunities and relationships start to uncover themselves. I encourage you to join me on this journey of Leveraging Stereotypes.
Contact Info:
- Email: dianne88.lee@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.diannelee88.com/
- Instagram: dianne.lee88
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/LeveragingStereotypes
