Voice of Experience: Amy Tsui Luke, Managing Director, Accenture
Welcome to The Glass Hammer’s Celebration of Asian Heritage Month! All month long we will be profiling successful women here in the US who have Asian heritage as well as spotlighting some amazing women in Asia and discussing what it means to work there.
“Find your mentors,” advises Amy Tsui Luke, Managing Director at Accenture.
“They have taught me, shared their networks with me and most importantly, stepped in with encouragement when I doubted myself.” According to Luke, the right mentors can help you find confidence within yourself, open doors that lead to career advancement opportunities and offer advice during critical transition points in your career.
Making a Difference at Work and Beyond
After graduating from Wellesley College, Luke began her career in investment banking before attending Harvard Business School to earn her MBA. Now, as a managing director at Accenture, Luke has the opportunity to do what she loves each day.
Luke has always believed in having a clear and direct voice, even if it means occasionally deviating from the status quo. “Early in my career, I found myself in situations in which I felt I needed to make my points of view known,” says Luke. “I decided that if I wanted to be a leader, I needed to speak my mind and have the strength to make tough decisions.” Displaying courage and confidence have been instrumental in making Luke the influential leader she is today.
Not only does Luke find it gratifying to provide her clients with practical business solutions, she also is very active in her community through Accenture’s corporate citizenship initiative, Skills to Succeed. “Education was the gateway to opportunity for my family,” explains Luke, whose grandfather emigrated from China on a scholarship. “He was skilled in engineering but he didn’t speak English and struggled to communicate and fit in. Despite these challenges, he persevered, acquired skills and created a new trajectory for all of us who followed.”
Her grandfather’s experiences inspired Luke to become the executive sponsor of a recently launched LaGuardia Community College program that helps non-native English speakers who hold an advanced degree in accounting or bookkeeping from their home country find jobs in this field in the US. “We provide these students –who typically range in age from 29 to 41 years old –with both hard and soft skills to enable them to pursue jobs with strong career growth opportunities,” she notes.
Inspiring Professional Women
According to Luke, giving back through mentoring is one of the most rewarding aspects of her role at Accenture. She underscores the importance of creating a diverse network that includes many different types of mentors. “Often, I find that people look for a mentor to be an ideal role model across the many dimensions of their lives – professional, personal, etc. This expectation is unrealistic; I advise people to have a variety of mentors along many dimensions with varying skills – a personal ‘Board of Directors’ so to speak. You never know the type of advice and help you may need in life. ” explains Luke.
“I am always ready to help others, lend a supportive ear or provide words of advice. I try to create an inclusive environment, with my team and with my mentees, so they can feel comfortable to try new things, take chances and even make mistakes. It is this combination of exposure and encouragement that builds resilience and confidence.”
Taking risks and being open to new opportunities that may not fit within the definition of a traditional career path is a piece of advice that Luke encourages the next generation to follow. “Don’t be afraid to do new things,” advises Luke. “Learning to feel comfortable with being uncomfortable is a really helpful skill.”
At Accenture, Luke leads a number of initiatives for women, including acting as co-lead for the Women’s Employee Resource Group. “The success of our women is key to our success as a business. Our various initiatives, programs and groups help support a work environment and culture that enables our more than 100,000 women around the world to thrive and define their personal approaches to success,” Luke stated.
Outside the Office
“I definitely believe in the philosophy ‘learn, earn, and serve’ and from a young age, my parents instilled in me a strong desire to lead and contribute to my community,” says Luke. Originally from Hawaii, Luke has been proud to call New York City her home for more than twenty years. She is passionate about education, women’s leadership, and helping those who are disadvantaged learn skills that will lead to employment.
Luke serves on the Board of Directors of the Harvard Business School Women’s Association of Greater New York, the Harvard Kennedy School’s Women’s Leadership Board, the New York Venture Capital Association, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure of Greater New York. She is also on the Women’s Council for NPower and has previously served on the Diller-Quaile School of Music and Nightingale-Bamford School Boards.
In her spare time, Luke enjoys spending time in New York City with her husband and three children. “We are avid skiers and we love taking family ski trips.
She adds “Skiing is a great analogy to life –the perfect balance of being in control and out of control. Sometimes you just need to let go, be in the flow of the movement and enjoy the moment.”
By Michelle Hendelman
