董杏丽：施耐德电气“硬核”女高管的职业抉择

This case study primarily outlines the crucial career choices that Xingli Dong (Shirley) made as she progressed from a female engineering Ph.D. to Energy Automation R&D VP at Schneider Electric. It also prompts discussion about the next key decision she will need to make as she plans for a career change. In the male-dominated field of technology, Shierly has encountered many setbacks and doubts as she progressed from a female engineering Ph.D. to R&D VP at Schneider Electric. In particular, during a nearly nine-year-long R&D project, she maintained an open and inclusive attitude, leading her team through cautious but persistent steps in rapid and incremental iterations. Ultimately, she achieved the success of the project, which earned her the trust of headquarters and an opportunity to lead the company’s global R&D business. The new position, however, required her to balance work and family, and manage a global R&D team while working in China. In the end, with sincerity and leadership, she successfully led a cross-cultural R&D team of more than 300 people, winning the trust and recognition of the team; with empathy, she successfully closed down a site in Poland. Currently, as a global leader at Schneider Electric, she has been inspired by other great female leaders and gained an in-depth understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of female leadership. In October 2021, Schneider Electric conducted a 360-degree leadership assessment for senior executives. The feedback made Dong Xingli aware of her weakness in strategic thinking and how it could negatively affect her long-term leadership effectiveness. This prompted her to consider whether she should continue to develop in her current area of expertise or step out of her comfort zone to seek new opportunities. She also wondered if the company would support her if she were to foray into an innovation-related field where she had no particular advantage.