[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/ellen-teo-executive-director-of-union-power-thrives-in-a-mens-world\/#NewsArticle","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/ellen-teo-executive-director-of-union-power-thrives-in-a-mens-world\/","headline":"Ellen Teo, Executive Director of Union Power, Thrives in a Men’s World","name":"Ellen Teo, Executive Director of Union Power, Thrives in a Men’s World","description":"As a woman in a predominantly men\u2019s world, Ellen Teo quickly realised that in order to survive, she had to shed her inherently soft-spoken persona and adopt a louder, more assertive voice. After all, when women fail, the natural refrain is that \u201cthis job shouldn\u2019t be done by a woman.\u201d\u00a0 But her more confident persona, […]","datePublished":"2021-02-10","dateModified":"2022-04-15","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/Ming%20En%20Liew\/#Person","name":"Ming En Liew","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/Ming%20En%20Liew\/","identifier":132,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8fe7a89455a989038349633329a6e4ad6299388f5e1e3ea83c28126090b2314f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8fe7a89455a989038349633329a6e4ad6299388f5e1e3ea83c28126090b2314f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"TheHomeGround Asia","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","width":640,"height":640}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/1612844193403_1280X626_28729.png","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/1612844193403_1280X626_28729.png","height":626,"width":1280},"url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/ellen-teo-executive-director-of-union-power-thrives-in-a-mens-world\/","about":["Asia","Community","Local","Singapore"],"wordCount":1054,"articleBody":"As a woman in a predominantly men\u2019s world, Ellen Teo quickly realised that in order to survive, she had to shed her inherently soft-spoken persona and adopt a louder, more assertive voice. After all, when women fail, the natural refrain is that \u201cthis job shouldn\u2019t be done by a woman.\u201d\u00a0But her more confident persona, too, rubbed some the wrong way. \u201cIf you\u2019re successful, confident, and loud. People will say \u2018this woman, not easy, must be a b*tch,\u201d Ellen said with a wry chuckle.Despite these comments, Ellen remains undeterred; after all, she has her sights fixed on more important things \u2013 as the Executive Director of Union Power, she\u2019s responsible for propelling the growth of her company, and her plans are grand indeed.\u00a0READ: Defining One’s Identity \u2013 Shulin’s a Lawyer by Day and Comedian by NightLeading the Charge to Conquer Sustainable EnergyRather than staying under the wings of her family\u2019s well-established company, Union Energy (a Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) provider), Ellen chose to stretch out on her own and establish Union Power, going up against already-established giants in the electricity sector.\u00a0With Union Power, Ellen\u2019s goals are simple: provide value to her customers. But in order to do so, Ellen has embarked on an uphill climb with her latest initiative \u2013 Union Solar, providing sustainable and renewable energy to households and businesses in Singapore.\u00a0While the layman might think that solar energy is a low-lying fruit in Singapore with our endless summers, Ellen quickly debunked these perceptions. Challenges in solar energy are aplenty in Singapore, with factors such as our low cloud cover, small size, and lack of skilled labour (in this field) all serving as hindrances to the implementation and efficiency of these solar systems.\u00a0Yet, I quickly realised while speaking with Ellen that she wasn\u2019t one to dwell on the challenges, no matter how insurmountable they may seem. Instead, Ellen would much rather focus on how she can turn these challenges around for herself and her business.\u00a0\u201cEvery challenge is an opportunity,\u201d she emphasises. \u201cThere are ways to overcome.\u201d\u00a0Unfavourable geographical location affecting the energy output of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems? Install more efficient systems.\u00a0Small physical size affecting the implementation of PV systems? Look for rooftops that are present all across our tiny island-state.Lack of skilled expertise and manpower to install such systems? Training might take time, but it\u2019s already in the works, and is most definitely not a showstopper.Having a can-do and problem-solver attitude has no doubt helped Ellen propel her company into becoming a significant contender in the electricity market despite their young age, but Ellen\u2019s positive frame of mind extends beyond her role as an executive director.\u00a0READ: How and Why Singlish Excludes Outsiders, ExplainedEllen\u2019s Key to Success: Turning the Negatives PositiveThere\u2019s no winning in being a female leader; you\u2019re criticised when successful for being too assertive or bossy, and you\u2019re condemned when failing. But Ellen takes it all in her stride.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s just perception,\u201d she shares. \u201cI take it as a compliment. I find that everybody perceives you differently, there\u2019s no right or wrong. You just have to take it as it is, don\u2019t dwell on it.\u201d\u00a0Despite acknowledging these drawbacks, Ellen was just as quick to turn things around and speak instead about the upsides of being a female business leader.\u00a0She says of her personal experience of being a female leader in the electrical industry, \u201cI don\u2019t think that being a female in this male-dominated industry has disadvantaged me, personally. On the contrary, industry veterans are more willing to share experiences and offer some guidance along the way.\u201dHaving been navigating a men\u2019s world for the past 23 years, Ellen has undoubtedly gained a wealth of experience on how to use her unique skillset to her advantage. For the benefit of all the women out there (and myself) grinding it out in the workforce, Ellen highlights some of the natural inclinations women have and how we can use them best.\u00a0\u201c[Women] typically excel at soft skills and have higher emotional intelligence… today\u2019s leaders require diverse skill sets, so I find that in a male-dominant industry, having a female can actually enrich conditions that lead to more robust strategies and discussions, as well as more innovative and comprehensive solutions.\u201d\u00a0She goes on to add, \u201cMost women have some eye for detail, but at the same time we\u2019re able to step back and use our emotional and soft skills to motivate our team members to magnify that detail and work on it.\u201d\u00a0Of course, some of these are sweeping statements that may not apply to all women, but these skills that Ellen have highlighted can come in handy regardless of gender.\u00a0Ultimately, the best leaders will need to possess traits that are both typically masculine and feminine, much like how Ellen isn\u2019t afraid to be opinionated and empathetic all at once. And to lead her company into the new frontier that is sustainable energy, Ellen will definitely need to have all her cards at hand.\u00a0READ: What Happens When Your Self-Identity is Tied to Your PartnerAn inspiration for the next generationIn all the hats that she wears \u2013 executive director, female business leader, or working mother of four, Ellen approaches it with the same positive sensibility, gusto, and grit.\u00a0She encourages the younger generation to do the same; “Step out of your comfort zone,” she urged, “when you do things that are different from others, you create a footprint for yourself. Dare to be different.\u201dThere is no doubt that challenges are part and parcel of one’s foray into the working world, or any new environment. However, Ellen strongly believes that resilience and tenacity are fundamental to success.\u00a0It\u2019s her mantra in life \u2013 to wake up and \u201ctell yourself that nothing can take you down.\u201d\u00a0With her fierce determination, it\u2019s no wonder that Ellen continues to thrive as a woman in a man\u2019s world, even as she leads Union Power to compete with the Goliaths in the energy market.\u00a0Special thanks to: Ellen Teo of Union Power (@unionpowersg)Join the conversations on THG’s\u00a0Facebook\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram, and get the latest updates via\u00a0Telegram."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Destinations","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Singapore","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/\/singapore\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Ellen Teo, Executive Director of Union Power, Thrives in a Men’s World","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/ellen-teo-executive-director-of-union-power-thrives-in-a-mens-world\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]