Passion and commitment is not in short supply

The reason why Sophia Chin likes to work at UBS? It's the people. Active listening and being authentic are her recipe for working effectively together in global virtual teams.

Working in the Corporate Center where we have thousands of people supporting various processes across every region, every business, every time zone and multiple languages, collaboration is critical. For me, collaboration is about leveraging the strengths of our diverse thoughts to deliver excellence for our clients.

As part of my responsibilities, I manage the internship program for Group Operations Americas. I really enjoy this aspect of my role, as I have an opportunity to help our interns develop and grow, and for some, to build their careers at the firm. One question that interns typically ask me is "Why do you stay at UBS?" I have never once hesitated in my response which is always "The people." We have a collaborative environment that is fueled by our sense of teamwork, commitment, dedication as well as perseverance in the face of any day-to-day challenges.

In today's global business environment, working together virtually is no longer just a possibility, it's a requirement. As an example, I am involved in a global program, which is focused on increasing representation of women in leadership roles. It means working closely with the executive sponsors and core team members in multiple locations to support the development of female directors across five regions, ten countries and six functions.

Passion and commitment is not in short supply across our group. Successful collaboration for us means weekly virtual meetings to design, develop and execute our program strategy, manage our budget and quickly address any issues to ensure our overall program objectives are met. My main tip for optimal work in virtual teams: be a great active listener, build trust, break down barriers, recognize and reward employees and be authentic!