Whether she’s teaching a spin class, coaching her employees, or advising clients, Christina Ho is all about helping people reach their full potential. “I have always advocated for the importance of continually growing and stepping outside of our comfort zones,” says Christina.
Currently a branch manager in Montreal, Christina firmly believes that RBC’s greatest strength is its support for employees. And she is living proof of what can happen when someone invests in you. “I've always been fortunate to have managers who believe in me and mentors who have supported me throughout my career,” says Christina.
Christina started her career at RBC as a Relationship Financial Advisor shortly after graduating from college and she was passionate about her work. But her mentor and her manager saw even more potential. They encouraged her to apply for a position at Global Asset Management as Quebec Regional Director, a role Christina had never even imagined she’d be qualified for.
“They opened up a different view of myself,” remembers Christina. “We tend to hold back because we don’t think we have the skills. Having my mentor and my manager encouraging me to take that step was so rewarding as an employee — it gave me confidence.”
Christina landed the job and absolutely loved it. She was able to share her passion for investment with other advisors, which, in turn, informed their conversations with clients. “We need to take every opportunity we have with our clients to help them achieve their goals,” reflects Christina. “When clients come into the office, it’s usually for an immediate need, but we have to go above and beyond and give them the best advice.”
Christina also learned an important skill to connect with clients and colleagues: authenticity. “As regional manager, I did a lot of presentations and training,” she explains. “At first, I made myself more professional and serious, but it was hard to connect with the audience. So I decided to drop my notes and be my cheerful self as I shared my knowledge and passion for investing. I received positive feedback and had so many great conversations.” Further, she is focused on engaging her employees. For Christina, this begins with actively listening to the needs of her people and includes being able to share honest and constructive feedback.
When the role of Branch Manager came up a year and a half ago, Christina didn’t hesitate to apply this time around. “Ambition is a force that motivates us, gives us energy to succeed and helps us trust that anything is possible,” she says. “Ambition is what prompted me to apply for this role. I didn’t have management experience, but I believed the skills that I had developed through my different roles could help my team's development.”
As a Branch Manager, she now feels a responsibility to help her staff unlock their potential — just as her managers have done for her. She works with each of her employees through their development plan to identify fields in which they want to grow and excel. Christina has supported her direct reports to map out the next step in their careers from coordinating job shadowing opportunities, to helping them develop the specific and targeted skills they need to progress to their next role.
“RBC trusted me, gave me opportunities to surpass my career goals and took me out of my comfort zone,” says Christina. “My greatest achievement would be to see my employees grow in their current roles towards their next role and career goal.”
