How to be an award winning Talent Leader

What does it take to be an award winning Talent Leader? Papercut’s Head of Talent Sandra Lim recently took out the gong for Corporate Talent Leader of the Year at the 2023 Internal Talent Awards (ITAs). We sat down with her to get a better idea of what goes into her success.

First and foremost, congratulations on your ITAs win! How are you feeling?

Thank you so much! I am so honoured to have been nominated along with some really amazing talent out there. So very humbled to have won.

I am feeling quite emotional and just very grateful for it all. Being the first Asian and Asian female winner has tremendous weight on my shoulders, and I’m just happy to have unlocked a new level of achievement.

PS – My mum is super excited for my win. I can tell as she’s sent the note and photos of me to all her friends, and our relatives!

What are you doing to make the difference in your organisation as a Talent Leader?

My ethos has always been to be a thoughtful and empathetic leader, and I really hope that comes through in everything I do. I make an effort to bring my authentic self to work, and never shy away from having difficult conversations.

How do you inspire your team?

Oh gosh, this is a loaded question. I hope that I inspire them by showing up to work each day. By this, I mean, that I show up when the times are good and when it’s tough. I share with them the challenges that I face as a leader, and I provide insights to how to resolve problems that they might encounter on their daily journey. Most of all, I just listen to them. They are a great team, and already know how to handle tough situations. They just need me to be there for them!

What advice do you have for talent professionals looking to become great Talent Leaders?

Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Network with the talent community (we’re a great bunch!), find yourself a great mentor or mentors, and just be a sponge and learn from everyone. I’m learning every day from my team, my peers, and my colleagues.

Take a look at the full list of 2023 ITAs winners here.

Feature image: Sandra (3rd from right) celebrating her win at the 2023 ITAs with members of the Melbourne Rec Meetup.