S2E12: Choosing Happiness with Ting Mei Chong

In this episode of Purpose Project, host Leslie Pagel sits down with Ting Mei Chong to explore the concept of purpose in the workplace. Ting Mei, a customer engagement and advocacy manager at a global tech company, shares her journey of transitioning from a responsibility-driven purpose of providing for her family to a more personally fulfilling purpose centered around happiness and joy. The episode delves into the importance of finding joy in work, the role companies play in fostering a supportive environment, and how individual purpose can significantly influence professional life. The conversation offers valuable insights for anyone looking to cultivate happiness and purpose both in and outside of the workplace.

00:00 Introduction to Purpose Project

00:43 Meet Ting Mei Chong

02:43 Exploring Life's Purpose

06:13 Purpose in the Workplace

15:01 Creating a Supportive Work Environment

20:07 Exploring the Role of Marketing in Building Connections

21:45 The Importance of Customer Engagement and Advocacy

23:31 Aligning Individual and Company Purpose

25:06 The Power of Positive Energy in the Workplace

30:41 Advice for Finding Happiness at Work

36:04 Final Thoughts on Purpose and Happiness

Purpose Project is a research study on the topic of life's purpose. You can follow along in the making of Purpose Project:
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Transcript

Leslie: 0:04

Welcome to Purpose Project where we are exploring the topic of purpose in the workplace. My name is Leslie Pagel and I am glad that you're here with us. In this episode, I sit down with Ting Mei Chong for Ting Mei. Purpose isn't a destination or a checklist, is a conscious choice to live with joy, presence, and happiness. In this episode, Ting Mei and I explore how purpose can be a way of being and how choosing happiness influences us in and outside of the workplace. Let's take a listen. Ting Mei, thank you for being on Purpose Project. I'm really looking forward to having a conversation about how purpose shows up in the workplace. Hi, Leslie. Thanks for having me. Absolutely. Before we jump into the topic of purpose, tell us a little bit about you. Who is Ting Mei, both personally and professionally? So I am a mother to two girls, um, a daughter, sister, a friend. Um, and uh, so I currently work as a customer engagement and advocacy manager at a global tech company. Um, I've been with the company for over five years now, and I've spent the last, oh, this is gonna like, age me, but, um, yeah, I've spent, uh, I guess. 25 years working. So working a long time. Yes. That doesn't age you. It's experience. Yes, for sure. And I have gone through it all. So yeah. I feel like I have a little bit, you know, of uh, you know, insights to life. Mm-hmm. Maybe to share with my kids. Absolutely. Yeah. Have you always been in the role of customer experience advocate I've always been in marketing. It's a marketing role, so, um, yeah, pretty much I've been in marketing, my entire, work life. Did start out as a PR investor relations, you know, communications type role, but you know, in this sort of also marketing, so yeah. Okay. Yeah, and always in tech companies. Yes. Tech companies. Okay. Okay. Mm-hmm. So I heard, um, real connection to people, family, uh, friends, and then a professional career in marketing for tech companies. Yes. That's me. Well, one question I ask everyone on the show is, do you have a life's purpose? Uh, you know, it's funny because I've, for some reason I've been getting this question a lot, uh, of late. So, um, and growing up in, um, in Malaysia, um, with a Chinese family. Um, and my parents, uh, are working class, middle class, you know. Um, so they work really hard to just like provide for us. And never really like think about anything else. So like, just think about life's purpose. Like what do you mean life's purpose is just to provide for your family? Right? So, no, I haven't really thought about that until like, yeah, like I said recently, and I'm like, you know what? I am, I have studied hard, worked hard, I've provided for my family and um. I feel like now, yeah, I can say I'm, at a place where I can think about, what is life's purpose other than just providing for your family. Right. And I think for me right now, it's, really about finding. Happiness, you know, um, finding happiness, uh, sharing it, spreading it, keeping it, and just try to instill that, with, um, people, around me. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I love that. Just my life's purpose now. Yes. Yeah. So it's a little bit of transitioning from this purpose of caring for my family and helping them. Um, nurturing them and growing them into this cultivating of happiness, not just for yourself, but for the people around you. Yeah.'cause I mean, some people just like, um, what I've noticed, could be just living, you know, like what mm-hmm. Really, like, what, what's the point of that? Like life can be so joyful, so why not go out, right. Find happiness, right. Exactly. Yes. Yeah. Someone, recently mentioned a poem, and I don't remember who it was from or any of it, but the essence of the poem was, when you look for something, you're gonna. You're gonna find what you're looking for. And so if you're looking for hate and anger, then you're gonna find it. But if you're looking for happiness and joy, you're gonna find that too. Yeah. It's, it's what you put your time and effort into, right? Like being intentional, and consistent with what your, yeah. Yeah. Connection. Yeah. And, and to your point, like purpose is about living, you know, it, it's about living life mm-hmm. On purpose and with intention. Mm-hmm. And we have the opportunity to do that. We don't have to just let each day go by. We can take responsibility and, and look for happiness and cultivate it for others and, and do all that. Yeah. Yeah. And I think, like the old ways of thinking, or at least my parents' generation, maybe just my parents, I don't know, um, uh, you know, just like living for your kids or you know, is, um, I mean, it's good, you know, for the kids, but then like, well now your kids are God. So, you know, like by meaning for yourself. Right. Exactly. So well, um, season two of Purpose Project is all about how purpose shows up in the workplace, and I have been talking with. Individuals from various parts of the organization and various levels of the organization to explore how purpose shows up. And I'd love to hear from you as someone, um, in the tech world, someone in a marketing function, how do you see purpose show up in the workplace? Like you, you basically spending. A third of your day, working maybe even more like I, I guess it's more than half your waking hours, right. Working, with people. And, if you can't find meaning for that, it is going to be such a drag mm-hmm. To your life, to your days. Um, so, I think purpose is really important. And bringing all that together, so that yeah, you're, you're happy with what you're doing, because, um, yeah. Why, why live if you're not going to be happy mm-hmm. Right. Doing what you do. Yeah. And how you live your life. So when I hear that. I hear, um, very much people. Finding joy in their work or doing work that is joyful for them, or at least not kind of miserable. Um, yeah. Yeah, exactly. I mean, I remember my first job, after a while I was just like, dreading going to work, and every Sunday night I'd be like. Oh my God, I can't believe I have to, start this the next five days. And I was just miserable. And that's exactly it, right? Like, why be miserable? Mm-hmm. So find work that you love to do. Um, or, or people, and it's important to find people that you can work with, are happy to work with too, right? Because mm-hmm. Yeah. You, you don't work in isolation, that's so important. People that you work with, the work that you do has to spark joy, right? Right. Yeah. Yeah. So I. I totally agree. Um, and it's, it's one of the reasons why I'm so excited about season two is because we do spend so much time at work, but then I look around and I see so many people that seem unhappy in their work, like what you were describing and, just makes me wonder, is that okay some people to just have a job to acquire money and be unhappy in it? Or, or can everyone have both? I think you can, I think anyone, most of us can do any anything. So why choose to do something that you're going to be unhappy and miserable about? Mm-hmm. There, I, I feel, there's a lot of opportunities out there. So find the right one if you can. I know some people may not have, the ability or the means to take their time and find something, that they can be happy doing. Um, but if you can, certainly, do that. And if you're not happy where you are right now, just um. Do that while, searching, continue to look for what you like to do, doing something that you like to do because, I think it's just such a miserable life that, uh, if, if you had to do something that you don't like doing,'cause that was, what it was like for me for like five years, you know? Okay. I'm exaggerated maybe two years. And then, something came up and. Since then, I've always done work that I was very excited to do. I'm happy to do. So I think it's possible, we just have to set our mind to it. Right. And, um, not give up,'cause when you work at it, when you're hopeful, and again, you embody this, happiness. Right. Then, opportunities will present themselves if you don't give up, just, keep at it. Yeah, right. With a good positive attitude. Mm-hmm. Right. So yeah, that's my, my, I think that, um, that concept of not giving up is so important because in some ways, when people stay in a job that they. Aren't happy. And that is giving up, right? Yeah. On themselves. Yeah. And then it, it will show, in your work, in your personal life, you'll, you might take it out on other people, and that's just Yeah. Then every, everybody else becomes miserable. Mm-hmm. You become even more miserable, you know? Right. So, so yeah. I, I would, uh, yeah. Never stay in a job that you're not happy with. And I, I've seen people actually who have stayed in their jobs for like decades, and maybe some people have managed, even if they're not happy, but if you're able to do that, maybe find happiness elsewhere. That's what I was wondering. Is it that our work should fulfill our purpose? Or is it that our work should be a place that doesn't make us miserable, where we can go and do the work to get paid for it so that we can do live our purpose outside of work? Yeah, that might be a possibility. I think, um, if you're so good at what you do, that it's just like second nature to you and you're not, striving to be better. Mm-hmm. Um, and it's just a job. Right. Um, then yeah, if you have, you, you have the time to go focus on something else outside of work. Um, maybe that's, passable and you can sustain that, that work and find, passion for something else outside of work. Sure. I think that that could work for some people. Yeah. Um, yeah. Maybe it's not a, one size fits all. Yeah. Yeah. And what I hear from you is you're in a position right now that. You enjoy and is, that because of your purpose or is that because of something else? Um, yeah, I enjoy doing my work. I, do a lot of writing and also, interacting with customers, different teams throughout the company. Um, and I. I, I like doing that, brings me joy. Um, and I like interacting with people, with customers, when I get to make them happy, makes me happy, right? So happiness begets happiness, Uhhuh, so it's, comes full circle, right? So what better feeling than to make someone else feel good And, um. Yeah, be able to spread that and, this world would be so much better with less hate and, more joy, right? So why not do that? Um, yeah, day in, day out, right? Yeah. Well, and it seems very much connected to your purpose. Where you talk about your purposes to explore happiness, to cultivate it, to share it with others, and that for you happens also in the workplace as a place where you get to make your customers feel happy, and you get to become happy in doing that. It's a great feeling, there are other types of feelings, but happiness, I, I think everybody wants to be happy. Mm-hmm. Right? So if you can do that in, in little meetings, little talks with people. Little communications emails, why not? Right. And just, yeah, just right tone. Like all it takes Is that just how you position things is Yeah. Makes the a world of difference. Yeah. Yeah. So we've been talking about your purpose and how going to work needs to be something more that kind of fills up your cup than takes from it. What is the, from your perspective and your experience, what is the responsibility for the company to create an environment for you to do that? Is do they have a responsibility in it? Yeah, for sure. Where I work, um, yeah. It's, I think our HR is doing a great job. They, we've got. Um, values what we call these epic values, and I, I've never been at a company where I think, everyone works so well together and are very supportive of each other. Um, so. Everyone wants everyone else to succeed and do well. We help each other out. And when you do that, the whole company, does well. So it is in the company's best interest to obviously. Um, keep your employees happy, right. Um, and I'm fortunate that my company, does do that. Yeah. So, yeah. You mentioned the values. Is that where you see most of that culture coming from is through, through the values or are there other things that help create that environment of teamwork and, and lifting each other up? Yeah, I think. In going with those values as well, they, it, it's not just, um, lip service, right? They, they have to actually right. Do the work. Um, so that, we have a lot of like, activities, um, and, uh, internal meetings or, you know, bring, they bring speakers in to talk about different. Um, things like, diversity inclusion, right? Um, and, and all of this is to sort of, yeah. Cultivate, a, a. Community, within the company, with the employees. So we're a global company. We're, we have offices all over the world and we all work remotely. Mm-hmm. So some of us don't even see each other in person. Yeah. Through these events. We're able to come together, support each other inside and outside of work. Mm-hmm. Right. Um, people. Uh, run or, have different initiatives, um, outside of work and we, we all support each other. So, uh, we have like world cleanup day and, people have different causes and they share them and, feel free to support as you wish. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's, um, it's really interesting'cause as you're talking, I've, I've, I've had conversations about how this. Cultivating this environment can be easier in smaller organizations, but you're in this big global remote workforce and you still feel very much connected into this spirit of teamwork, support, growth of each other in the business and our customers. Yeah, I've worked at other big companies as well, and I feel they're not as integrated. Um, and here we're just like, my managers based in France. Um, I have someone reporting it to me from the states, and we work with companies. I'm, um, other teams from like. All over, mm-hmm. So, and, and we come together on different causes, topics, and we're able to do that. Everyone's really like supportive Yeah. Of each other. So yeah. Who, who leads that? How does that happen? The leadership, really, we have, internal champions, um, and some of the executives, will champion certain causes as well, like, women's, rights or whatever, different things. Um, so it has to come from the top, right? Like, yeah. Who betted to, help spread, this message of camaraderie and, community than your leaders. Right, right. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So has to come from there. And then, obviously HR as well. That will sponsor these events. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I've found, I. That most organizations have mission, vision, values, those things. Mm-hmm. But having a statement of purpose is not as common. Does your company have a statement of purpose, I'm actually working on, um, a customer experience charter, so I was looking into what our corporate, values, mission, vision, um, were as well. So, but I don't remember seeing purpose. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Um, it, it probably falls under, the mission. That's how it's been coming up, is that it tends to be. Use synonymously with mission, that there's a lot of overlap in those two. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So does that, or does your company have a mission statement'cause I'm curious'cause you're in marketing, right? And so a part of your role is also to. Create this external awareness and connection to the brand. Mm-hmm. And what it stands for and why it exists in all of that. Do you do that in your job or is that somewhere else in marketing? Um, so I used to fall under corporate marketing and so, and actually external, uh, communications and brand branding. So. So, yeah, so, so we did, well my other team, um, did manage some of the branding positioning. Um, and our tagline is, because connections matter. Mm. So everything that we do is to, um, build those connections with our customers, enable our customers to build connections with their customers. Right? Right. So, so we have software and hardware that will do all that. Right. And support that, objective. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Okay. So that piece of it, of connecting customers to mission, purpose, uh, is in the marketing function as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And connecting each other, because every company wants to be connected to their customers. Mm-hmm. Um, and in my role too, so as a customer engagement and advocacy, um, manager, my role is to build those relationships, um, with our customers, and make sure that we are nurturing those connections. At every touch point that we have with our customers and making sure that they are feeling valued, they were providing the, um, right resources to them, um, in order for them to do their jobs or advance, in what they do. Yeah. Yeah. Which all of that feels very much connected to this tagline of. Because connections matter. And you can directly see in the work that you do, how you are carrying out that, focus of connection in the work that you do. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Because, um, yeah. How else do you build relationships, right, with your customers? Um, it, it's through the everyday interactions. It may not come from just one person, right? Mm-hmm. Um, it's. All our teams that touch the customers, right. Customer success. We've got support, PSO, um, marketing. So, so all of these roles have to come together and, and, um, yeah, which is why I'm now building out this CX charter to have our own vision and mission and goals, you know, so that we can all be aligned in how we are going to, be there, for our customers. Right, right. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So I remain curious about this overlap of individual purpose, and then this view of company purpose, our purpose. For this company is to help our customers create connections and, and things like that. And so there's these different perspectives of purpose, right? There's the individual and then there's the shared purpose of the company. Do you see, um, how those two things might overlap in your work I mean, ultimately it's, um, it, happiness carries through, right? So it's, when you, connect with a customer and present, a positive, joyous outlook, it comes back, right? It's all about how you, show up. Mm-hmm. Right. And I think people will appreciate, um, a positive outlook, better than if you came at them like negatively. Right. It does carry through. Personally, if you are happy, um, it will show in your work and, um, yeah. So that, that carries through to everything that you do, right? Right. Mm-hmm. And, then your teams around. You feel it, your customers feel it, and, uh, it all comes back, right? Yeah. Yeah. So that perspective sounds more from the individual, in their role, um, brings their purpose to the workplace and in allowing them to do that, it helps the company's purpose achieve what it's trying to do. Exactly. It's, it's like if you are, happy doing what you do, it comes through your work and you can focus, on your work. Mm-hmm. Um, and yeah, it just comes through. Yeah. Absolutely. And what's the benefit of that? Um, well, as a business, when your customers come back, obviously everything else has to be, you have to provide. Uh, good products, good services as well, just, uh, you know, good feelings aren't gonna sell, right? So everything else also has to come into play. But, um, yeah, if you have all of that, then um, that's the edge, right? That, that you have over, a competitor or someone else that might not have such a, um, good outlook, Uhhuh. Um, and I think sometimes, maybe even if your products and services aren't as good as the competition, but then, you have a super relationship with, um, your customers because they, they like you and they like, the kind of feelings that you evoke Right, um, from them that they, they will go with that. Right. And, and who, who wants to work with someone who's, miserable or mean or, yeah. Yeah. Uh, yeah. And who's just out to get you or, doesn't care about you really. He just cares about. Closing business. Uh, closing a sale. Right. Um, so, so yeah, I think really the, your, your personality and, and how you, um, present the company, in a positive way, um, that all benefits the company. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I, as you were talking, I just kept. Thinking competitive differentiation.'Cause in a scenario, not your company, but where there is a company. That might not have mm-hmm. The state of the art product, but it's leading with helping employees bring their full selves, their purpose into the workplace. It could give them a competitive advantage because it creates this relationship and this energy with the customers that. Could overshadow, the product, Yeah, yeah. I mean there's exactly the, the energy, when you bring like a, a positive, um, energy into, um, a connection, people can't help but like. Want to stay there with positive energy. Right, right. Um, positive, happy energy. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So, um, yeah, totally agree. Yeah. And, sometimes I think people feel like this topic of energy is like woo woo or whatever, but the reality is you feel energy. We feel it. Mm-hmm. People don't need to open their mouth. We just know sometimes yeah, when someone's upset or, um, happy or joyful, just because of the energy that they carry with them. And so having employees that can bring that energy by bringing their purpose into the workplace creates that opportunity to, uh, really connect with customers and. Create that competitive advantage. Yeah, exactly. And when you support, um, your employees, purpose, your employees want to also support you, right? Mm-hmm. And give back. Right. And do their best for the company. Yeah. So again, it's like a full circle. Yeah. Yeah. Do you have conversations in your work about individual purpose? Mm. Um, I don't think it comes off that way. It's more about professional, development. Mm-hmm. So maybe in a sense. Um, if you grow professionally, would that help you personally? And, so indirectly. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Well, and you mentioned earlier how there's, these things where people outside of work go together and support each other and things like that. Mm-hmm. And yeah. And while that might not be talking about, this is my purpose and in like direct language. Yeah. It's indirectly connected to. What people enjoy doing because that's how they're spending their time out of work. Yeah. Yeah. It's supporting, our passions, right. Like outside of work too. So in a sense, the company is supporting, employees that way. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What advice do you have for people who are listening who may be in a work situation where they're not happy, they can't, live out, their purpose in their, their work environment. What advice do you have for them? So, um, I would say, happiness is a choice, right? You can be in that situation and choose to be happy or fix that situation. Mm-hmm. If you're unhappy about that situation, it might take time. But, as long as someone is consistently, working at it, and the more like the positive energy that you put out, right? The more it comes back. Yeah. So if we lead with that, you know, um, treat people with kindness and empathy, and also working on yourself, right. Um. And, and find a solution and work at it. And no matter how long it takes, sometimes it might take a long time. So, and, surround yourself with other, like-minded people, but positive, support. Mm-hmm. Right. Um, I think, yeah, that's important. Yeah. Yeah. So I heard there, if you're not happy in your job, you don't need to stay there. You have to make a choice. You can choose to, uh, be happy in your job or you could choose to. Look for other alternatives, but, but do something. Don't just live life in a, a job where you're unhappy. Yeah. And, and maybe, that job has turned, I know a humdrum or whatever, but, find something else within the job that can, turn it around or Yeah. Talk to your manager, find something else within the company maybe. Mm-hmm. Um, yeah, just don't, um, stew in, in that situation, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Move into action. Take responsibility and, and do something. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Do you And all with a positive, positive, you know, um, outlook. Yeah, I was gonna ask about that because when you talk about like choosing happiness and we have, we can choose, um,, I think for some people choosing the more optimistic or the more upbeat, positive outlook can be difficult. Hmm. Sometimes people are just more hardwired to cup is half empty instead of cup is half full. Any advice for, for that person whose natural tendency is to be more, let's look for what could go wrong and look for the negative. Yeah, I don't know. That's a really hard one because, um. I think I'm more of an optimist as well, so it's, it's hard when I see that and it's like, how do I help this person? First you need someone to like actually point that out. Why are you living like this? It's not healthy. It doesn't do anything for your life, so make a change. And, it's hard, to even get the person to see, this other way. But if possible, surround yourself with, happy people, right. Yeah, I think it'll rub off. But, um, or my backfire, I don't know. Um, it, it's, um, yeah, that, that's a hard one. I am not sure what to do in those situations,, they have to want to help themselves. Yes. That's good. You know? Good point. Yeah. Yeah.'cause it does require effort, it does require you to do something, even if it's just changing your mindset. That still is effort. Um. Absolutely. And that's, that's exactly it. You have to want to change your mindset. Mm-hmm. And, unfortunately, you can't do it, if you don't have that mindset already. Um, and so. You need someone in your support system to be able to like show you, tell you, yeah. That, yeah, you need this change. Yeah. Well, and maybe that is something that they could do is if, if they don't have that outlook, they could spend some time and explore their mindset. You know, what is it that. Lends me to be more negative and when does that serve me? And when doesn't it serve me? And just poke at that question. Mm-hmm. And peel it back and see what's underneath there. Yeah. It's kind of tricky'cause some people maybe they're happy being like that Uhhuh. Yeah. Yeah. if they're happy being that way, then, they found their happiness. Oh, any other advice for those who are listening? Um, I don't know if I have any, profound advice, just thinking, if I'm like talking to my kids, right? Um, it's a state of being, and it's a choice, right? So. Choose happiness or misery, which would serve you better. Right? Right. Um, and, and you're, if you're expending your energy on negative, this heavy. Feelings, that I don't think will serve you well, at least, not in the long run. Right, right. Yeah. Don't, don't carry those feelings. Right. Um, and find a way to overcome them, and, uh, yeah. Find people who can support you, and your purpose. Love it. Yeah. Love it. Anything else left unsaid on the topic of purpose in the workplace? Um, Surround yourself with, people who, will lift you up and you lift, each other up. So that, what's a better feeling than. Coming to work, being excited to come to work every day because you have wonderful people to work with. You, you love the work that you do, um, and the customers that you serve. And then to see results, you know, and the company doing well, right? So that, uh, again, comes, all, comes full circle. So. Just that. Love it. Well, thank you so much for being on Purpose Project. I've really enjoyed our conversation. Thank you, Leslie. I hope that was, helpful. Absolutely. Yes. Yeah. Sharing, sharing laughs, creating memories, right? Um, that's what it's, all about, at the end of the day, it's not, material things, right. Come and go. Um, but memories, um, time spent together is really what you remember. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Love it. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, Leslie. As I reflect on this conversation with Ting Mei, I am reminded of the diverse ways in which purpose manifests itself in people's lives. I've heard people describe their purpose as a goal. I've heard people describe their purpose as a responsibility, and I've heard others like Ting Mei describe their purpose more in terms of the ways that they want to show up in this world. Ting Mei's commitment to live a life seeking happiness isn't something that she saves for her time outside of the workplace. It's an integral part of who she is influencing, not just herself, but every interaction in and outside of the workplace. Ting Mei you so much for being on Purpose Project and for living a life of happiness, and thanks to all of you for tuning in. Purpose Project is brought to you for education and for entertainment purposes. This podcast is not intended to replace the advice that you would receive from a licensed therapist or doctor or any other qualified professional.