Chips, Grit, and "Girl on Fire": Emily Yang on Leadership, Mentorship, and Moving Up

Emily: After I graduated from university, I really had no idea what I wanted to do. Pretty much the first job defined my career path. I actually started at Pericom 27 years ago.

Ruth: Wow.

Emily: As a senior customer service rep. So, throughout the years I did many different jobs and, you know, became a customer logistics director, managing contract manufacturers for a number of years, transferred to regional sales and then took over North America and Europe for Pericom. And then, you know, my Asia VP resigned, so I took over Asia. This is before the Diodes acquisition about 10 years ago. So, after Diodes acquired Pericom, I took over the North America sales team and then got promoted after two years into VP of Global Sales and Marketing. And then from there, you know, that's pretty much my career path. So, I think the difference is actually I did work my way up, so definitely not one of the helicopter, you know, helicopter Senior VP, per se.

Ruth: And how has your approach to leadership evolved? As you said, you climbed your way up, so you went through all the levels and took all the hurdles. How has your approach evolved with it, your leadership?

Emily: Style is defined by your experience. Right. So, I think throughout the years I have had so many different managers and VPs and, you know, one good thing is you learn from them and then you kind of decide and pick and choose what style you want to be, right?

Ruth: Mm-hmm.

Emily: I have had micromanagement, or micromanaged-style managers before. I've had completely trusted, hands-off style of managers. I think for me at that time, I decided if I'm ever going to be a manager, I want to be the style that trusts my people, you know, works with them and grows with them. Right. So that's pretty much, you know, the decision I make throughout the journey of your career, right?

Ruth: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. In 27 years, you must have witnessed significant growth and guided Diodes through it. What's been the most transformative change you have experienced or have led?

Emily: You know, I think the most recent, I would say within the last 10 years, with the Diodes acquisition and kind of transforming the go-to-market strategy for DI overall, I think is quite exciting, right? DI used to be a component manufacturer selling components only. So, I think about eight or 10 years ago, I implemented the go-to-market strategy more on the solution sales, total solution approach, and also kind of transformed the team from just commercial sales to more technical sales, working on the design-in revenue, focusing on demand creation. I would say that's probably a very significant change overall within my approach to management and also, I think for Diodes as well.

Ruth: You have mentioned how important it is for you to communicate with your team, to motivate, to be an engaging leader. How has this approach helped you?

Emily: Yeah, I think, you know, communications are definitely a very, very important part. Executive presence, right?

Ruth: Hmm.

Emily: You know, there's really a gravitas, whether it's communication or appearance, it's really an important package all together. Being able to communicate, being able to share your vision and the end goal with your team, you know, so they will come along with you if they understand what we're trying to achieve, and they agree with it. And also, you can actually define very clear, step-by-step goals for the team. No matter at what level, they can actually follow you. I think it's definitely a key part of being a good manager.

Ruth: I think I read in an interview you gave where you mentioned that leadership isn't about being tough, but about understanding the business and inspiring the team. Can you share an example where you practised this, or where this philosophy led to a breakthrough?

Emily: Yeah, I'm not a helicopter VP, so I use a carrot approach just like everybody else. I think, you know, for me to understand what is required, what are the challenges, and how can I get the team focused and motivated, being able to share my same vision at the end, it's actually very important. You know, I mean, there's different styles. It can be my way or the highway style of manager, but I never believed that should be the right way. Right? I think how to motivate, how to advocate for the team, how they see you as a leader, as a role model, is going to be the key to success.

Ruth: Diodes, as I understand it, is a key player in discrete, logic and mixed-signal semiconductors. How do you see these technologies enabling the next wave of innovation?

Emily: Yeah, I think, you know, the current innovation or the future innovation, there's a lot of things around the speed, the size and the power. Right. So, Diodes actually has a lot of products that fit into the requirements for the future of innovation. You know, we actually have all the discretes covered, from MOSFETs to TVS to BJTs and everything on the analogue side. We also have a lot of power management solutions that are perfectly fitted for the current requirements of some of the new applications. And on top of that, we focus a lot on the high-speed side, especially the interfaces and the protocols that actually came from the Pericom Semiconductor side of the product, including timing, right? I think, you know, we are looking at the technology moving to PCIe Gen 5, Gen 6. There's a lot of signal integrity issues. We also have retimers to boost up the signal to travel longer distances. So, I would say, all in all, right, we continue to focus on technology expansion, and I believe that with this focus, with a lot of new products introduced into the market, we will continue to enable innovation overall in the market.

Ruth: Can you share a use case that has inspired you the most recently? Something that really stood out for you.

Emily: I think, you know, one of the applications right now, it's pretty hot, right? It's humanoid robotics applications. So just looking at this new application, right, Diodes’ solution is actually perfectly fitted for the power management solution area. We have actually a lot of MOSFETs, a lot of discretes that actually perfectly fit for motor drivers, as an example. You know, on a robot you have a lot of joints, you have a lot of movements. Of course, you know, there's a lot of interfaces when this kind of technology goes into this type of solution, you have a lot of interfaces to connect things together. And then with the timing solutions that we offer, I think it's actually quite exciting. So, I mean, the volume of this application has not really ramped to high volume yet, but just, you know, looking at a new application with engagement from customers is actually quite exciting.

Ruth: And this is, I think probably also a market where the North American market, I guess, moves first. And I'm not sure, I suppose the European market is lagging a bit behind in that sense, where it comes to autonomous robots. What's your experience?

Emily: Right. I think it's all about timing, right? So, you start from one territory. I mean, Asia actually has a lot of design activity going on as well. I know there's also some in Europe. Right. I think at the end it's really about when this is going to ramp into mass volume production. So, I do see opportunities across all regions, not necessarily just in North America.

Ruth: Okay. Yeah. I guess Asia is even more ahead with most of these advanced humanoid robotics technologies. And so, I understand that Diodes operates globally, and so do you and your team, right?

Emily: Mm-hmm.

Ruth: How does this affect your leadership style? How do you adapt to different cultural contexts, different cultural markets?

Emily: Yeah, I think there's definitely cultural differences across different regions. Right? One funny story: we recently did an employee survey. The questions are exactly the same, and on the same question, Asia ranked almost perfect, like 95% of the results. And then, you know, we go to the US, the second set of the same scores dropped to about 75 to 80, and then Europe, the same question scored somewhere between 65 to 70. Right. So, it actually really shows you that there's definitely certain regions where people are more vocal, and there's certain regions where I think, because of the educational background and everything, people are more reserved to really provide, I would say, real feedback, which is actually a really interesting exercise. It kind of shows you the cultural differences across different regions. In Asia, right, the leadership style probably needs to be more of a leading style, like you have to define things very clearly and usually people are more receptive and follow an execution-style approach. Right? And then in other areas, which means that in Asia when you work with the team, you can actually provide opportunities for feedback, but at the end of each session, if you say, hey, are there any questions? I can guarantee you in Asia everybody will be really quiet, right? So, I think more guidance, and maybe it needs to be more: hey, please follow, here's the instruction, here's the end goal, this is what we are going to do, and please execute towards it. Right? I think for North America and Europe, you can actually have a style that is more open, more communicative, ask for feedback, and these are the regions where you're probably going to get more feedback and more questions coming from your team. It's a very interesting dynamic, but once you adjust your leadership style, I think it will work. You know, I'm Asian, I'm very vocal, so it's not everything one hundred percent. So, what I'm saying is, in general, right, you're getting more of this kind of reaction. I think there's a lot of cultural background. It's almost like, you know, when you go to Japan, I think people told me that when Japanese say "hai, hai, hai," that doesn't mean they agree with you, it means they just hear you. It's a very interesting dynamic, right?

Ruth: Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. But it also does help a team to get more perspectives than just the one you are most comfortable with, right? It helps a team, it helps your product, it helps a company when you then all of a sudden have to step out of your comfort zone and see things through a different lens, right?

Emily: Yeah. Definitely. I think in Asia, I do recommend smaller groups and maybe more one-on-one, and that's actually the time you're going to see people and hear from people more. They're more open with their ideas than in a big, you know, town hall-style communication.

Ruth: You are a vocal advocate of STEM education and mentorship, and we've had this theme over the years through most of our International Women's Day episodes, that especially for young girls or young women, STEM education is still a big issue in terms of motivating them to participate. How does supporting women in technology align with DI's mission, and what impact have you seen from these @s?

Emily: Yeah, so I joined the Global Semiconductor Alliance. Under that organisation, there's a Women's Leadership Initiative. They actually have a mentoring programme. It's called the Women in High Tech Mentoring Programme. I've been part of the programme for the last four years. Yeah, we just started our fourth year. I think the whole philosophy and idea is really, you look at high tech, and then you look at women in high tech, and then you look at management or executives in high tech, right? The percentage overall is actually very, very low. There's so many events that I go to, and you turn around, you don't really see a lot of women in those kinds of events. You know, funny story: we go to the bathroom, and this is the only time there's no line for women. Right? Which is kind of interesting and sad, right? So, I think, you know, the whole idea is what can we do to actually motivate women, especially in management. We also see that as positions move higher and higher; there seems to be a significant dropout before women get to the executive level. So, I think, you know, it's really interesting. So, a group of us actually joined this organisation and we provide a programme for, I would say, mid-level to higher-level women in management, and we work with them in a small group environment. We have some, I would say, foundational knowledge across different tracks of ideas. And then the key thing is creating this community, a community for women to share their experience and for them to know they're not alone. Right? The same challenge you face is probably similar to others, and there's also a group of mentors from different companies and different positions that they can actually talk to, to understand things overall, right, and learn from their journey, their experience, what they did to overcome some of the challenges that are quite common for women in leadership. So that's really quite a rewarding programme. Like I said, it's my fourth year in this programme since it started. It's amazing to watch some of these women's journeys and to watch them get promoted. Most importantly, it's actually about building up their confidence in themselves. I think last year I had six mentees in my programme, and two out of the six got promoted, and one of my mentees actually mentioned that she thought she was not ready for the promotion, but she joined the programme and afterwards she realised that she should give it a try. Right. So, I mean, this kind of story just really encourages me and makes me feel like I'm actually doing something good for society. I'm actually helping some of these women to overcome some of the challenges they have and continue to progress in their careers, which is really, I would say, amazing. And this fits really well with the overall beliefs at DI. Like I said, right, I'm homegrown and I'm a woman, I'm actually an Asian woman. So, I want to make sure if there's anything I can do to really help others and help them to grow, whether it's people within my company or outside the company in the high-tech industry.

Ruth: We will take a short break. Stay with us and we will be hearing from our guest very shortly. This podcast is brought to you by Avnet Silica, the Engineers of Evolution. Subscribe to our Avnet Silica newsletter or connect with us on LinkedIn. If you want to learn more about us, we have put information and links in this episode's show notes.

Ruth: I suppose that when you started your career there, networks and mentorship programmes were probably not really a thing yet. Would you like to talk about some of the challenges you had?

Emily: Um, I think similarly, right, you kind of explore your own path in your own way. Not everything's always up. There's downs, right? So, I think it's important to find a sponsor, to really find that one person or a few of them that believe in you. I think I remember my former CEO from Pericom, and one time I had a conversation with him and he told me: "Emily, you can do anything if you want. If you set your mind to it." That really, really helped me to build up my confidence, and having that sponsorship, having him trust in me and give me the opportunity, I think is really, really important. So, I think my message is: you are not alone. Right. I have ups and downs in my career. I have sidetracked my career as well. Right. But it's okay. You know, think it through, what do you want overall, and don't think too much, and just continue to deliver and do a good job and things just happen, you know, from there.

Ruth: That's terrific advice. Thank you. What is one challenge the industry isn't talking enough about, in your opinion, and how can leaders address it?

Emily: There's one thing that we didn't talk about, but I would like to point out. One thing is actually all the geopolitical challenges, all this overall supply chain challenge, whether it's China-for-China, whether it's greater China plus one, that you need to be outside of China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. You know, there are just so many changes. Right. And sometimes, you know, we also have leaders who can come up with things on a daily basis, which definitely creates challenges overall, right. You know, especially in the supply chain area. The thing I keep reminding myself: just keep your mind open and think about it. Take a deep breath and then work out the solution overall. Right. Some things are hard to predict, but it's also the reality of our lives, that we just need to continue to evolve and learn, right, and make changes accordingly.

Ruth: Yeah. What's a lesson you have learned that you wish you had known earlier in your career?

Emily: I think there's definitely times that I doubted myself. There's times that I was wondering whether this is really the right path for me. I think, you know, like I said, my former CEO's words helped me, and then, you know, one of the things I also did was look to some of the other women executives and, you know, work with them, learn from them, listen from them, and that helped me to really continue on my path, right? I actually think finding who you are, defining the style of leadership that you want to be... I don't think anybody told me, "Emily, you need to think about your leadership style, right, communications." I think all this is actually really good to learn from others and continue to improve. I think once you, I wouldn't say perfect your skill, but improve overall in those kinds of areas, it would really help you to shape your career as well as your path.

Ruth: Mm-hmm. Yeah. And the tech industry, or the semiconductor industry, there will be so much innovation in the upcoming years, from smart factories to autonomous systems, humanoid robots. I think there are so many business and career opportunities. I think it will be really, really interesting to participate as a woman engineer, as a woman leader in leadership roles. I think there's just so much opportunity in this industry at the moment.

Emily: Definitely keep learning. I think there's so many new things every day. Read the articles and enrich yourself from a knowledge point of view. And don't think too much, like oh my gosh, I used to know a person who literally mapped out their whole life, you know, by 30 I want to be at this position, by 40 I need to be a VP, and by 50 I need to be wherever. Right? So, I think follow your heart and do something you are passionate about. I think at the end you're going to find your own way to success.

Ruth: That's wonderful advice. Before we come to the end of the episode, is there anything I haven't asked you that you wish I had asked you?

Emily: At work, maybe I'm a Senior VP, but at home I'm just a mum of three lovely girls. And I think, you know, one thing I want to tell all the women who are listening: if I can do it, you can do it, right? Definitely. You know, people talk about work-life balance. I actually think it's work-life integration together. It's all about setting the priorities. It's all about how you work things out. I think at the end, still, if I can do it, you can do it. Don't give up and continue to drive and continue to be successful. If you have any questions, if you want to reach out to me, I'm more than happy. Send me an email. My email is emily.yang@diodes.com. I really want to see more women succeeding in this industry, and I really want to see more executives sitting in the boardroom together with all the others and continuing to really contribute to society and also to this industry.

Ruth: I will also make sure to put your email address and your LinkedIn profile in this episode's show notes so everybody can reach out to you. That's a wonderful gesture.

Emily: Thank you.

Ruth: And finally, if you had to put together a soundtrack for this episode, what song would you like to add to our playlist, Emily?

Emily: The first song that came to my mind is Alicia Keys, "Girl on Fire." I think, you know, we can all be on fire.

Ruth: Amazing.

Emily: I thought, you know, it's just the first song that came to my mind. I loved the song when it first released, and then, you know, when I saw this question I'm like okay, I'm actually going to say, "Girl on Fire."

Ruth: Terrific. Thank you so much.

Emily: Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Ruth: Thank you for sharing your insights on leadership and innovation and the power of giving to gain. Your story is a true reminder that success isn't about what we achieve, but also about how we lift others up along the way. Thank you for listening to We Talk IoT, stay curious and keep innovating.

Emily: Thank you for having me.

Ruth: This was Avnet Silica's We Talk IoT. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating. Talk to you soon.