Tour du Mont Blanc Photo Credit: Mimi Chan
Dear Young Leader,
I don’t know exactly where you are in your journey. You may be just starting out, questioning your direction, or feeling behind in a world that moves faster every day. What I do know is this: you are not alone, and uncertainty does not disqualify you.
My own career has unfolded over more than two decades across Fortune 500 companies, including Amazon and AT&T. On paper, it might look linear or strategic. In reality, it has been shaped far more by exploration than by planning. I walked through doors as they opened. At other times, I pushed my way through the wrong ones. Both sharpened my ability to discern God’s will. Now I trust God enough not to force clarity before it is given.
If I could offer you one freeing truth at the start, it would be this: you do not need to overengineer your future. Faithfulness in the next step often matters far more than certainty about the long-term plan.
As a photographer, I love hiking peaks like Mont Blanc — long, grueling climbs that suddenly open onto vast breathtaking vistas. In the moment though, every step is grounded in small details: the texture underfoot, the patterns cast by clouds overhead, the things people rush past. Leadership works the same way. Learn to zoom out and see the big picture context. Learn also to zoom in and notice people, systems, and quiet needs. Wise leaders know how to switch perspectives in real time.
You are entering the workplace at a time of enormous change. AI and other technologies are reshaping industries at a more accelerated pace than ever. It’s understandable if you feel anxious about whether you will be replaced or left behind. But when I look at your generation, I don’t see apathy. I see hunger—for meaning, for purpose, for mentors who will walk with you and help you name the gifts God has already placed in you.
So don’t believe the narrative that you are lazy or disengaged. What you need is connection. Seek mentors early. Ask questions generously. And if you find yourself even one step ahead of someone else, don’t wait to be “ready”—be willing to guide others sooner than you think.
As you think about advancement, remember this distinction: mentors advise, but sponsors advocate for you when you are not in the room. Build relationships with people many steps ahead of you. Communicate your impact clearly, without erasing yourself. Own your growth while lifting others along the way.
Networking is essential, not transactional. Think relational. Start with short conversations. Ask thoughtful questions. End by asking who else you might learn from or how you could help. Over time, these small acts of curiosity and generosity form a web of relationships that opens doors no résumé ever could.
If you are in your first job—or your third—here is some grounding wisdom I wish I had taken to heart sooner. Early in your career is the best time to explore widely. Say yes more. Prioritize who you work with more than what you work on. Expect to feel lost. The first six months often feel like failure, but they are usually just growth in disguise. Don’t fake it. Try, learn, adjust, and take ownership. Stay long enough to make an impact, but not so long that you stop growing. Then say yes again.
You may hear a lot about upskilling and reskilling, but I want to invite you into something deeper: right-skilling. Instead of collecting skills, ask how entire systems are changing. How does your industry really work? Where is it headed? What ethical, human, and theological questions are embedded within it? Curiosity and systems-thinking will serve you far longer than any single tool.
Don’t wait for permission to try things. Write the book. Build the prototype. Start the small business. Experiment. Create something tangible. Initiative—paired with humility and learning—is one of the clearest signals of leadership.
If I could speak to my younger self, I would say this—and I offer it to you now: have a point of view, and speak it with courage. Confidence does not arrive all at once. It grows through practice, obedience, and the willingness to be uncomfortable.
Above all, keep your loves rightly ordered. Love God first. Fear Him enough that you refuse to make a move without Him. Stay when He says stay. Move when He says move. Let your work—whatever form it takes—be the way you pursue Jesus.
The marketplace does not need perfect leaders. It needs faithful ones. Curious ones. Courageous ones. Leaders who are willing to pay attention, remain open, and trust God with both the wide-angle view and the small, hidden details.
You are being formed, even now.
With hope for what God will do through you,
Mimi Chan
Some reflection questions:
- Where am I trying to overengineer my future instead of being faithful to the next step God is inviting me to take?
What might trust and obedience look like right now, even without full clarity? - How am I learning to “zoom out and zoom in” in my work and leadership?
Where do I need a bigger-picture perspective, and where might God be inviting me to pay closer attention to people, systems, or quiet needs? - What would it look like for me to lead with courage and initiative in this season?
Is there something I’ve been waiting for permission to try, say, or build—and what is one small step I could take this month?
You can learn more leadership lessons from Mimi Chan on our webinar, Khora Conversations.
Mimi Chan is an entrepreneurial marketeer with over 20 years of experience at Fortune 500 companies. After studying economics at Stanford University, Mimi found her professional passion creating award winning marketing programs, garnering the American Marketing Association’s first Effie Award for Multicultural Marketing. She is the CEO of Liminal Collective, and was previously Head of Events at Amazon Books, delivering $5B revenue yearly, and Director at AT&T, leading Diversity, Social Media & Entertainment Marketing. Mimi trained in Board Leadership with the Riordan Leadership Institute and remains active in the community. She co-founded Christians at Amazon, an employee group with over 100 leaders and 60 chapters worldwide. She also volunteers with organizations like TEDx Oakland and Journey of Generosity, and serves on the advisory board of Faith & Work Movement and Khora Collective. She has spoken about spiritual leadership at the 2024 Lausanne Congress, Oxford Said Business School, and companies like HSBC in Hong Kong. You can talk books with her at goodreads.com/mimicychan or find her travelling with a camera in hand.
