How Can We Help the Younger? By Listening to Them
“At work, people describe me as tenacious and willing to put myself out there. That may be because my parents brought me up to be free. With the idea that you should never set limits for yourself.” Today, Cristina Catania is a senior partner and global leader of McKinsey’s Wealth & Asset Management Practice, and responsible for ESG and sustainability issues for the banking sector in the EMEA region.
She says as a child she was always curious about the world, and learning was a continual source of inspiration. After graduating from high school with a focus on science, and after much debate with her father, (who wanted to see her become an engineer), she enrolled in Bocconi’s Economic and Social Disciplines (DES), followed by a Master’s in Macroeconomics and Econometrics.
“After a period as a teaching assistant at Bocconi, I won a scholarship to do research in Tokyo, but in the end, I decided to get into business. I sent an application to Merrill Lynch Investment Managers and I got hired.” The experience was positive, but her curiosity to see other worlds got the best of her, and led her to McKinsey, where she would build her career for seven years.
“My philosophy has always been: work hard, play hard,” she says. “Trying to maintain a healthy balance between work and home life. I have always put a lot of effort into my work in consulting, and people appreciate it. You could say that I climbed the career ladder quickly. I’ve also been lucky to have sponsors on my side. People who see me as a serious professional. Over time I’ve earned their trust.” According to Catania, passion and determination, combined with a result-oriented approach and teamwork, are the keys to her growth.
After moving to Intesa Sanpaolo, in the position of CEO Staff, Catania rejoined McKinsey as a partner in 2014. “Around then, I had my first daughter. I remember traveling around the world with her. It was hard to find a balance between all my commitments, but I decided to get back to work right away. It was a personal choice, no one forced me to, and in my case specifically I didn’t feel like it was a sacrifice,” she adds: a real-life example of how to be a professional and a mother.
To young women trying to find their way in the world of work, Catania has this advice: “Assert yourself as a professional and be respected for having unique skills.” She stresses that today’s leaders, both men and women, must also break down barriers for the younger generation. This means paying attention to merit and understanding the needs of people, starting with the ones you work with. You’re not a leader if you don’t know how to develop talent. “We seniors can help the younger ones, above all by listening. Some time ago, a young woman joined our team who was highly skilled but very shy. I didn’t understand why she didn’t take the initiative, why she wasn’t very active, so I called her one evening, no forewarning. I discovered that she felt intimidated by me. Together we broke down that barrier and now she is one of the best people in the team.”
