Working together to deliver better outcomes for the business

Jill Satre: Hello, and welcome to Finance in 15 Podcast. Today, we have a very special episode with our Women in Finance mini series. My name is Jill Satre and I am a PwC Canada Partner and lead our National Energy practice. I'm excited to be your host for episode three of the special series.

We introduced this series to broaden the conversations we're having around building a finance function of the future. During the Women in Finance episodes, we're exploring leadership perspectives from leaders who are navigating an ever-changing business landscape.

For our third episode in the series, I am thrilled to be joined with Jana Mosley, President of the ENMAX Power Division, and Preet Dhindsa, EVP and CFO at ENMAX. Welcome Jana and Preet.

Jana Mosley: Hi, Jill. Thanks for having us.

Preet Dhindsa: Hi, Jill. Very nice to be here today.

Jill Satre: Jana and Preet, maybe we could start off by telling us just a little bit more about yourselves and your roles at ENMAX.

Jana Mosley: Sure. I can kick us off. So I've spent the majority of my career in the energy business. And as you mentioned, I'm currently the president of ENMAX Power Corporation. That's ENMAX's Alberta transmission and distribution wires business, and we're responsible for the safe and reliable operation of the electricity system and serving our customers here in the city of Calgary. I work with an amazing team of incredibly talented and committed people.

Preet Dhindsa: Hi, Jill. CFO, ENMAX Corporation. I'm accountable for finance and IT across all of our Alberta businesses and main US business. I've been in Ontario for most of my career in professional services, gaming and lottery, and financial services. Now recently moved to Calgary to join ENMAX. And it's great to be part of the Calgary community.

Jill Satre: Well, thank you, Jana and Preet, and I'm definitely in good company today. So Preet, you lead finance. Jana, you lead operations. Let's maybe start the conversation really around how you're working together to promote and deliver better outcomes for the business and how you're also bringing your teams along for the journey.

Jana Mosley: Yeah. I'm really fortunate to get to work with Preet and his role. One of the things that's really important to us is to create alignment across our teams and helping people have the relationships and the trust and understand our common goals so that everyone knows where we're going, who does what, and how we partner together. It's really important that we as senior leaders set the tone at the top for collaboration and through that is that we are successful as an ENMAX team overall.

Preet Dhindsa: And Jill, as CFO, I focus on executing on the finance functions, accountability as a key corporate control function, as well as ensuring we demonstrate high value business enablement in the eyes for our business line colleagues and the board. And my team sees both these accountabilities as very important in how we work with the business, as we all have aligned corporate vision, common goals in mind. And as Jana said, tone from the top, we collaborate well, our teams collaborate well. And as we get into certain issues or tangible outcomes that we're looking for, if we are well aligned our teams are well aligned and it comes across extremely effective as an organization.

Jill Satre: And we often hear the term trusted business advisor. Can you comment on what that means from your perspective and within your roles and how you actually build trust with the business? Maybe we could start off with you Preet, just because I know finance is often seen as a back office function when in fact it can and it should really be a value driver for the business.

Preet Dhindsa: Jana and I collaborate very well in moving the business forward I'd also say my team working alongside Jana’s continues to have common views on effective partnering. We constantly find ways for our respective team members to work well together to collaborate. And what we find is this builds high value, trusted relationships that stand the test of time, whether it's good times or certainly challenging times that we all go through in different cycles. So overall I think it's how we partner well together. How we build trust, how we build collaboration, and a thoughtful approach generally moves along very well in how we work together and move the business forward.

Jana Mosley: Yeah, I think the keyword Preet said there is partnership. It's really important as a business leader for me to make sure that my team understands the value that the finance function brings. There are expertise and understanding and connections to the outside world within the finance team that we do not have in the business. That is not our design structurally and we really need to value what each of the folks in that organization bring to the business because we do have common goals and shared successes. So it's really important that we continue to teach each other and learn from each other along our journey and just really leverage the strengths in both parts of the organization. And the business really needs to see finance as a partner.

Jill Satre: Yeah, that's great. Well, let's switch gears a little bit and talk a bit more about your people. So we know the last few years have been difficult for everyone, including our employees. They've struggled with remote work. They're now struggling with what return to work looks like, and certainly encouraged to see a lot more conversation and emphasis around our employees and their wellbeing. Could you talk a little bit about some of the things that you're doing as leaders, but also as an organization to really support the wellbeing of your employees?

Preet Dhindsa: Sure. Maybe I can go first. So we have a very strong safety and wellbeing culture here at ENMAX with a number of avenues where our people can avail further support as and when necessary. Also, I often say that happy, healthy, well adjusted people generally do very well in life, both personally and professionally. And let's not forget everyone has a right to be happy and a thoughtful approach goes a long way. So that's very important to how we operate and how we lead.

And I like to create an environment where this is the case, especially coming out of COVID, as we continue to focus on how we create a safe and effective environment for our teams. Given the work world is very different now than it was pre COVID and the preferences of our teams are also very different. I see now they're more focused on flexibility and quality of life and how they work with good people, how they collaborate, how they move the business and add value, personally and professionally. It's not just certain metrics that were key in the past. I think there's many more angles that people look at and consider when they look at quality of life, quality of work life, quality of personal life and how we come out of COVID in a thoughtful, methodical manner.

Jana Mosley: Yeah. One of the neat things about COVID, Jill, was that I think employers started asking their employees more questions, right, as a way to connect with them while we were all working apart. And what we heard from surveys that we did with our team members and just different conversations is exactly what Preet said. People are looking for that ongoing flexibility. So at ENMAX, we have been piloting several new employee perk programs, like a hybrid working model, for example. So Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are core days where we aim to be in the office. And we try to have limited meetings on Mondays and Fridays to allow people times of connection outside of work, working time, those types of things. We've also done something this summer where we've given our team members the option to have a compressed work week. So they're able to work a four day work week instead of a five day work week and just add on in the hours on those four days.

So they're able to work anywhere in Canada during that time. We also heard from our people that COVID's been challenging for folks, right? And so some people really needed to take a break and focus on their mental and physical health. And we've given people an option to do what we've called a circuit breaker, where they can take a two week leave of absence just to give them time to focus on their personal interests or family or travel and really renew themselves as they're coming out of this pandemic phase. So as Preet said, our goal is to have a strong, enjoyable employee experience with incredible health and wellness. And these programs are helping us give that experience to deliver on our work while continuing to keep people safe and make sure that we're having the performance outcomes and keeping our people at the heart of everything that we do.

Jill Satre: So Jana, I was fortunate enough to be at the Calgary Women in Business Awards a few months ago where you were recognized as an award recipient. So first of all, congratulations. What an incredible achievement.

Jana Mosley: Thank you.

Jill Satre: And one of the things that you highlighted was the importance of mentors in your career. And that was one of the comments that really resonated with me. And I thought it would be valuable if you could share with our listeners a little bit more about your experience, both being a mentor but also seeking that sponsorship.

Jana Mosley: Yeah. Thank you for that. I've been really fortunate to have incredible people along my career path and my personal path who have taken time with me, they've taught me, they've challenged me and they've encouraged me along the way. And you know the saying, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. I really believe in that. Mentorship and sponsorship is proof of the power that going together can have. And when you see what happens in someone's career in life, when they really are going through it with other people, I've had the opportunity to have tough conversations with some of my mentors, inspirational conversations.

And as a mentor, I always get to learn. I love mentoring people because there's a selfish component, actually. You really do learn from the people you're speaking about. Not just around their world and the industries that they're in, but also you're reminded, I think, of the skills and practices that have served you well, as you're coaching and mentoring these other people. And you're renewed in that commitment to yourself to continue to practice those things that were beneficial. So I really value the opportunities where someone's invited me into their journey, because it really is a win-win and it's just an awesome way to give back as well to all the people who have done that for me.

Jill Satre: And Preet, we've talked about the importance of employees feeling psychologically safe at work, and to be able to feel comfortable asking for advice and seeking mentors. Could you share some of your experience in how you really help people to get that comfort zone in order to be able to ask for that guidance and direction?

Preet Dhindsa: Sure. I'd say over my 30 year career, I've been fortunate. I've had great mentors and coaches, both personally and professionally, and I value these relationships. Some go back over 30 years, almost 40 years, which have been very important to me in my career progression and my personal journey shaping who I am today and the last 40, 50 years. As well as I received valuable guidance, I've also had the opportunity to share experiences and perspectives with many others. I'd strongly say that if you seek development opportunities through feedback, mentoring, coaching, don't hesitate. Reach out to people with diverse skilsl and perspectives. Don't wait for them to offer up guidance, meet them halfway. You'll find the majority of the time mentors will be delighted to share helpful guidance and they'll enjoy watching you excel.

Jill Satre: Great. So we are getting to the end of our podcast here. So that'd be great if you could each share with our listeners, maybe a couple of top leadership advice for their careers as they progress in their career journey in business and finance.

Jana Mosley: Sure, gosh, there's so many things that we could touch on here, but I'll kind of touch on a couple of my favorites. First would be create value in your current role or if you go into a new role or organization. Look for the one to three things, top things you could do to have a positive impact on the organization and focus on those things. You will feel like you've invested your energy wisely and your efforts will very likely be rewarded because you're working on the priorities of the organization. The second I would say is just to have a growth mindset. We should never stop learning. So I would advise people to ask for feedback, challenge yourself to try new things, perhaps some scary things, and be open to views that are different than yours. And in fact, seek them out because I think that leads to better outcomes and growth.

And then the third would be just to be authentic. You have strengths that bring value, have confidence in those strengths. Be honest about your gaps and invite others to know the real you. I think that authenticity builds trust, builds your own confidence and really helps you with those relationships. And you'd ask for three, but I'd throw in have fun. I mean I think a big part of what I really enjoy working with Preet on is we've been getting to know each other over the last year and a half and we have fun together. We laugh, we do stuff outside of work and that translates back into the workplace and I think benefits everybody involved. So, have some fun.

Preet Dhindsa: And from my perspective, there's three things that I focus on. Probably the last two thirds of my career have been very focused on these three items. Number one is relationships. Two is experiences, and number three is results. And then wrap it up with differentiation. Don't only focus on the next upward move in your career. Don't only focus on the next title change or more money right now. There's time for all that, but find opportunities to enhance your trusted relationships.

Ensure you're building breadth and depth of valuable experiences throughout the work you do, and be able to demonstrate quality results over your career. Then focus on differentiation. We're all unique in our own way. Be able to highlight what makes you different and combine with your life experiences. This will tell a story of who you are and where you want to go. And I agree with Jana, have a ton of fun, have great relationships with people you work with personally and professionally. And life's too short, but career management's a long game. Lots of experiences, lots of great relationships, lots of good results. And it's not always about traditional upper trajectory. It's about a lot of other factors now that I think are quite important. So have a lot of fun, but focus on what makes you different and your relationships, experiences, and results.

Jill Satre: Well, what a great way to end the podcast with having fun. So this has been incredible. Thank you so much, Jana and Preet. It's been great speaking with both of you today.

I think for me personally, as a female in the business world and a mother of young children, one of the things that is very important to me is representation. I think if you can see her, you can be here. And that does tie back to what we've discussed today around psychological safety and bringing your authentic self to work, which in turn will help drive value for your business. And so for me, it's not only that, but for me, representation actually has been able to bring me a pillar of confidence. And so it really inspires me to go beyond what I've thought has been possible. So on behalf of our listeners, thank you for sharing your experiences and lessons learned with us. I know how valuable it is for them to hear from leaders like yourselves with that strong leadership experience, but also that deep expertise. So thank you for joining me.

For prior Women in Finance episodes, please tune in to episode one, featuring Vanessa Kanu, CFO, TELUS International, and episode two with Maarika Paul, CFO, Caisse de dépôt et placement, and Lisa To, Head of Financial Management and Performance at the Business Development Bank of Canada. Please also visit our PwC Canada website to listen to our Finance in 15 podcasts and to subscribe. I hope you've enjoyed the third episode of our Women in Finance special series. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this series. So please be sure to subscribe, share, and leave us a rating or review. I'm Jill Satre and this is your Women in Finance special series.