I Am Professor McGill Patricia Faison Hewlin and This Is How I Work
Dr. Patricia Hewlin studies organizational diversity, organizational participation and the treatment of minorities. As with many How I Work subjects, her work has a personal resonance. Dr. Hewlin received her PhD in Organizational Behavior following support from a doctoral project that seeks to increase job diversity by increasing the diversity of business school teachers. We spoke to her about her career and the problems she is trying to solve.
Location: Canada: Montreal, Quebec Current Place of Work: Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Assistant Professor of Management Desautels, McGill University Current Computer: Surface Pro Tablet with Keyboard Current Mobile Device: iPhone XR One word that best describes how you work: Eclectic
First of all, tell us a little about your past and how you got where you are now.
I grew up in a house that always had books. My parents bought those big and heavy Encyclopaedia Britannica kits that are of course online now, but there was something about watching these books every day that started to shape my interest in research. I was drawn to the study of random topics ranging from biology to urban populations. My tendency to “learn” stayed with me, but it wasn’t until the end of my twenties that I discovered a career.
After studying English rhetoric, literature and Spanish, I could not find a job, so I registered with a temporary agency that found an administrative job for me, and finally I found a job at a private bank. Still looking for a job that matched my hobby, I stayed in banking, earned an MBA in finance, and eventually became vice president and manager of Citibank’s New York branch.
It was in this role that I discovered another passion — employee development, along with an interest in how leaders can be more effective. While I enjoyed spending time at the bank, something was still missing and I knew I needed a change.
During this time , the PhD Project sent me postcards encouraging me to consider pursuing a PhD in Business. The PhD Project is an organization whose mission is to encourage minority people to pursue doctoral degrees and become professors in business schools. Not sure if a Ph.D. was the best option for me, I turned to my former professor of organizational behavior at New York University’s Stern School of Business. She shared with me her views on life as an academic and put me in touch with one of the doctoral students to learn more about the program. I also attended a conference sponsored by the PhD Project, where I was fully convinced that earning a PhD would put me on what I call my “path to a goal.” I immediately started enrolling in schools, was admitted to Stern again and received my PhD in Organizational Behavior.
I do what I love as a scientist, administrator and instructor. My main area of research is factors that prevent a person from being authentic or true to their values (eg cultural, religious, etc.), personal views and ideas at work. Conformity façades is a concept I developed to describe the degree to which members suppress personal values and pretend to accept the values of the organization. I use my research to help students and people integrate better in the workplace. My research has shown that when people create facades, they experience emotional drainage and low engagement. Therefore, authenticity is critical to enhancing personal well-being in the workplace.
Tell us about a recent work day.
My day always starts with a family holiday, as my husband and daughter and I prepare and discuss our whereabouts for today. It’s moving pretty fast, but I’m grateful for this morning connection. This is my foundation and a reminder of the most important thing. The recent work day began by leading current research projects through email exchanges with co-authors and editing research manuscripts in the process. By mid-morning, my workday was filled with meetings related to my role as deputy dean. These meetings focused on identifying ways to improve policy and overall curriculum delivery, as well as student welfare.
I split up a semester day when I have no teaching duties, but I teach two courses in one semester a year. Thus, depending on the time of year, training in organizational behavior courses will take a long time. In the summer and several times during the academic year, I travel abroad for conferences and research.
What apps, gadgets or tools can’t you live without?
I travel to China frequently for research and teaching, and I can’t live without the Google Translate app. The voice and word scanning features are indispensable.
What’s your favorite shortcut or hack?
I love voice recording to write and take notes. When I’m on the road or even resting at night, this is ideal because what I say translates into text that I can insert into my manuscripts.
How do you keep track of what you need to do?
I regularly write to-do lists using paper and pen. I like to draw a line through every element I do – visualization is motivating!
My to-do lists are very long, so I add a date to each item. Keeping in mind that there will be unexpected results, I sometimes add a few days beyond when I expect each item to be completed. I manage my calendar using Microsoft Outlook.
How to recharge or relax?
The Caribbean never stops charging, even when I take work with me, which is what I usually do. To be clear, when I am energized with work, I choose to work on something that I enjoy, such as writing on a topic that I enjoy. Writing what I want to write about under the sun is a joy. Some of my favorites are the Turks and Caicos Islands, Aruba, Antigua, Saint Lucia and the Cayman Islands.
What are you reading now or what do you recommend?
I highly recommend Dolly Chu’s “The Man You ‘re Gonna Be” . Her encouraging message on how we can overcome bias is what society needs today.
Who else would you like to see to answer these questions?
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Trust God and live every day as if it were your last.
What problem are you still trying to solve?
I am interested in [encouraging] true expression. The main problem is that some people believe that authenticity is about saying whatever is on their mind, even if it’s offensive. I want to help leaders develop communication rules that promote mutual respect and professionalism.
At the same time, it is important for leaders to understand that authenticity is easier said than done for people who hold personalities and attitudes that are not always appreciated in their work environment.
In other words, authenticity may not be a problem for some, but a risky task for others, especially for those in minority status at work.
This interview has been lightly edited and links have been added.