{"id":3720,"date":"2022-03-29T13:45:38","date_gmt":"2022-03-29T03:45:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insight.thomsonreuters.com.au\/business\/?p=3720"},"modified":"2023-05-15T14:20:28","modified_gmt":"2023-05-15T04:20:28","slug":"from-wounds-to-wisdom-with-rola-dagher-global-channel-chief-at-dell-technologies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insight.thomsonreuters.com.au\/business\/posts\/from-wounds-to-wisdom-with-rola-dagher-global-channel-chief-at-dell-technologies","title":{"rendered":"From wounds to wisdom with Rola Dagher, Global Channel Chief at Dell Technologies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In an exclusive interview, we speak to Rola Dagher, Global Channel Chief for Dell Technologies, and learn about her passion and drive, and the lessons she continues to learn along her life’s journey.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Representation of women at the C-suite level<\/a> in Canada stood at 55% as of January. Rola Dagher<\/a>, Global Channel Chief at Dell Technologies, is one of these women. Having spent most of her childhood years in Lebanon during wartime and moving 15 times during that period to stay alive, her rise to the most senior levels of the technology industry is indeed remarkable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Dell Technologies is one of Thomson Reuters strategic customers, it was my pleasure to sit down with Dagher to glean lessons we can all learn from in her extraordinary life journey and career trajectory from the Middle East to Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wisdom from escaping war<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dagher was born to a family of six girls. She married at 15, had her first child at 16 in a bomb shelter in Lebanon, and escaped the country in a trunk of a car with her 10-month-old baby. She went to Canada for a chance to build a better life. Starting at the entry-level rungs of the technology industry, she worked her way up through technology sales, eventually taking a vice-president position with Dell. Later, she become president of Cisco Systems Canada before returning to Dell in her current executive position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cTrust is earned. Relationships are earned. Your hard work is also earned. At the same time, when I learned it and earned it it\u2019s time for me as a leader to return it and bring the elevator down for us and lift people up.\u201d<\/p>– Rola Dagher, Global Channel Chief at Dell Technologies<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

During our conversation, she dropped so many enlightening nuggets of wisdom. When asked to summarise her career, she does so in one word, determination<\/em>. \u201cYou never know how strong you are until being strong is the only option you have \u2014 period, full stop,\u201d Dagher elaborates. She credits much of her success to her father because of his philosophy that \u201clife owes you nothing, and it is an opportunity to make the best of.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond her determination, she also attributes her success to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • The people around her who consistently pushed her beyond her comfort zone because \u201ccomfort and growth don\u2019t coexist.\u201d<\/li>
  • Turning her \u201cwounds into wisdom\u201d and \u201cweakness into strengths\u201d, because \u201cfailing is learning, but giving up is never an option\u201d, despite the challenges she faced.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Sage advice to leaders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Exemplify servant leadership \u2014<\/strong> The moment I sat down with Dagher, her energy exuded warmth, generosity, kindness, and empathy, despite being known to some as Terminator Rola. It is also obvious that she embodies a servant-leadership philosophy, which was instilled in her because of her early years escaping war to stay alive. She knew early on that life is precious, and that at any moment, it can be taken away. \u201cServant-leadership is everything that a leader needs to be now,\u201d she explains. \u201cLeadership is not a box that you check \u2014 it\u2019s an action that you take every day to serve your people with your heart, soul, and mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    She goes on to discuss the importance of creating psychological safety in the workplace for your team, so they know that \u201cthey belong no matter which race, culture, or religion they come from\u2026 it starts and ends with people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Learn it, earn it, return it \u2014 <\/strong>Clearly, Dagher faced difficult challenges in her life and career \u2014 more so than most. However, one of the remarkable and generous qualities about Dagher is how she describes her role as a leader, which is as a remover of obstacles in order to lay out an easier path for those coming up behind her. \u201cWhen I say learn it, earn it, return it\u2026 I learned it [success] the hard way because Canada has given me that opportunity\u2026 I earned it because trust is not given. Trust is earned. Relationships are earned. Your hard work is also earned. At the same time, when I learned it and earned it it\u2019s time for me as a leader to return it and bring the elevator down for us and lift people up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n