In honor of International Women’s Day 2026, we’re shining a spotlight on incredible leaders across Agoda who are making a meaningful impact and empowering others to grow alongside them. There’s no single blueprint for great leadership, but there is a lot of wisdom to be shared.
The theme of International Women’s Day 2026 is Give to Gain, which celebrates the power of reciprocity and support. Giving is not a subtraction, it’s intentional multiplication. It’s a reminder that small actions can make a big difference, and that by lifting others up, we all rise together.
In the spirit of this year’s theme, we asked six of our leaders to reflect on one question: what’s helped them find confidence in themselves, and how do they cultivate that same confidence within their teams?
Create momentum: Focus. Prepare. Celebrate.
Jun Dong
Vice President of Supply
I’ve learned that confidence is built over time. It comes from small moments of showing up, doing the work, learning, and moving things forward. Those moments add up. A simple framework that helps me and my team is: Focus. Prepare. Celebrate.
Focus on the work, not the inner chatter. When I start second-guessing myself, it rarely helps. Instead, I try to shift outward. What problem are we solving? Who are we serving? What outcome matters most? Purpose brings clarity and quiets the noise.
Prepare so you can show up ready. Confidence often follows preparation. For me that means understanding the context, thinking through trade-offs, and anticipating questions. With the team, the goal is the same. Help people feel equipped, not pressured. Preparation turns uncertainty into action.
Celebrate progress. We often move quickly from one milestone to the next. But pausing to acknowledge progress matters. Recognizing what went well builds momentum and reinforces that the work has impact.
Confidence grows through momentum: focus on what matters, prepare thoughtfully, and make progress visible.
Focus on your strengths and build on them
Paulette Fox
Head of Legal, Agoda & Rocket Travel, The Americas
For me, confidence came from competence. As a leader, I started to overcome my early-career feelings of “imposter syndrome” and grew my confidence when I learned to focus on my core strengths and gradually build on them. This meant investing in critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication skills, while always looking to learn and grow from any mistakes.
To build team confidence, I focus on empowering them to own deliverables, offering clear, actionable feedback, and cultivating an environment where they feel supported to take risks and step outside their comfort zone.
Help people to understand the ‘why’
Mary Masnari
Finance and Accounting Director
I built confidence by learning that my strengths lie in my clear thinking and independent judgment, especially in complex situations. Leadership often requires you to speak when the answer is not perfect, or not what people want to hear, but your judgment is well-founded. It is about being willing to say the difficult thing when it protects the long-term outcome.
I focus on creating clarity and safety so people can share ideas. When they understand the “why” behind decisions and feel safe to question or challenge ideas, their confidence grows naturally. I also believe in sharing knowledge openly. The more people understand the mechanics behind what we do, the more capable they feel. Confidence multiplies when leaders explain rather than just impress.
Prioritize consistency and strong relationships
Anja Levak
Associate Vice President, Key Accounts
Early in my career, I thought confidence would come with titles and recognition. Over time, I learned something different: confidence comes from doing the work, solving problems, showing up consistently, and delivering results, especially in rooms where you sometimes feel you still have something to prove.
When doubt creeps in, I challenge it with evidence: the challenges navigated, the lessons learned, and the wins my team and I have delivered together. Growth is built through experience and consistency, not perfection.
I’ve also learned how much the people around you matter. Confidence grows faster when you’re surrounded by leaders and peers who genuinely support and cheer for your success.
That’s the environment I try to create for my team. High standards, clarity, and context, but also the certainty that I’m firmly in their corner. Because real confidence grows when people feel empowered and supported at the same time. For me, leadership is simple: helping capable people see their own strength, sometimes before they fully believe in it themselves.
Embrace vulnerability and learning
Sandra Lu
Senior Director, Greater China and Korea
As the head of a regional legal team, my confidence hasn’t come from having all the answers, but rather from embracing vulnerability and a learning mindset. The pressure to be the subject matter expert on everything is immense – one legal expert can’t know everything in every jurisdiction.
My confidence grew when I became comfortable saying, “I don’t know the answer yet, but here is how we will find it.” This shifted my role from the “source of truth” to the “architect of solutions.” I also built confidence by setting clear, achievable short-term goals for my team and delivering on them. Each successful iteration proved that our strategic direction was sound, reinforcing my belief in our collective capability.
Building confidence within the team requires granting autonomy. I avoid micromanagement by clearly defining the “what I want” and leaving the “how” to my team members. Even if they stumble, I treat it as a coaching moment rather than a failure. Seeing them successfully navigate these responsibilities is the fastest way to build their self-belief.
I also make it a priority to connect our daily legal tasks to the company’s wider business goals. When team members understand how their work directly enabled a market entry or a new product launch, they see its value, which fuels confidence.
Build range and lead with calm clarity
Divya Chadha
Director, User Research
If I look back at what’s shaped my confidence as a leader, it hasn’t been knowing everything; it’s been building range. Early in my career, I moved across industries and functions — from market research to innovation to strategy to user insights.
That breadth forced me to connect dots others didn’t see, sit with ambiguity, and move forward without a ready-made playbook. Over time, versatility became clarity, and I learned that confidence isn’t loud. It’s built on competence, emotional intelligence, and the belief that every challenge can be figured out.
That same belief shapes how I build my team’s confidence. I lead with calm clarity, especially in high-pressure moments. I build trust by giving my team real ownership — not performative autonomy, but genuine belief in their judgment.
While I encourage my team to step out of their comfort zones, it’s important they feel supported along the way. I back them up by advocating voices that deserve more space and ensuring strong thinking is heard, not just strong personalities.
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