Discova Women in Leadership: Sina Lorn
One could say that Sina Lorn has been shaping her destiny and charting a path for herself ever since she was a child. Growing up in a small village in rural Cambodia, everyday involved a four-kilometre bike ride to school at the crack of dawn when it was still dark. There were no streetlights to guide her on the journey and the torrential downpours of rain during the wet season only added to her woes.
Looking back at her childhood, Sina considers it a trying and valuable character-building part of her early life. She grew up to be incredibly independent and mature because she also spent six months every year taking care of her parents’ home while they went away for work.
“My family had expected me to forego my higher education and support them in earning a living. But inadvertently, I broke social norms and conventions when I moved away to Siem Reap for university instead,” says Sina who became the first woman her family to attend and graduate from university, and the only girl from her village to graduate high school during that time.
Flashforward to the present, Sina currently serves as the Assistant Country Manager for Cambodia and has over 15 years of experience working in the travel industry, the last 13 of which she has spent continuously growing her career at Discova.
“I first started working here as a Sales and Reservations Executive and then occupied the positions of Sales and Reservations Team Leader and Product Manager before my present role of Assistant Country Manager. I have a profound passion for travel and have constantly sought out more opportunities to explore the world and help others do the same through the deep understanding I have developed about the industry.”
Sina attributes her growth trajectory at Discova to a great learning environment filled with supportive colleagues who have always treated her as an equal. She has never felt afraid to share her opinion and has always been encouraged by her managers to seek new career heights.
“Since I started from an executive position and climbed the ranks over the years to become a manager, I especially want my female colleagues to understand that sky is the limit when it comes to chasing your ambitions. No aspiration is too big or far-fetched if set your mind and work towards it,” she insists.
A good leader, according to Sina, is someone who motivates her team to be better people and embrace their inner strength and fortitude in every situation. That being said, she is very much in touch with her emotions and doesn’t mind a good cry, when certain situations get out of hand.
“Living in an inherently patriarchal society means that women have to work that much harder to convince the larger society that we are just as capable as men. It can get a bit frustrating, but because of this, women tend to operate in a workplace with more resilience, empathy, and motivation. They keep their eyes on the prize and chase their goals fearlessly.”
Her advice for young women, especially in Cambodia, who want to join the travel industry and aspire to occupy leadership positions is to dream big and work on their professional growth.
“Don’t limit yourself because of a personal issue, society or family condition. The possibilities and opportunities are truly endless, so you owe it to yourself to at least give it a try,” she concludes.
