2026 Period 5 - EN

Finding OUR Voice: Encouraging you to speak up in meetings

Iron Rule #7: Tell it as it is

Iron Rule #8: Collect everyone’s ideas

Dear T&T family,

At T&T, we talk a lot about driving a Winning Culture. Two of our Iron Rules are:

This involves speaking up and using your voice.

For some of us, this may not come naturally, especially in the workplace. In Chinese culture, we’re raised to value community, avoid conflict, and be humble. I deeply respect these values. They’ve helped us become hardworking, thoughtful, and resilient people.

But sometimes, these strengths can hold us back from speaking up at work and using our voices to add value. We may stay quiet to let others speak first, we don’t challenge our superiors because we respect authority, and we people-please because we value harmony. As a result, it’s easy for Asian voices to be underrepresented.

Here are some practical tips I use to show up strong when representing T&T in the corporate world that can also help you be the best you can be at work too:

1.      Believe your opinion matters: Voice your thoughts! No one person knows everything—not you, not me. You were invited to the team for a reason, and everyone in the room wants to hear your thoughts. You have to believe your opinion matters.

2.      Break away from perfection paralysis: Don’t wait for your thoughts to be perfect before you speak. In brainstorming, ideas are meant to be shared early and evolved together. Saying things out loud helps all of us form better ideas. Too often, people hold back because they feel their idea is not ‘ready.’ But holding back makes it seem like you’re not contributing or engaged—which is the opposite of what you are.

3.      Don’t worry about offending your boss: I value honest feedback. Our leaders are the same. Feedback is a gift. We all have different experiences, which means sharing feedback helps us make better decisions.

Remember that when you speak, whether to your team, a customer, or any other guest, you speak for T&T. We need to hear your voice, because your voice is part of our voice. Do it for the “we.” This is how you can proudly represent your BU, store, company and Asian people living overseas!

Let’s make our voices heard.

Tina Lee

CEO

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YB sets the standard for professionalism and dedication

(Aurora store) Bakery Department Amanda Luo 

Behind the scenes in the AU store's Bakery Department, one colleague consistently stands out for her focus, efficiency, and quiet dedication. That person is none other than YB, a versatile core member of the team. She possesses exceptional learning and executing abilities, enabling her to quickly master multiple critical roles such as oven operations, salad bread prep, and cake production. She can also quickly coordinate and allocate tasks to ensure smooth workflows and consistent standards, significantly improving overall operational efficiency.

During peak hours, YB maintains a calm and collected demeanor, always assessing unexpected situations quickly to propose practical solutions. At the same time, she continuously puts forward constructive suggestions and improvements that streamline processes and reduce waste, delivering measurable results to the department.

In order to further elevate her cake decorating skills, YB invested in tools at her own expense and used her spare time to practice and refine her craft. During the Christmas peak season, she stepped up to lead cake production, achieving record-breaking daily output and driving exceptional sales performance for the store.

YB has a strong work ethic and sense of responsibility. She is an indispensable member of the AU store's Bakery Department and a versatile, reliable team player, providing capable support to both the Department Head and Head Chef.

Where professionalism meets passion - May's journey of growth

(Calgary store) Store Admin Dept. Kai Liu

Serving as the store's Beauty Advisor since 2024, May is recognized for her dedication and passion in her role. She has a stellar reputation and stands out as a highly capable team member.

May strongly believes that confident sales stem from a solid foundation of professional knowledge. She is well-versed with products she handles, but also actively studies customer feedback and market trends, and continuously collects user insight through her interactions with customers. During a casual conversation, she learned that some products are priced higher in local Japanese and Korean specialty stores, which highlighted the company's pricing advantage. As a result, she incorporates a "compare before you buy" approach in her sales, helping customers make informed decisions through comparisons. 

May is also a great listener with a keen ability in understanding customer needs. She communicates fluently in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, delivering patient and attentive service to customers from diverse backgrounds. Instead of focusing on one-time sales, she prioritizes long-term relationships, extending her service beyond the counter through ongoing communication and follow-ups. Her professionalism and dedication have helped her build a loyal customer base, driving steady growth in the Beauty Department's sales while attracting new clientele to the store. 

Combining professionalism and warmth in her service approach, May embodies a people- oriented sales philosophy. Her growth is reflected not only in her sales performance, but also in the trust she has earned and the strong reputation she continues to build.

A well-intentioned meal that inadvertently breached company policy

HR Dept. 

When the Kitchen Department closes for the day, there may be some leftover soup or trimmings from prepared cooked items. According to the company procedures, any food that cannot be resold must be disposed of through the proper write-off process. However, a colleague felt it would be wasteful to discard these leftovers and shared them with another colleague. The second colleague was also aware of the proper process, but considering the small quantity, thought it would be acceptable to consume them.

On the surface, it may appear to just be well-intentioned sharing between colleagues, but even leftover soup and trimmings must be handled according to the company's procedures. Eating food that is supposed to be written off may pose food safety risks and can impact inventory and waste control. On the other hand, adherence to company policies is essential to maintaining fairness and transparency in the workplace. While neither colleague acted with ill intent, they ultimately faced disciplinary action for not discarding the food according to company policy.

In the workplace, following procedures and policies is essential for operational and food safety. If any policy violations are observed, regardless of the reason, colleagues should promptly remind each other as a way to help support and protect everyone.