DEVOTED TO GIVING HER BEST
As the youngest of eight children, Madeleine Chenette quickly learned the importance of family, how to gain attention and read the needs of others, and how to appreciate the value of teamwork. These talents have served Chenette well throughout her life and career.
“Those childhood days taught me to make more impactful contributions, to listen and analyze carefully, and that engaging others is part of the journey that leads to success,” she says.
Chenette is Accenture’s office managing director, overseeing the company’s business in Quebec — and a second-time recipient of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards, this time in the HSBC Corporate Executives category. She has also been recognized twice by the Association of Quebec Women in Finance.
Her business successes have seen Chenette grow to become a leading figure in the challenging and everchanging marketplace that is management consulting. Her career has been one of ongoing innovation and advancement that has brought significant benefit to her clients in a world where disruption comes at every turn.
Chenette says valuable lessons initially came from her work in the health-care sector, where she provided advanced geriatric mental health services and subsequently developed and implemented a new concept of care for the elderly. “It became abundantly clear during that time that as individuals age, weaknesses amplify. It is therefore extremely important to do damage control on negative traits early in life. Second, health care is a multidisciplinary sector where everyone must work together to achieve the best outcome for the patient. It is about addressing the needs, concerns and strengths of the person in front of you and the team around you. And, third, there is more than one way to solve a problem. These early learnings were instrumental to my success in the business world.”
In 1994 Chenette joined SECOR as a consultant and rose to partner in just six years. During that time she helped the firm enter and develop the European market while also substantially expanding its presence in Canada. By 2009 she was chair of the board — the first woman to hold the position. During her time there, Chenette contributed greatly to the success of the organization and its clients.
There were significant players who contributed to her rapid rise at SECOR, says Chenette. “André Coupet hired me. He showed me how to bring innovation to clients, to think and work globally, and the effort required to bring results. Françoise Bertrand was the first female to lead a North American television network (Télé-Québec) and the first woman chair of the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). She joined SECOR when I was at the company and was always inspirational. She showed me what it means to be a great leader. Marcel Côté was not only my boss but my mentor. From him I learned about multiengagement and respect for others, regardless of their position or role.”
Since joining Accenture in 2017, Chenette has helped expand the company’s presence in Quebec by connecting with the growing innovation ecosystem that is creating something of a business renaissance across the province. In just a short time she has driven significant growth in revenue and clients for the Montreal office and has helped it to become a driving force for this innovation expansion.
One of her greatest achievements in this relatively new role is the strategic alignment she has helped build with Quebec Artificial Intelligence (AI) Cluster Steering Committee and its stakeholders: Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms (MILA); Universities of Montréal, McGill, Concordia, Sherbrooke and Laval; the Institute for Data Valorisation (IVADO); business, government, start-up and venture capital companies; and the Canadian AI Ecosystem.
“My team is fantastic. It’s easy to succeed when you have great people to help make it happen,” she says. It is a statement that speaks clearly to Chenette’s leadership philosophy. “Leadership is about people. It means identifying your team’s aspirations and strengths, then leveraging them so everyone can thrive. It’s about doing the right thing, owning it, and doing it well. And it’s about taking a risk, learning from failure, being quick to adapt, and coming back with the strength of everything you have to bring.”
Her advice for up-andcoming young female leaders? “Just do it — but don’t take it for granted. Women’s roles are still fragile around the world. The number of females in leadership positions is still going in the wrong direction. Understand your talents and strengths, because these will help you grow. Know your weaknesses so you can do damage control while you still can. Then be assertive about what you have to offer. Shout it out, let it shine, and get three sponsors (men and women) to speak up for you. That is when your career will take off.”
Chenette believes diversity is essential for innovation and economic growth. “It is like a forest, where there are many different trees that grow and thrive together. Humans are just the same — you have to leverage the differences and bring them together to benefit the whole.” That said, she cautions about unconscious bias. “It is important for everyone to be aware of their own unconscious bias. It is something that we all need to address and work on every day. By doing so, we are able to leverage everyone’s unique talents going forward.”
Chenette draws some of these conclusions from a recent report from the CanadaU.S. Council for Advancement of Women, where Accenture was involved, which uncovered a crucial disconnect: while leaders want more women in the higher ranks and are committed to the cause, they are not approaching the problem the way they would any other business priority. It found that basics like leadership accountability, data measurement, targets and clear action plans are frequently not in place.
That Accenture offers a progressive approach to diversity is extremely important to Chenette. The company has established a target to reach and sustain overall gender parity (50 per cent) by 2025, with a minimum of 40 per cent women in leadership roles. The Developing Executive Women program focuses on leadership development for women in the organization. In 2017, Accenture also pledged to accelerate the advancement of women in business by signing the Catalyst Accord 2022 and joining the 30 per cent club.
When Accenture recently introduced its Truly Human program, Chenette raised her hand for the Montreal office to lead the pilot project. This workplace initiative seeks to align all aspects of a person’s life so they can perform at their best. “As part of our Speak Up program, management meetings begin with a diversity moment that allows us to talk about issues in this area, both inside and outside of the organization, that need addressing,” she adds. “It lets people know they are respected and, if they feel otherwise, that they can speak up and their issue will be acted upon.”
Chenette also believes that those who give to community and social causes receive even greater in return. She feels that deeply in her volunteer work as she helps marginalized women through Herstreet in Montreal, a cause she has supported for many years. Chenette is also a part of the HeForShe movement that is working to advance gender equality globally. In addition, she works extensively to help increase female representation in leadership positions and on boards of directors.
She also spearheaded an innovative pro bono project that supports a Montreal nonprofit organization that focuses on innovation and artificial intelligence.
These are just a few of the organizations to which Chenette devotes her time and energy. “All help to build a stronger society and a stronger economy, which is good for everyone,” she says.
Ask Chenette about what’s next and she will reiterate the theme with which she mobilizes her team: We reinvent tomorrow starting today. “It is pointless to consider my next role. It’s not the way I think. By focusing on the now, I am contributing, nourishing the network and giving the very best I have to offer. In bringing my best every day, I remain passionate. And that is how I know something good will happen because at Accenture, there are many great opportunities.”
LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT PEOPLE. IT MEANS IDENTIFYING YOUR TEAM’S ASPIRATIONS AND STRENGTHS, THEN LEVERAGING THEM SO EVERYONE CAN THRIVE. IT’S ABOUT DOING THE RIGHT THING, OWNING IT, AND DOING IT WELL. AND IT’S ABOUT TAKING A RISK, LEARNING FROM FAILURE, BEING QUICK TO ADAPT, AND COMING BACK WITH THE STRENGTH OVER EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO BRING. — MADELEINE CHENETTE, ACCENTURE IT’S EASY TO SUCCEED WHEN YOU HAVE GREAT PEOPLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN