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The idea of changing your career path after 20+ years would leave some Canadians feeling apprehensive or uncertain. For RBC’s Alice Watt, however, there was an overriding sense of joy in using her existing skill sets in different ways and a new work environment.
Alice joined RBC’s Digital team in 2020 after spending more than two decades as a marketing and consumer strategy leader in the publishing, telecommunications and banking industries.
Despite some of the adjustments that come when leaving more familiar roles and routines, RBC felt like a natural place to Alice. Especially as she believes the most important transformation is happening in digital banking. “In my role, I have the opportunity to use capabilities built over my career in new and different ways. And the knowledge I get from the team around ways of working and digital product development I find really motivating.”
Alice brought a wide range of transferrable skills to the RBC, including her ability to develop talent, nurture positive team cultures, and promote and apply ‘creativity’ to help solve problems and seize opportunities.
Creative skills at RBC Digital
“Reflecting on my career experiences, I learned that being curious and creative accelerates personal growth and supports a healthy culture — plus it keeps things interesting,” says Alice, who is helping RBC Digital’s Business Analysis and Product teams grow their creative skill sets.
Photo: “…being curious and creative accelerates personal growth and supports a healthy culture — plus it keeps things interesting,” says Alice
The opportunity for Alice and her team is to ensure these skills are part of the DNA of RBC’s Digital talent ecosystem, built through regular learning and mentorship opportunities. In 2022, this included a team-building event at a comedy improv theatre to practice their creativity in fun and dynamic ways.
The idea of creativity being central to the RBC Digital Product team and many other Digital teams across the organization is part of broader changes happening to our economy and society. A 2021 report from RBC Thought Leadership found that Canada is “in the early stages of creative transformation.”
Creative competencies are “rising to the top,” and these in-demand skills are coveted by many employers, including RBC. The report outlines that between 2020 and 2021, Canadian employers began asking for more creative competencies in job postings, including critical thinking (up 37%) and flexibility (up 20%). That’s good news, especially if you’re a student or seasoned professional wanting to make a similar career change like Alice’s.
Aside from creativity, Alice also identifies several other important capabilities fundamental to the product teams at RBC Digital. This includes business case knowledge for a new product, partnering and negotiating with others across the organization.
Creative skills and charitable causes
Like many of her colleagues at RBC, Alice’s creative skills have also assisted her with charitable causes in her community. Six years ago, she and her friends launched “Stand for Duchenne Canada,” a not-for-profit dedicated to ending Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. From helping families navigate the health care system to organizing charitable events, the creative skills she’s practiced at RBC helped to make the charity a success story.
Alice found ways to brainstorm and partner with several talented volunteers to rally together for a cure. Stand for Duchenne recently joined Defeat Duchenne Canada, a planned and successful shift that gave a greater presence to an important cause.
“Critical thinking and problem solving have been important core capabilities that I’ve leaned on in every new role. They came into sharp focus when we launched Stand for Duchenne,” says Alice. “It was hard and emotional work to separate the biggest challenge — defeating Duchenne — from the smaller, more immediate impact drivers that would help families and kids battling this rare disease.”
As for Alice’s role in RBC’s digital transformation, she offers a sport analogy for fostering her teams’ continual growth.
“Creativity is that one skill than helps our teams go from ‘good to great’,” says Alice. “It’s a skill that can help our teams achieve significant results, while at the same time having a positive impact on careers and personal growth at RBC,” explains Alice.
Photo: “Creativity is that one skill than helps our teams go from ‘good to great’,” says Alice. She held a team-building event at a comedy improv theatre to practice their creativity in fun and dynamic ways.
This article offers general information only and is not intended as legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. While information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subject matter discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author(s) as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or its affiliates.
