My professional career learnings that give me CONFIDENCE to have a Seat at the Table

By Julie Ryan, HP Inc

The 2nd Annual Women in Reverse Logistics luncheon was held at RLA Vegas 2020, hosted by Sims Recycling, with this guest speaker, Julie Ryan, HP.  To follow is a brief summary of the discussion that took place on February 4, 2020.  

I have had a 33-year career with HP, with the past 22 being in various roles in returns and reverse logistics, currently leading the NA Returns and Remarketing teams. Throughout this timeframe I have had the opportunity to work besides many talented people and have worked on many strategic, transformational, as well as operational initiatives that have all given me confidence to have a seat at the table. I had the privilege to speak during the Women’s Luncheon on Day 1 of the 2020 RLA Conference and shared the insights I’ve learned to the brightest leaders in this industry.

C – Communication

Know your audience, it’s everybody’s responsibility to learn how to communicate with one another to most effectively get your point across. Rely on four key areas; remove “just” from your vocabulary, speak with clarity and conviction, practice confident body language, and allow yourself to receive credit when credit is due.

O – Open

Be open to roles rather than focus on the position or how much it pays. Focus on things that are personally relevant and meaningful to you. It is also important to make sure to have fun with the most interesting people. Often you are with your co-workers more than your family so it’s so important to enjoy the little things while you’re accomplishing big things. And make sure your leaders know you are open to taking on additional responsibilities and roles. It’s one thing to ensure you’re meeting or exceeding expectations to show your contribution and value, but you also need to ensure your leadership knows your capabilities and desires.

N – Network

Build a network of mentors either formally or informally and constantly be receptive to learn from others through observation. Do your research, build connections, seek advice, strengthen your story. Make sure you are coachable and passionate and establish a trust early on. You will not only learn but you will gain the confidence of others if you have the ability to listen and respond to feedback, guidance and direction. Also pay it forward; prioritize helping others. Share your accomplishments to inspire & help others own theirs.

F – Focus on teamwork and collaboration

Surround yourself with positive people, use them, bring in everyone’s specific skill sets and unique perspective to create what is best for everyone. Some of the best ideas come from bottoms up input and brainstorming. Remember there is no “I” in TEAM. Not everything is meant to be the responsibility of one person. Leaders should reward employees who can see the bigger picture and find a way for the team to win as a whole, and share best practices, not just individually.

I – Intuition and integrity

Intuition is powerful and an asset; move on your intuition but ensure you take the time to learn the facts. Each leader needs to embody accountability at the highest level. This instills trust in a team, fosters courage to take appropriate risk, and empowers people to find solutions, even to the most daunting challenges. And be authentic. With this, combined with a true trust in yourself, everybody can achieve great things.

D – Drive and dedication

Be values driven, your values are the heart of why you do what you do. Be genuine; it’s being who you are. Always push to be the best at being you. Know that your life and career will have various seasons, and that you can always be bold and aspirational, no matter what the season.  Focus on your impact for the good, and for creating success not only for yourself, but for others in your family, company, community, country and world.

E – Encourage and empower

We all need to encourage leadership in each other. Make sure you always take responsibility. When you take full responsibility, you are empowered to achieve. Have a compelling desire to succeed, be enthusiastic and optimistic about the future and have genuine and strong interest in your teams’ success. This drive allows us to turn challenges into opportunities, navigate the most difficult relationships, adapt and achieve business success.

N – Negotiate

It is important to effectively negotiate and work with multiple stakeholders; internally among marketing, engineering and supply chain as well as externally between partners and suppliers and the industry. Also, constantly problem solve, ‘if it can be written, it can be solved’. People respect those who when they state an issue, at the same time propose solutions. And don’t focus on gender segregation, ensure you pursue what interests you, not what someone else wants of you.

C – Change and comfort zone

Change is inevitable and sometimes it will be painful. You can’t always control change, but you can control the transition and how you react to it. The faster you transition to the new, the more successful you can be, because the new becomes normal. Also get out of your comfort zone – take risks and work hard. You’ll find that you’re capable of taking on more.

E – Education

Learning is an ongoing process. Build your knowledge base and invest in yourself. And learning isn’t only through classroom settings or degrees, look for podcasts, books and online opportunities that could benefit you. Make time to learn through every interaction or experience. Research what is going on in manufacturing, what is being developed, what technology advances are being made, what companies are performing best. This industry moves fast and it’s important we move with it or one step ahead of it.

All of this I’ve shared have helped me make sure I wasn’t just at the table, but I had a voice at the table, and have enjoyed it and contributed. There’s room for everybody, everyone brings something different to the table.

Accomplished business professional innovating in HP for more than 37 years. Developed a unique set of experiences and competencies in the reverse supply chain areas of Strategy, Business Planning, Returns, Remanufacturing and Warehouse Operations, Partner Management, Quality, Logistics, Remarketing, Order Management, Supply Chain Solutions, Project Management and Program Management, and Incubation Projects. Based in Houston, Texas. Significant experience leading and managing diverse teams. Strong collaborator with stakeholders and cross-functional teams. Work with both mid-level managers and senior executives in the definition and execution of strategic initiatives and priorities. Proven record of exceeding business objectives, improving operational stability, efficiency, and profitability and managing for success in complex organizations. Skilled at formulating innovative solutions to minimize cost and solve challenges. Creative developer, innovation thinker and process minded by nature that thrives in challenging, complex assignments and multi-cultural environments.