Robin Jarvis is a learning and organisational development specialist, with a particular focus on leadership development. She has spent at least twenty years working in the world of high-tech, including the last nine years working at Dell. When we spoke, she was just in the process of starting a new job within a new field, the retail sector – a move that proved a point of conversation about Great Work. In this interview we also talk about:
- How stepping into the unknown is a key part of Great Work – and a strategy for best managing that process
- Two reasons that stop Great Work from flourishing – and a tactic for counteracting those pressures
- Lessons from Dell and Disney in helping Great Work thrive
Posted on August 3, 2009
When I first met Sally Bonneywell she headed up the global leadership, development and talent management team of GlaxoSmithKline. Since then she’s moved on to become the VP of organizational development for global manufacturing and supply. In this role she’s wrestling with the challenge of inviting 34,000 people in forty-six countries to do Great Work. Her experience on the job is no doubt further informed by her Bachelor of Science in psychology and anthropology and an MBA. This interview was a complete pleasure for me, because Sally is both a friend and a previous client. In it we cover:
- How an Appreciative Inquiry approach helped her succeed in a new role
- Whether you can do Great Work if you like to be liked and you play the “nice guy”
- The role of courage in Great Work, and how to give things the sweaty palms test
- The two key strategies to help an organization become more agile
Posted on June 1, 2009
