E1: Career Advice from a Top-Level HR Executive

by | Mar 1, 2022 | Podcast

Take it from a Chief Human Resources Officer. The best career paths are not linear, and they’re usually not planned out. In this episode of Power Presence Academy, I talk to Donna Diederich, the Chief Human Resources Officer at LMI, a defense contracting company located in the Washington DC area.  You’ll hear Donna recount her career journey as she moved from aspiring to be a clinical psychologist to working at NASA and then becoming a top-level HR executive in top-tier aerospace and defense companies. 

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In this episode:

 

  • The challenges of being a woman leader in a male-dominated industry
  • Overcoming self-doubt as a young woman leader
  • The best piece of advice Donna has gotten in her career
  • Managing career and family as a high-level executive
  • And more!

 

Cover of episode 1 of POWER PRESENCE ACADEMY. Photos of the host, Janet Ioli, and the guest, Donna Diederich. And a quote from the episode.

Power Presence Academy: Practical Wisdom for Leaders is the go-to podcast for anyone who leads. Your host is Janet Ioli, a leadership and human development expert, sought-after coach and advisor to global executives, and former executive with experience in four Fortune 100 companies.

 

Noteworthy Quotes from This Episode

“Have the goal, but be open and flexible.”

“I think being taken seriously was one of my early obstacles.”

“Do your best. That is all you can do. And if you’ve done your best, it will work out.”

“I say get out of your comfort zone. Try different things. Take on challenges that no one else wants to do, and just really say ‘yes’ more than you say ‘no.’ Say yes!”

“Don’t be afraid to ask if you want something out of the norm.”

“Your mind is such a powerful thing. We train our bodies; we do cardio; we exercise. We do those kinds of things, but we don’t always train our minds.”

“You can’t have that success until you experience those defeats.”

“You’re choosing the mindset. I think that’s the piece people forget is that you choose it. That’s not given to you.”

“Pay attention to your networks, build them. Be curious. Learn. You’re not in it alone.”

 

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Resource Links

Connect with Janet Ioli:

Website: janetioli.com

Linkedin: Janet Ioli

Instagram: @janetioli

Connect with today’s guest on Linkedin: Donna Diederich

Summary of episode 1 of POWER PRESENCE ACADEMY