Carolyn Thompson

I think passion is what drives my success. I love facilitating, I love sharing knowledge, and I love seeing people develop. Even though it's been a lot of work over these years, and there have been a lot of twists and turns, it always comes back to being able to have that good feeling when you see someone who has developed. Seeing them go from A to Z, and knowing that you played a part in not only elevating their knowledge, but elevating their confidence as well. That's what's always driven me - it's just the passion for it. I believe in continuous learning and staying adaptable across industries. My ability to transition between corporate and nonprofit environments reflects my versatility and dedication to growth. I've also benefited tremendously from strong professional networks and mentors who supported my growth and encouraged me to pursue leadership roles.

The best advice I received came from my friend Katie, who really opened my eyes to possibilities when I was limiting myself. I was thinking, 'Oh, I have this house, I have this car, I can't do this,' and she challenged me to see beyond those constraints. My friends really became a village for me. One of my best friends told me, 'Just pack up your house, we'll put it in storage for you.' There were a lot of people who supported me in taking that leap to work for Royal Caribbean. I also had a sorority sister who was very influential in helping me understand the idea of sharing my knowledge, not just through the job, but also with people coming up. She taught me that it takes a village, and the people who have challenged me to grow, share my knowledge, and be a better version of myself are the most important people for me.

I would say learn all that you can learn, because one of the reasons I was afforded that opportunity at IBM was because I was cross-trained in the areas. When you're thinking about being a trainer, or being any type of trainer, obviously you have to know how to do the job to show other people how to do the job. So I would definitely say learn all that you can learn in your role and all of what's around you. I also think it's important to understand that you don't have to be stuck in a role just for the longevity. Sometimes life works out where you stay in one place for 30 years, but sometimes it doesn't, and I don't want people to feel like they have to be stuck instead of trying to reach out and elevate yourself. A lot of times, as children, we're only given certain occupations that we think are available to us, but I've been around the world to almost 60 countries on someone else's dime doing what I love. The possibilities are much broader than we often imagine.

One of the biggest challenges I'm facing right now is creating consistency in training across dispersed locations. At Goodwill Memphis, they don't have as much of a structured program as they would like. They have an L&D manager who's been on board for a couple of years, but she's just kind of almost putting out fires. They do have an LMS system with materials and consistency in materials, but they don't have consistency in terms of processes. That's one of the things I'll be working on - developing a structured training and development program with field trainers who can orchestrate training across our 15 sites. The opportunity I see is in building out structured training tracks and leadership pipelines. We're creating a four-week program for leaders so they understand all aspects of the business and can better support their teams. There's also tremendous opportunity in community-based workforce initiatives, especially programs that support people with barriers to employment and help elevate them through structured development pathways.

Growth, community impact, collaboration, and helping others develop are the values most important to me. I'm deeply motivated by seeing others develop professionally and personally. What makes my current role at Goodwill particularly rewarding is that the organization gives back to the community through programs that provide jobs for people with barriers to employment, whether through disabilities, incarceration, or other life circumstances. Being able to influence a learning program that elevates people has always been a goal of mine. I believe in continuous improvement and meaningful relationships. I also value the idea of sharing knowledge, not just through my job, but with people coming up in their careers. I've worked with high schoolers as a mentor because I believe it's important to help young people understand that there are more career possibilities available to them than they might initially think. The people who have challenged me to grow, share my knowledge, and be a better version of myself are the most important to me.