Her Story
About Ericka
Ericka Gosha is a seasoned human resources leader with over 30 years of experience in the HR field. She began focusing on leadership development and training approximately 10 years ago, finding renewed passion in helping mold and develop young leaders within her organization. Her current workplace maintains a startup-like environment despite its longevity, with a heavy emphasis on scaling and growing, which sometimes requires addressing leadership gaps among operationally strong team members. Ericka went to college and credits a mentor, Dr. Chancellor, with opening her eyes to the value HR brings to organizations. She is currently pursuing a PhD with plans to eventually pivot into education at the university level, drawing from a family background of educators. Ericka is a member of SHRM and remains active in her local church, serving on the production team and formation team where she has taught classes such as Dating 101. She attributes her success to her parents' strong work ethic and lifelong learning, and she values authenticity, integrity, empathy, and maintaining a moral compass in both her professional and personal life.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ericka
01What do you attribute your success to?
My parents were the models. My mom was an educator who never stopped learning and growing her career even after becoming an excellent teacher. My dad was in the military, retired young, and had two more careers. They showed a strong work ethic and that it's never too late to pursue what you want.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Always be authentic. If after 5 years you haven't received a raise or promotion, you have to promote yourself, whether outside the organization or making moves within.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Let them be - allow people to get things done their way even if it doesn't make sense to you. Suspend emotions and remember there are gray areas. Always remember that people are not numbers; our contribution is the capital we attract and we must take care of them.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
AI is taking over and we have to figure out how to adopt it for efficiencies while introducing it into the workplace. There's uncertainty about jobs and what it looks like, so leaders must stay 10 steps ahead by studying and training on it now or fall behind.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Authenticity, integrity, empathy, and having a moral compass. It's not always about numbers but about people and doing the right thing. We need more empathy and grace because people are dealing with a lot.
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