Lindsey Jackson

Holding all things with open hands. My career success has not come at all in the way I thought it would. The timing has never been what I thought it would be. None of it is the ideal traditional path. So holding things with open hands, and just knowing where I want to go, but also being receptive to whatever form that might take. I do my very best Monday through Friday to do good work, build good relationships and take care of people, because I have seen that when you take care of people, when you need something in return, they're more happy to care for you and whatever it is that you need. So thats what I would say my biggest key has been - not pigeonholing into thinking success has to look like something in particular, because it really doesn't.

The best advice I received came from Chantrell Goodgames, the woman who first brought me back to HR. Like a lot of people, I had a bit of a 'what am I even doing here' kind of moment, and so I asked her, you know, why did you even hire me? Why did you pick me? And she explained that she could see potential and promise that I could not see, but that she was gonna continue to pour into me and keep stoking the fire until I could see it for myself. And that's exactly what happened. She remains on my very short list of personal mentors and board of directors. She's a very wise woman, and her advice really was just exactly that - keep pouring into people who need it so they can stand on their own feet. She changed my entire trajectory by just seeing what I could not yet see in myself.

Raise your hand. That was how I got so much exposure, was just raising my hand and volunteering for projects. There's all kinds of work that needs to be done, and doing the work that is not necessarily showy can sometimes get you in rooms that you would not otherwise be in. So just raise your hand, volunteer, don't be afraid to try something that's going to stretch you. Don't be afraid to try something that feels uncomfortable. Anytime an organization is looking for help, just raise your hand. And I would say this also applies for community organizations. I volunteered at a local garden and ended up on the board of directors, which gave me a whole other lens of experience. Just keep your eyes open, keep your hands open, raise your hand, volunteer to try new things.

I would say the biggest challenge and opportunity, both are in AI. It's creating a lot of chaos in HR, but it's also creating a lot of opportunities. What I mean by chaos is AI is used in recruitment a lot to screen resumes, and so it creates some barriers, but it also creates opportunities, because with AI, there's so much that you can do and learn how to do and present yourself in a million different ways using it as a tool. For opportunities for women in HR, I'd say the biggest one still is to be passionate and committed to the people you serve. It's about people more than about policy. So if we can keep the people forefront and build policies and infrastructure that support the people, I think you'll find the best success.

Rhythm. It's very hard to find balance, but I think you can find rhythm. I try to practice a combination of being really intentional with my weeks as I plan them, and I also focus on things that fill my own personal bucket, like traveling, hanging out with friends, listening to music way up loud. Those kinds of things really guide it, but also trying to steer my kids in the right direction, and their friends. Those are kind of the big ones, I would say - faith, family, and personal fulfillment. I'm a Christian first and foremost, and part of my whole life philosophy is to love on people.