Leadership Award
Barbara Adachi
National Managing Director, Human Capital
Deloitte Consulting
Barbara Adachi, National Managing Director for Deloitte's Human Capital Consulting Practice, came to consulting by accident. She began her career as a secretary at a health insurance company. "Lucky for me, I had an incredible mentor that showed me the ropes," she says. "I learned the business from the bottom up and became the first woman salesperson in the company."
And before she knew it, "was working with clients and discovered my true passion—helping clients solve business issues."
But today is the best time to be a woman in consulting, she says. "There are more women in leadership positions in the business community and consequently, more opportunities to work with them on solutions. Plus, there are more opportunities in the consulting profession for women than ever before," she says. "Earlier in my career, I faced a lot of challenges. It was difficult being the only woman in meetings, leadership positions, and the first woman in certain roles.
As an Asian woman, Adachi says she faced her own unique set of challenges, such as being afraid to speak up. "I overcame them by building a strong network of people who provided honest feedback and support that helped me grow into the leader I am today," she says.
"I also had to find my own voice and confidence. Lastly, I needed to understand the unwritten rules on how to navigate organizations. It wasn't easy. I've had to reinvent myself through seven companies and positions, but I have always been an optimist and never gave up."
Her seventh company was the charm. Adachi joined Deloitte in 1990 to start the Bay Area Human Capital practice in San Francisco, was promoted to Principal in 1995 and became the Western region leader in 2001.
She specializes in talent and rewards strategy and is the Lead Client Services Partner for the University of California system, one of the largest employers in the state. In this role, she sits on the Deloitte Consulting Executive Committee and is responsible for business strategy, P&L and financial performance and operations, talent recruitment and development, and delivery of consulting services including HR transformation, talent strategy, workforce analytics and strategic change across the U.S.
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