Melissa Drew
IBM
Excellence in Influence
Working with an automotive firm in France, Melissa Drew inherited a complex global engagement at month four with more than 300 issues. Drew stopped the engagement and initiated a new agile strategy. After four weeks, only eight issues remained, and project shifted out of the red. The executive sponsor speaks internationally and continues the agile strategy for all future engagements.
She developed a Leadership POD with 10 participants from various levels, skills, and departments. Monthly, members presented topics to each other and improved on soft and hard skill to set them up for success. Each POD fostered knowledge transfer, education opportunities, and an immediate network of nine others to count on for support.
Ask her about her greatest professional achievements so far in her career and she says it's when she has the opportunity to make a difference with sustainable, long-lasting impacts, beyond simply implementing a strategy, a process, or an application.
"Collaborating with clients who recognize and seek to transform, but may not fully know how to reach those end results, is where I excel. I remain inspired through my collaboration with executives who want to become more competitive in their industry, or to prime an organization to support its first acquisition, or to optimize processes that don't change when I walk away, but rather remain and eliminate the need for layoffs and increase sales during a global pandemic."
As for the biggest keys to her success, Drew cited a number of examples, including staying true to her authentic self, absolutely loving what she does, possessing a disruptive mindset, empowering others, and surrounding herself with a "fantastic" team.
Q&A: What does it mean for you, your firm and your clients to be named a Global Leader in Consulting?
"Being recognized as a Global Leader in Consulting for Excellence in Influence, is quite extraordinary. For me, influence is more than changing short term behavior. It is about having a lasting impact that carries forward, beyond that moment in time. Receiving this international award solidifies the substantial results I am able to provide to my clients globally and also highlights my value-added achievements in helping others redefine what success looks like in a constantly changing global landscape."
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