Whittlesey’s Post

I am delighted to announce that I recently had my mid year review and received a 6 month fast track promotion. This was my second consecutive fast track promotion. I have now become an Associate within 2yrs. I couldn’t have been more thankful to my seniors for their constant backing and support. The reason I put out this post is cause I see a lot of people talk about bad managers, bad teams, etc but we rarely talk about the good ones. I have worked really hard and outdone my own expectations but this would definitely not be possible without everyone’s support. I have learnt way more than I could imagine and have grown into a much more confident individual. This fast track though, really means way more to me since it did not come easy. I have lot to appreciate my superiors for. They always told me to perform to the best of my capabilities and trust them to come through. However, like everyone else I always had my doubts. But the way they always had my back and rewarded me for my performance was something I will always remember. Finding good bosses may not be the easiest but if you do find them, make sure you appreciate them too. #corporate #financialservices #finance

The first day of the new financial year in Australia and New Zealand (and no doubt elsewhere too), and my LinkedIn feed is once again full of posts by friends and colleagues announcing new promotions. Firstly, huge congratulations to everyone celebrating this significant and no doubt well-deserved achievement! But for those individuals who missed out this time around, remember - it doesn't mean you're not good at your job, or that you're not valued by your employer. Nor is it a reflection on who you are as a person, either in or out of the workplace. I hope all managers take a moment to remind their team of that and thank them for their contribution. After all, success is, in many respects, a team effort. That's not to take away from the celebrations or individual achievements, but rather to ensure no one feels left behind, and encourage everyone to keep aiming high. #celebratesuccess #teamwork #employeeappreciation

As we close another fiscal year at Performance Contracting, there’s so much to celebrate. From reinvesting in our business and people to achieving incredible milestones, this year has been truly transformative. We've seen a record number of new hires, interns, and trainings, reflecting the growth happening across our organization. What makes this year special is how our core values continue to shine through it all. Whether it’s our commitment to safety, employee success and well-being, aligning with clients, fueling our entrepreneurial spirit, or creating fun as a team, these values remain at the heart of everything we do. Growth brings change, and with that, hard work. I want to recognize our teams for their dedication and commitment. Your efforts have driven our success and will continue to propel us forward into the future. Speaking of forward momentum, I’m thrilled to announce two key additions to our Leadership Group. First, Shawn Burnum has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Operations. His 20+ years of leadership and dedication to team development will be invaluable in this role. We’re also thrilled to welcome MaryElizabeth Lackey as our new Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. Her passion for people aligns perfectly with our core value of Employee Success and Well-Being. As we wrap up this year, let’s celebrate everything we’ve accomplished and look forward to what’s ahead. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Together, we’re building something truly special. Always Forward #PCIproud #ResponsibleGrowth #Teamwork #Leadership #CoreValues #AlwaysForward

This week we are celebrating the 9th year of Marks Consulting Partners! I think its time for reflection... We started in 2015 like bulls in a China shop... We disrupted the market smashing out the phones, arranging meetings and making as many placements as we possibly could. Did we make mistakes?? YES!!! Our biggest set backs... Not setting up our database correctly Not having an onboarding plan for new recruits Not focusing on our company culture Not using experts where we needed to (Marketing!!) Looking back on this... I wouldn't change a thing. We focused on what we needed to focus on and everything else improved organically. Now Our database is customised and optimised unbelievably. Our onboarding process is streamlined Our culture is..... unbeatable. Our marketing... room for improvement. So many things go into a start-up, we wouldn’t be here today without the help of everyone who has ever worked for us, worked with us, and the candidates that give us the time of day! To everyone who has ultimately got us where we are today, I wanted to say a big thank you. BIG NEWS TO COME......

If you close your eyes and think about the incredible Executive Assistants you've worked with over the years, who comes to mind? Let's tag them below! The Assistants who are servant-leaders. The assistants who are ever-curious and ask to learn and take on more responsibility. The assistants who've taken the time to share tidbits about the leader they support to help you be more effective. The assistants who are responsible for (literally) everything running smoothly. The assistants who make sure you and your team are prepared and successful. The assistants that make your job fun and rewarding. The assistants you feel emotionally safe with. My career has been impacted in so many valuable ways based on the incredible assistants I've had the pleasure of working with and learning from. Here are a few wonderful people to shout out from my Nordstrom and T-Mobile days: Kate Froese Travis Roderick Jim V. Stacy Gordon Tara Ortiz Harmony Scott Amanda Simmons *Please tag the assistants that come to mind for you below and consider sharing this post ♻ to spread the word - let's celebrate EAs in these first few days of the New Year! #shoutout #executiveassistants #recognition #thankyou

Today, I went to the career fest at Baker Tilly Singapore and I heard this interesting phrase - leaders speak the least and are the last to speak. I do agree with this, by listening and weighing the opinions of others first, we can then determine how to add further value to the discussion without repetition. At the career fest, I learnt a lot about Governance and Risk, as well as Restructuring and Recovery which are areas that I did not know much about previously. Coming to this career fest is definitely an eye opening experience since I did not have much knowledge in this industry.

This week marks the 5-year anniversary of my joining Russell Reynolds Associates as Head of Research and Operations APAC.   I look back at the past five years with gratitude to the generosity of my team embracing me, not forcing me to be someone, but being me and allowing me to work with them. I am glad I joined this organization, a partnership based on people values, care, honesty, and humility. I am grateful to the RRA partners who allowed me to explore with my team new solutions to build a platform of research for the future, a clear vision with career opportunities I had not seen so consistently in my over 30 years of search experience.   In the five years with RRA I had over 4800 meetings, in person, virtually, small or big crowds, constructive and challenging, joyful and sad. Regardless of the nature of the meetings my brief was clear: "Do inside what we do on the outside for our clients – lead, improve how the world is lead". It is natural for me to build my succession and not worry what will be there for me, I know there will be something great, I have trust and faith in the partnership and I have seen the organization over and over again find the right solution for the client, the business and the RRA people. I have arrived, I thrive in a value and purpose driven organization and it is worth investing my heart and my passion into it, not fearing it will go lost or not be respected and recognized. 5 years have gone by fast, but let us not measure impact in time, let us measure success in value, truth and honesty creation, and that is what I feel I can do here at RRA and that is what I am grateful for.

🚀 The Chief of Staff (CoS) role - fast-track to an executive career or overhyped? The #McKinsey Chief of Staff Forum has collected data from 250 CoS, providing valuable insights into the role’s responsibilities, qualifications, and career trajectories. My favourite read of the week! Key takeaways: 🔹 Rising Significance: CEOs and senior leaders are increasingly relying on CoS to drive transformative changes and manage complex business operations. 🔹 The bigger an organization, the more senior the CoS: The average CoS has just over 12 years of work experience, moving into the role from a midlevel position such as senior manager. However, there is also a significant share of CoS with <5 years of professional experience, who then focus on admin tasks, governance and simple project management tasks. 🔹 Career Development: The COS role often serves as a stepping stone to higher positions. Two-thirds of COS are promoted after their tenure, using the role to pivot their careers in new directions. 🔹 The majority of CoS remain in the role for less than 4 years. The most common progression is then to more senior role in the same industry. 📢 If you are a Chief of Staff willing to connect with peers or would like to learn more about the role, please get in touch (--> PM) and/ or join The Chief of Staff Network #chiefofstaff #chiefofstaffnetwork

🥳🥳 Double the excellence, double the celebration! We're ecstatic to announce not one, but TWO incredible individuals as our February Employees of the Month: Nathan and Janine! 🏆🏆 Their unwavering dedication, passion, and sheer brilliance have set a new standard for excellence within our team. Now let’s dive into why they won 👇 - Nathan had an incredibly productive month, contributing to various key projects and initiatives such as: 📱 Our ASO offering 🧠 His knowledge-sharing session 🤫 Working on another upcoming offering 📊 Creating and automating internal reporting And that’s not all! He’s taken time to go out of his way to offer support, advice and useful shares regularly to the team as well as gaining a brand new client. - Janine conquered a whirlwind of tasks this month, showcasing exceptional skill in effortlessly juggling responsibilities, such as: 💙 Bi-annual reviews 🚀 Recruiting for a new role 🗓️ Planning for the year ahead 🔍 Leading calibration sessions - 👏👏 What a month! Let's raise the roof and give them the thunderous applause they truly deserve! 🌟 🌟 #EmployeesOfTheMonth #TeamExcellence #CelebratingSuccess

From Uncertainty to Confidence 9/6, I celebrated my work anniversary at #RobertHalfJapan, and I can confidently say it was one of the boldest decisions I’ve made in my career. If you scroll through my #LinkedIn, you’ll see that the start of my career wasn’t focused. I was a generalist, juggling roles as a full-time #mom, student, and #employee—just trying to make ends meet. Back then, I accepted whatever #job allowed me to earn more. But this job change was different. For the first time, I took a step back, assessed my #options, weighed the #pros and #cons, and made a #decision I was sure about. Changing jobs is never easy. There’s so much at stake—yourself, your family, money, and time. I moved from a mid-sized company, where I spent five successful years, to a larger organization. Like many, I sought new challenges, fresh learning experiences, and #opportunities for growth. My #goals—#numbers, #billings, #targets—are still a work in progress. But I’ve learned the true meaning of #collaboration in a multicultural environment (Robert Half represents over 20 cultures, and my team of 9 brings incredible diversity). I’ve grown through #failures, #challenges, and #hardships, each of which has added to my wisdom. I’m fortunate to be under the leadership of Gina Kikuchi her strategic mind and people-first approach in every decision is something I now deeply admire. I used to feel nervous before our one-on-ones, but now I genuinely look forward to learning from her. I’m grateful to be part of #Finance & #Accounting practice group - Brenna with whom I collaborated on my very first placement. - Dale my partner in making the majority of my placements. - Yusuke for our collaboration, making impossible placement into a reality during one of our most challenging searches. - Chu Xin Loh my day-one teammate, who always encourages us to stay connected with our candidates through initiatives like the “team buy-in connect,” where we make calls together as a team. - Kristo Chan whose journey from sales support to Associate Director inspires me and reminds me how amazing Robert Half is as a workplace. - Yuki Tenra, who constantly reminds us work smart er not harder. - Yuriko an inspiration through her dedication and commitment to her work. A special thank you to Lyndsey who reminded me to believe in myself when I was at my lowest. To my mentor Xinyu whom I deeply admire for your incredible talent in organizing our work events—thank you for being such an inspiration. And to my #GWEN mentor Lyn Irish I feel privileged to be part of the GWEN mentorship program. I’m excited to share all the valuable lessons I’ve learned from you, both internally and externally. For anyone considering a #career #change, know this: It will be hard, but the lessons, #growth, and #wisdom you’ll gain along the way will make every #challenge worth it. Don’t fear the unknown—embrace it, and you’ll discover just how far you can go. #Roberthalf #RoberthalfApac