Claudia Barlow on Reinventing Yourself After 29 Years at Accenture

Claudia Barlow spent 29 and a half years at Accenture, moved from consulting into HR knowing almost nothing about it, and left in March when her role was eliminated. In this conversation with Greg Aden she talks about building transferable skills instead of chasing a five year plan, why you should take the first step even when the next step is not perfect, and how good mentors gave her opportunities before she felt ready. She also makes the case for specific recognition over vague praise, curiosity as a skill that requires humility, and being an exporter of top talent even when it costs you. The last stretch covers raising twins, her husband's years as a stay at home dad, and the three jobs she believes a parent has.

Claudia Barlow, Senior Executive Coach LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/claudiabarlow Website: https://www.polaristalentadvisors.com

Timecodes: 0:00 - Introduction 3:23 - How To Reinvent Yourself 6:54 - Don't Let Being Perfect Keep You From Taking The First Step 10:16 - Claudia's Experience With Mentors 13:08 - Give Detailed Recognition 14:25 - How To Improve Your Work Relationships With People Who Don't Get You 16:32 - Being Curious As You're Listening 18:38 - Claudia's Motherhood Experience 21:22 - Three Jobs As A Parent 26:01 - Make A Difference

Want to keep the conversation going? If something here landed with you, if you have a question about how I work with leaders and their teams, or if you just want to share your own experience, book a 15 minute conversation with me.