Her Corporate Career Journey

In today’s episode,  I interview Dra. Melanie Rodriguez. Dra Rodriguez is a Talent Management Practitioner. She has over 17 years in the corporate world.  

She serves as a coach and consultant in the areas of inclusion, leadership development, human systems change, and organizational capability.  

Melanie is most passionate about supporting Latina and Women of Color leaders.  To help highlight their cultural values in ways that allow them to lead authentically 

In today's episode, Dr. Rodriguez shares her corporate career journey and her new business venture.

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Transcript

Norma Reyes: 0:07

Welcome to the manifest your career podcast. I'm your host Dr. Norma Reyes, a Latina career and life coach. With this podcast I help successful women learn how to combine their intuition and logic so that they can manifest their dream career. By listening to my podcast, you'll learn how to go from feeling stuck and lost on what to do next to having the clarity, motivation and strategies to manifest the career of your dreams. Each episode, I'll teach you the skills, strategies and mindset you need girl to get in alignment with your career goals. Now, let's go ahead and get started. Hey, guys, welcome back. This is episode 33. And today I have guest Dr. Melanie Rodriguez. So Dr. Melanie is a talent management practitioner of over 17 years, and she has served as a coach and a consultant in many areas in the corporate world, which includes inclusion, leadership development, human systems change and organizational capability. Melanie is also passionate about supporting Latina and women of color leaders to highlight their cultural values in ways that allow them to lead authentically. And I'm so excited for you guys to hear all about her career journey. First question is can you tell us about your family background? Where did you grow up? And who did you live with?

Unknown: 1:58

Sure. So I am Latina Mexican American. My mom's family is from just outside of Monterey, Santa Catarina amico, I grew up in Houston, born and raised, I've been here, the majority of my life pretty much forever, and grew up with my parents. I grew up in one of those very traditional Mexican households where everybody in the family lives on the same block. So we all all of my fears, my Willa, everybody lives on the same block. Even still, today I have the city block that they live on is my mom, three of my DS, my grandma, two of my cousins, they all have houses on the same block. I live about five blocks away from them now.

Norma Reyes: 2:43

So you're not too far away, either. Yeah,

Unknown: 2:46

close enough. And yet far away enough. My kids love it because we ride our bikes, or we'll walk over there and hang out. But we can still come home and get away for a little bit.

Norma Reyes: 2:56

That's really nice. That's really nice. I only wish I could have had something like that. So when you were young, and people asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up, what do you recall telling them?

Unknown: 3:10

You know, honestly, when I was little, little, I don't know that I remember a whole lot from when I was super young. I will say I knew early on, probably middle school. And definitely into high school that I was I wanted to be an engineer, I was very into math and science and robotics. I was in high school, I was in the robotics club. Super big nerd, I love everything. STEM, I did not end up going down that path. I started college and started off in the engineering field, but ended up going a different route. So it was interesting, just knowing early on that I really, you know, had a passion around math and science and those kinds of things. But I also knew that I was very into giving back and making sure that I was involved in all kinds of different things and that kind of stuff. So it was a little bit of a tug of war between my attention of being really into engineering type of stuff at school and social type of stuff with everything else.

Norma Reyes: 4:15

Yeah. Everyone encourages you justly to go into STEM.

Unknown: 4:20

Yeah, they do. For sure. You hear a lot about it, especially now these days, you see a lot more.

Norma Reyes: 4:25

Yeah. So who do you recall being some of your earliest career role models that you imagine yourself maybe being like, what kind of work did they do?

Unknown: 4:36

I think I had role models in a lot of different spaces. And I think that's probably what led me into looking at leadership as a path to be most interested in because they were all different types of leaders in different aspects of what they did. Right. So my mom is a medical office assistant. She's not a nurse, but she's been working for doctors for my entire life. And she worked for one particular doctor This guy who was from Spain, she worked for him for more than 30 years. And he was very into making sure that he was giving back to the Latino community and that he was doing his part to be a role model as part of the community that he was involved with. And growing up in the neighborhood that I did, I was at work with my mom a lot, especially during the summers. And I would hide under her desk or, you know, sit in a patient room while they were doing whatever they were doing. And he was one of the people that was definitely very influential in making sure that I was studying and that I was doing what I needed to do. The NBN. I grew up in a very traditional Mexican family on my mom's side to where we have a really big family. The majority of my family immigrated from Mexico, and my grandmother was a single mom for ever with seven kids. So making ends meet, making things happen and making money stretch and all of those things. She was one of the people that really instilled hard work and making sure that you're taking care of family and making sure that we are, you know, building our community within our family. All of those things. I'm in the majority of the my family is women, which is another interesting feat for us on all of the women are very strong and hardworking and really dedicated to what they do. My eldest, the is a real estate agent, she has a huge company where she does multimillion dollar deals now. And that all started from her being an immigrant and working her way up and, you know, doing what she had to do to build what now is her empire. So having those role models like that, where it was very entrepreneurial, very hardworking, making sure that there was always food on the table, there was always community within our family, and that we were taking care of each other is was, you know, there definitely part of that.

Norma Reyes: 6:53

Yeah, so that is really amazing to hear. I know, it's not something that everyone has. So it's beautiful to hear you have it in beautiful role models as well. So can you tell us about your educational background?

Unknown: 7:08

Sure. The neighborhood that I grew up in is lower middle class, I would say, my parents definitely knew education was really important for them. Neither of my parents graduated high school. So they found education to be really important for me and for our family. So when I was very young, my mom applied for a transfer for me and I went to school in the medical center, she took me out of my neighborhood, drove me into the medical center for elementary school. And it was interesting, because it was a very diverse population, but it was also more wealthy population. So it was an interesting dynamic. Same thing for middle school, I, you know, transferred out into a similar area, kind of where it was a bunch of kids of doctors and, you know, engineers and that kind of stuff. And it was definitely different. For high school, I went to a very Latino school, I went there because it was an engineering based school, they had an engineering magnet program, and I was into robotics and all that good stuff. So I was in the MediCal program and with all of the smart people, nerdy people, but I also spent my evenings and weekends hanging out with the people that I was more comfortable with and making friends in a different kind of crowd. So that was interesting. I applied to a bunch of different colleges I actually intended to go to Oh, you got my scholarship and was going into their engineering program. The week before I was going to move into the dorms there. My father had a heart attack. And so I chose not to go, I stayed home. And the week before school started, I applied for school here in Houston. I ended up doing my undergrad at University of Houston, where I started in engineering, like I mentioned before, I was huge on math, science, I had scholarships that transferred over thankfully, and then ended up working to pay the rest of that did a couple of years in engineering but then decided that I wanted to focus on the people side of other things. So after a few changes in my major, I ended up graduating with a undergrad in PR and advertising with a minor in Mexican American studies and did a lot of work just you know, really around understanding how to market to people talk to people, I was a huge people person so that that and then I took a break for a couple of years, went back and started a master's program through the University of Phoenix. I got a master's in organizational management. And while I was there, I met some folks that work for the oil and gas company that I worked for which I worked for Chevron. We made a really good connections and I was able to join the company through my connections with them. So I started with Chevron in 2004. After that master i A few years later, I really got into the organizational management type of work. I, you know, moved over into HR started doing more org development consulting, leadership development facilitation type of work, and decided that I wanted to start a Ph. D program, the Ph. D program that I ended up selecting, also had a master's program associated with it. So I did a second master's in human development, and a PhD in human and organizational systems through fielding graduate university. So I graduated a few years ago doing that my research was around cultural intelligence and how it influences developmental conversations between expatriate employees and supervisors, which was great because I got to do my research at work and really implement a lot of the things that I learned through theory in the workplace. So it was pretty awesome. And that

Norma Reyes: 10:58

does sound pretty awesome. So I'm going to take us back a little bit since you took us all the way to your PhD. But that's okay. That's good. But I just want to kind of dig back a little bit and give people a little bit more of your story. Because sometimes we get to the end. And you know, people don't see those struggles and challenges that we overcame, you changed your plans last minute, going to university of Houston. And then you change your major a few times over some of the majors that you had.

Unknown: 11:31

Oh, wow. So I started as an engineer, right, I thought that I wanted to be an engineer. Because like you mentioned earlier, you know, stem was kind of one of those big things it has been for a while, right? People push it, it's important women in STEM, all that good stuff, which is great. I found myself being good at it. Definitely being challenged. But knowing my personality, it was it didn't work for me, because I knew that I needed to be more connected to relationships and people and helping people in ways that I could see firsthand, right? I think that's when I that's the first time that I recognize that was in college, because as I started doing more actual practical learning about what engineers do. It's great. It's a great profession to be in. But I would want it to be more in a people oriented business where I could see the influence that I was having firsthand. So I went through majors like communication disorders. I went through psychology, and then I landed in PR and advertising because I think it was because it's really that connection between understanding what people like what they want, what they need, and helping them to make those connections and build the relationship between whatever the service or the product is. And the people based off of that connection. Right.

Norma Reyes: 13:00

Yeah, yeah, that's really interesting PR, and now in human resources, or leadership development. So before you finally get to the PR degree, what were some of your career interests before graduating?

Unknown: 13:18

Oh, wow. So I have always had a job. My first job was in a mechanic shop. So one, one of my DS and her husband own a mechanic shop right down the street from my house. So I grew up doing oil changes and inspections, and you know, rotating tires and stuff for middle school, high school. And in college, I worked as a teller for a while and I also worked in a sleep clinic. So my mom was a nurse. And her hospital was looking for somebody asleep tech. So I was asleep tech for a while I did test some people who have sleeping disorders, like narcolepsy, and all that good stuff, which was really good because I can stay up all night and study and then get up and go to school the next day or go straight from work to school the next day. Crazy. But with the when I was moving into the PR kind of more into the the people oriented spaces, I think I I didn't do a whole lot of like major jobs there. Being a first gen College student I didn't really know a whole lot about internships and you know, that kind of stuff. So I never had a real internship in the field that I wanted to do. After I graduated, I had an full time job and an internship where that's my experience within with the marketing company that I was able to get an internship with, which led to you know, some of the work as I mentioned, you know, I was transitioning with into that work with Chevron. So my early work at Chevron was also in the marketing group for Chevron as well. So,

Norma Reyes: 14:55

yeah, stepping stones. Were something you said. So you had A lot of valuable work experience before hitting the job market. And that's something that sometimes we don't see the value in, maybe we, when you're trying to connect those dots for yourself, you might have been like, Okay, now when I don't have the experience, I don't have that internship. And of course, for first gen and Latinos, like, we just don't know how to do that, because we're busy working, doing something else, maybe helping our parents in other ways, um, our summers off. So we do, as Latinos have so much experience that I mean, I know, I know, we put everybody to work as soon as we can. And we got to use that even if it wasn't pay that legitimate work, it was still work, it was still building skills, still teaching, you definitely need to encourage everyone to use that on your resumes, or even just things that you can say that you've done, you've experienced,

Unknown: 15:56

I agree with you completely. And I think that that's a definitely a conversation that I have with people a lot now that I know, now that I know better. I absolutely want to make sure that people have those conversations about the work that they do early, you know, throughout college, or even, you know, working customer service areas, all of those things really do influence what your career looks like later down the line, what your work ethic looks like all that good stuff. And as Latinos, we tend to, like you mentioned, we tend to work hard, right? We're told, you know, work hard, put your head down, you'll you'll get recognized for the work that you do, because you're working hard. And it's something that we expect of ourselves, and we expect of each other. So when it comes to things like volunteering, for example, if you volunteer your time, and you're providing a service to an organization, a lot of people don't take into account that that is also adding to your experience, if you're working for a nonprofit, or if you're working with, you know, a local community group. All of those things that you're doing within that space, also count towards experience and they count towards leadership, especially if you're, you know, you're leading teams through influence, if you're helping an organization manage their books, or whatever that might look like, it all adds up.

Norma Reyes: 17:16

There's actually a book by a Latina, her name, I can't remember her last name, but the book is called skilled. And her name's Alma, you can find it on Amazon. And she talks about that. That's like her whole concept of the book about using our customer service experiences, as lovebirds into the professional fields.

Unknown: 17:38

I love that. And I know that you were in a sorority, I was in a second in a different sorority. But when I go back and to some of our leadership conferences or talking to undergrads, that's that's something that I try to reinforce with them also. Because orderly student organizations like sororities, or you know, you could be shipper, it could be whatever it is, you do a lot of work within those organizations, a lot of volunteer work, a lot of organization for the chapter itself. There's a lot of leadership roles that people take on within those spaces as well, that I think that we definitely don't take enough account for project management, you know, finance, event planning, all kinds of things that you come into those types of roles that we don't that most people don't consider.

Norma Reyes: 18:27

Yes, yes, I totally forgot about that. So did you want to share about that about your experience with it's keychain, right?

Unknown: 18:34

Yeah. Oh, man, Katie chi. So I am a member of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority Incorporated, I have have been for 25 years, I can't believe that this is my 25th year. It's, it has been crazy. But it I would say it is one of the most influential experiences of my life, right. I made a lot of friends. But more so I gained a tremendous amount of skills just I from the undergraduate chapter, I took a break after graduation and was not involved for probably eight years after that, but then ended up going back and joining the National Leadership Team and kind of worked my way up through leadership. I was national president for a while I was on the board of directors. So it is definitely without a doubt one of those ways that you can again, gain experience through a tremendous amount of work and and giving back in not only to the organization, but through everything that the organization's influence right through their philanthropies through the work that they do on a local level, all that great stuff, so definitely do it. If you have a chance.

Norma Reyes: 19:49

Yes, definitely. Find a sorority that fits you and I don't know It's unexplainable. I definitely agree. It grows with you. If you grow With it, you know, there is people who decide not to continue on, you know, to each their own, but definitely the sorority or fraternity will grow with you. And I'd highly suggest looking up the Latino and Latina fraternity sororities because it's something that I didn't even think about a consider I kind of vaguely thought about it my freshman year at Texas State, but it didn't really like, draw me in till till later. It's like connected with some people and felt at home.

Unknown: 20:32

Yeah, I think it's funny because you know, going into college, a first gen student, right? You don't know what what is the sorority except what you see on TV, and you don't see Latino sororities on TV. And as well, then also, when you go back and you tell your parents, hey, I'm joining this sorority, they're like sorority? Because that's all like, what do you have sisters here at home? You don't need any more sisters? Because and you're gonna spend time with them and not with us? Because lots of learning and growing in that space. So

Norma Reyes: 21:05

yeah, yeah, trying to translate that. Right, Amanda? I mean, that means something completely different to exactly does it mean us worthy at all. So before we we, we go off on that too much, you started your PR job, what led you to go back to school and get a master's in organizational development.

Unknown: 21:29

So when I early in my career, I was in a group that was having a lot of problems, the manager was one of those situations where it was the manager that, you know, you don't want to be like, very micromanager, very whatever, we had a pretty bad team environment or whatnot. And at one point, this man came in from HR to work with our team and work with the supervisor in that space. And he came in did a couple of workshops with us, you know, on team building and different types of things. And he spent some time coaching my supervisor, and things can get better right away. But long term, it definitely got better. But once we were doing those workshops, I absolutely recognize pretty quickly, it's like, that's pretty cool. I want to you know, be able to work with people and help them to be better. I went up to him after one of the workshops, and I told him, you know, just jokingly, hey, you know, I'm going to work for you someday. And he actually took me to lunch with another one of his colleagues, who ended up being a really great friend and mentor to me. And we went to lunch, we went to a restaurant here in Houston, and sat there talked for hours. And I ended up interviewing with them, and that the job and later on, they joked with me, they said, you know, they let me order first at lunch, and they told me if I would have ordered the salad, they would not have hired me. But I think it was, you know, definitely him and seeing the way that he came in and just really connected with people and tried to understand what the dynamic was, and, and did problem solving with the group and making sure that, you know, everybody's voice was heard and that everybody felt like they were buying into how we wanted to create the new dynamic for the team. And that was, that was very cool for me. Because again, you know, knowing that the engineering kind of problem solving side of my brain was like, oh, let's figure this out. And then the social side is like, let's do this together, and everybody's gonna hold hands and sing Kumbaya, and it's gonna be fabulous. And, you know, this whole idea of, of organizational development of team management or talent management brings all of that together, right, you can look at a huge complex problem, whether that's a team or an organization, a company, or even a person and all of the different nuances of their dynamic and really help them to navigate what the different issues are and how they can come up with a solution that works for them.

Norma Reyes: 24:15

Yeah, yeah, I, you know, I like that field, too. So I'm like, yes, yes. You know, it's possible. It's sometimes you know, that's all it takes. And it'd be great if more companies did that versus, you know, edging those quote unquote, bad apples out because you know, that person never gets to fully grow and develop. Bad leaders aren't bad because they want to be their bad because maybe they were never taught how to be a good leader. So, you talked about having a mentor, can you tell us about that experience and how that developed and grew?

Unknown: 24:52

Absolutely. So this person she is a four foot two little amazing person Well, what I want to say about her I don't know. So we met again through this position that I that I started off in. And we became very close, because we did a lot of work together. So Chevron's a massive company at the time, the group that I went into was she, the man and myself, so there was three of us. And we covered everything in the United States with the exception of California, and all of Latin America, and I was the only one that spoke Spanish. So we did a lot of work there. So it was pretty cool to do a tremendous amount of work. But we worked so much and so hard, and you know, such long hours, and I was the new person. So I would, there was a definitely a learning curve there at the beginning. But I had to come up to speed quickly, and we covered a lot of space, we traveled a lot together. And, you know, she took me under her wing, what I appreciated about her was that she was definitely or is still definitely a person that is very open to helping people learn and grow and share and does not hold back. She cares about people, it is very clear that she is really good at building relationships, that she is a connector of people. So she's one of those that she definitely knows a lot. But what she doesn't know she can connect you to who does. And that's something that I wanted to be able to emulate. So I mean, I am an extroverted person, by nature, I have a tendency to talk to a lot of people and make friends pretty easily, which helps me with building relationships in the business, right being able to connect to leaders and and really build those relationships. But then it went, what I learned from her was that it's not just about creating relationships all over the place, it's also about being very intentional, being very strategic about who you know, who knows you, and how to use those relationships, and how to make sure that you're using those relationships for the benefit of others as well. Because our role as organizational development advisors, or consultants, or whatever it is, is really more about helping other people and not helping yourself, right. So you can really leverage all of those relationships to make those connections.

Norma Reyes: 27:30

Yeah, how exciting and to not just grow as a person, but grow in the company and getting to travel and learning from someone with valuable experience.

Unknown: 27:41

Yeah, it was it was wonderful. As our team grew, and some of the other global offices grew, we did a lot of work for some of the development programming and things like that, where we had an opportunity to, to travel, even outside of the Americas, we traveled globally doing some of these development programs. And I think that that is one of the places where I recognize the different dynamics of work within a global company. So working for a global company is awesome, you have a lot of resources, you have a lot of influence and exposure and kind of an opportunity to impact on a wide span. It is also interesting in working for a US based global company and implementing different leadership programs and working with teams that are that are global with, depending on where people's, the supervisor said, right, if it's a US supervisor, managing a global team, or a, let's say, a super resident sitting in Angola, managing a global team, they have different dynamics. And so when we're you're developing leadership, programming to influence all of these people, that's where my dissertation topic really came up. Because I was on a team at one point where we were rewriting the leadership framework for the company for the entire company. And in thinking about how we came up with the framework itself, what the fundamental values were, how you're really thinking about people and what their long term development looks like, and what we expect of high potential leaders in a global company, right? Saying things like people should want to move or and be mobile, or people should want to, you know, achieve a specific position within their career. Those are things that are not necessarily universal, globally, because different cultures have different dynamics of what achievement looks like, of what you know, is important for them in their lives and in their careers. And as you think about what leadership looks like on a global scale, it can vary tremendously. So lots of really cool experiences. I went off on a tangent there sorry.

Norma Reyes: 30:00

No, no, that was great. That's great, it's great to see that companies are doing that and are willing to adapt based on where the leader is coming from. But not just that, but what can be brought to the US because we can definitely learn and grow from other leadership cultures and dynamics in different areas. We're definitely on a achieve, achieve achieve type of mentality when not everyone wants to, I mean, and it's not bad just because you prefer to be quote unquote, worker bee, right? Because that's like looked down upon doesn't mean that you're in the wrong place. Because you don't want to be a leader, I have some staff that are like that. And it's, it's good for me, I don't have to worry about, you know, them moving. But it's also good for the clients that we're serving, because that means they are very well versed, very knowledgeable, can get the job done a lot faster and efficient and appreciating those people. And if you're one of those people know that, you know, you should be appreciated, you should be in a workplace that appreciates you and your value, because you are much more worthy than a leader that's going to go from one company to another. So there's a lot of different dynamics, I'm sure,

Unknown: 31:15

absolutely. And I think that that, you know, within the Latino culture, that is something that is tremendously important for people to consider specifically, because there are, you know, quite a few people who, as they evolve their careers, they are first gen college students, right, they go in to college, and they have all of these resources in there, you know, why they have all these resources, there are more resources for first gen college students these days, than there have been historically, it's something that is actually talked about, once you graduate college, there's not a lot of conversation about first gen in the workplace, right. So if you have, if you come from a family, where you're you don't have role models who have worked in an office before, it is more likely that you're going to go in with, you know, not no idea what to do no idea how to negotiate your salary, how to find a mentor, how to, you know, do all of these things that some people come into the workforce, fundamentally understanding. The other side of that is, as people go into these roles, and you know, as Latinos, as we go into these roles, achievement looks different, you know, some of us come into our first jobs making two or three or four times what our parents do in our first job. And then to have your company tell you, Oh, you should want more can feel greedy, or, you know, ungrateful, or whatever that means. I've heard it explained a couple of different ways. And just in that, I've already, you know, for where I come from, I've made it, and I'm, I'm doing great. I don't need to be CEO in order to prove that I've, you know, brought my family or I've, I've, you know, done well, for myself.

Norma Reyes: 33:01

Yeah, yeah, that is definitely a struggle on both ends of it too, especially for the person to I mean, both sides of it. But I'm also thinking about the person who wants to achieve more, and then they hear from their family. Well, you know, what more do you want, you're never satisfied. Right? And so for those of you listening, and it goes both ways, both sides, just know that you know, everything your unique, whatever you desire is what you desire. And there'll be people on both sides that will, you know, make you feel bad for how you're feeling. Because there it goes back to you know, it's their issue and not yours. Exactly. So my next question for you is, what do you feel has been one of your important successes in your career,

Unknown: 33:48

I think that really getting into this space, and finding something that I'm passionate about what was his is my success. Because, for me, again, I, I love helping people. And I love being able to say that my passion is helping people, other people be better at what they do, because in helping other people find their passion in their work. And part of that is, you know, how supervisors work with their teams or just even being more efficient in the in the work that they do as leaders, all that good stuff. But I identify as that as a success because for me, I feel like financially good, right, the more I'm a great you know, I'll take it Sure. But I make enough money to be comfortable and to be, you know, to have everything that I want and all of that good stuff. So now it really for me, it's about being happy in what I'm doing and making sure that I can emulate to my kids into people around me that finding joy in your work and finding purpose in your work is equally as important. if not more, so.

Norma Reyes: 35:01

Yeah, it really is. It really is. There's so many people who are making lots of money, but they're missing that piece and end up leaving it behind trying to search for that. Right. So working at both so that you can have both. Now, my last question to you is, so looking back, were there any missed opportunities that you're like, Okay, that was a good missed opportunity. I'm glad that things didn't pan out that way. I feel like this was my path. instead.

Unknown: 35:34

Yeah, I think that they're, the thing about working in corporate is that the jobs that are available is the jobs even though that's what you have to pay for at that point in time. So the company that I work for has to kind of posting cycles a year. And in those two cycles, there's a specific number of jobs that come up, and then you post for them, or you get the job done, whatever. And there was a point where I was so sure that I wanted to do this particular job, and I didn't get it. And it turned out that the job that I did get was much more down, you know, what was intended for me what was what was aligned with my purpose? And I think that, you know, that seems to come to play, you know, often in our lives. There's the Garth Brooks songs on unanswered prayers. Yeah. It's one of God's greatest gifts, unanswered prayers. And so I think that that is so true. And, you know, sometimes you believe that you want something so bad, and it doesn't pan out. And it's for a reason.

Norma Reyes: 36:42

Yeah, definitely. I always like to ask that question is see, because sometimes sometimes, we don't think about those missed opportunities, until someone asked us and I'm sure there's there's plenty of missed opportunities. And if you are listening, and you have something that you feel was a missed opportunity, know that there's something better coming along in what God gives us what the universe brings, is definitely better and bigger than we could have ever thought. So now, I know that you started doing some leadership coaching, can you tell us about that?

Unknown: 37:15

Absolutely. So I do leadership coaching, through my coaching company called elevate Latinas. I work with mid career Latinas and women of color who are looking to get past that hump, one of the things that we find is that, because we are so hard working as a community, that the units tend to get promoted very quickly. But then we hit this point where we hit a wall, and we stall out and not for lack of hard work. But because the work is different, beyond us, you know, middle management, there are different focus areas, there's different ways of leading, and whatnot. And sometimes it has to do with the company that you're working for, and the biases that come up in that space as well. So I work with Latinas and women of color who are looking to get beyond that, that space, and really move into senior management and C suite types of roles. I love it. It is a you know, one of those passions of mine, I recently did a webinar on executive presence, where we really talked about everything that it takes to come across as a leader and really create that environment of presence where you recognized. And you're not only talked about when you are in the room, but you're also talked about when you're not in the room.

Norma Reyes: 38:38

Yeah. Great, thank you. We definitely need more women like you who are empowering other Latinos to do bigger and better. Now, how can we find you?

Unknown: 38:50

So you can find me on Instagram at Elevate Latina? So my website is elevate Latina calm, or I am also on LinkedIn, Melanie Rodriguez, PhD and or through you. I'm connected to you. Yeah. So

Norma Reyes: 39:05

yes. And I'll be sure to put it all in the show notes so that you guys can connect with Dr. Rodriguez. And also earlier I talked about the book skilled and so the book skilled is by Alma Angel, and you can find that on Amazon, I'm going to be having her later as a guest, too. So I'm excited about that. But definitely, if you are any any point any job that you had, know that it can be used in your development. You know, I see Melanie nodding her head, she's like yes, cuz I know, I myself, you know, don't even think about those those past job experiences. And I started working at 16. And yeah, I look at my own job history and how I grew and how I didn't grow At the same time, sometimes, you know, some of the opportunities that we didn't have for variety of reasons whether it be because we're first gen, and we just don't know how to seek out those opportunities. Or sometimes we're just scared. I know for myself, I worked at HEB, which is a local grocery store worked there for almost two years, and I didn't want to be a cashier. I don't know why, even though, you know, he bu does reward your work ethic. So the harder working you are the they want to promote you. And I just, I don't know, I was comfortable. I think that's a sign of something that I know I get comfortable. And then I'm scared to do those leaps of faith. So we just really have to be able to get out of our comfort zones. And you know, do those stretch goals? And if you don't know what a stretch goal is, Google that?

Unknown: 40:50

Yes, for sure. And I agree with you completely. And I think the other side of it is we get comfortable. But we also don't know how to talk about our experiences, because we are so wired to work hard that and to expect hard work that we find it more challenging to talk about why that's good, and the things that we're able to do in ways that you know, really kind of explained the value that we're bringing to the table.

Norma Reyes: 41:14

Yes, yes. Was there any last bits of advice that you'd like to share with the listeners? Oh, I

Unknown: 41:21

think the number one thing is be authentic, stay true to yourself, and what is important to you, because in the end, the authenticity that you bring to the table and the values that you bring to the table are going to be what help you stand out as a leader. You know, the work ethic that that people in instilled in you the way that you make decisions based off of whatever it is that is important to you, the way that you treat people on a day to day basis, everyone from the CEO all the way to your team and the people who you know, work around you in the building all of that good stuff, the way that we network and create relationships intentionally all of those things really build up who you are as a leader, and so stay true to yourself because the only way that you're gonna be able to last is, you know, by being you.

Norma Reyes: 42:14

Thank you so much for that and thank you for being with us.

Unknown: 42:17

Thank you for having me.

Norma Reyes: 42:22

Thank you for listening to the manifest your career podcast with me your host Dr. Norma Reyes, a Latina career and life coach.