SUSTAINABILITY
“ I actually wanted to be a lawyer and at one point thought I ’ d run for President of the United States !?”
SHERI R . HINISH IBM GLOBAL PARTNER AND OFFERING LEADER , SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAIN
by me . When I first started the professional brand , it was to stand out and share my unique value proposition and PoV , and maybe even land my dream job . After about two years , it changed and I realised how much of an impact sharing on social media can have – from education and awareness to shaping the future of our domain , how we challenge , lead , and design a better world . I still struggle with unplugging and drawing firm boundaries , frankly because I don ’ t see them .
I love what I do and it shows up in all things , every touchpoint and interaction with the world . A personal goal for 2021 has been practicing self-care and prioritising time for myself . As a change agent and a mother of three , I ’ m often last on the list and the pandemic has highlighted that without making time for personal care , it takes a toll on you .
When I meet folks , I normally describe myself as an eternal student , because I read two to three hours a day about new and emerging topics and push myself to go to the edge exploring new concepts . I ’ m constantly learning from my kids , my colleagues , clients , students , and folks in my network who also challenge conventional thinking .
Q . You state that your purpose is to “ make a meaningful impact for the clients , colleagues , partners , and communities I serve ” – how do you do that ? I fundamentally believe that supply chains can change the world and the power of purpose can be transformational , both through the lens of business imperatives and how we meet the world through design , innovation , leadership , and stewardship . A meaningful impact means listening and learning , not having the answers , not being prescriptive . If you want to influence changed behaviour for a sustainable , equitable , and responsible world , this means that a ton of folks have to cooperate at scale and I ’ ve found that listening and finding common ground is an underrated skill in this space .
How do I start ? First , walking the talk in my own life and leading with purpose and empathy , using the sustainable development goals as a roadmap for supply chains . I ’ m president of my community homeowners association . I volunteer through giveback opportunities in supply chain education and am super active in industry events and thought leadership opportunities , advocating for a better way . Whether through strategy , design , product innovation , leadership
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