About Wendy Cocke:
Wendy Cocke, a trailblazer in redefining career success, is the author of two bestselling books, "Making Flex Work: Defining Success on Your Own Terms" and "Reimagine Your Work: Managing Your Career Like It's Your Business” in addition to being a contributor to the best selling human resources anthology “When Work Works: Cutting-Edge Solutions for the Contemporary Workplace.”
She is the visionary behind Engineering Leadership Solutions LLC, guiding technical professionals and organizations to think about work differently. Her journey from growing up in a family business, to obtaining a chemical engineering degree from Georgia Tech and leading global teams at Fortune 500 companies showcases her belief in hard work and perseverance.
Wendy's pivotal moment came when she negotiated a flexible work arrangement after the birth of her first child. Instead of hindering her career progression, she defied the status quo as it launched her from an individual contributor to a director, and eventually to a business owner. She believes that with her experience and her engineering mindset, she can help people find their place at work and thrive once they get there.
In this episode, Jim and Wendy Cocke discuss:
- How adopting a small business mindset accelerates career growth
- The impact of the pandemic on leadership and workplace flexibility
- Why work-life balance looks different for everyone
- The power of strategic career planning and personal branding
- Customizing work for employees while maintaining fairness
Key Takeaways:
- A career is more than a job—it’s a business, and you are the product. The more you refine your skills, build your brand, and strategically market yourself, the more opportunities will come your way.
- Empowerment comes from understanding. Leaders who take the time to recognize individual strengths, work styles, and personal motivations can create environments where employees naturally want to excel and contribute.
- Work-life balance isn’t about strict separation. It’s about designing a schedule that aligns with your priorities, energy levels, and responsibilities.
- A strong leader knows that one size doesn’t fit all. Great workplaces customize work structures, recognizing that flexibility leads to better engagement and productivity.
"It is harder to customize work than it is to make a blanket policy. From a
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