Olabisi Boyle is a woman who believes it is important to accentuate the positive, and she has much to be positive about. Today she is senior manager for Dodge SUVs in Truck Engineering at DaimlerChrysler Corporation, responsible for leading the product team's business objectives for strategy, budget, timing, and quality. But her life hasn't always been easy, and a childhood tragedy could have left her feeling anything but positive if she had let it.
When Boyle was 14, growing up in New York City, she found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time: she was caught up in a store robbery, an innocent victim of gun shot wounds in one shoulder and both hands. The incident left her physically and emotionally scarred, initially fearful of going about her normal life as she had before the attack. But with the help and loving support of her mother, Boyle overcame these fears and went on to lead successful academic and business careers.
USBE&IT recently asked Ms. Boyle to share her lessons with us and to offer career advice for students.
Boyle told us, "through that experience, I have learned that you must work hard not to let events steal your peace, and remember that with some distance, the events do not break you. Ultimately, the events will make you."
A Mindful Life
She approaches her life mindfully now, not carelessly, and she urges others to do the same: "Happiness is a side product of living your life around good values. Everything we do each day---from the mundane to the grand---is a decision we make. ... over the long term, we are summed up positively or sadly based on all of those little decisions we make each day. That said, I suggest we make our daily decisions in such a way that what we value is impacted in a positive way."
She advises students and young managers to develop a "brand" as a leader. "Be the one they know. Show up every day. ... Be the one they can count on. Be the one who is sought out for leadership, influence, knowledge, vision, and energy."
Boyle believes that success comes more easily to those who have a pleasing personality. As she told us, "Don't fight the negativity, it's wasteful. Instead, fight to hold onto your peace. Love life. Inhale, breath deeply, and live."
She also advises new leaders to review their own experiences, training, and education to see "where you would like to end up in the future and determine what gaps you have. ... Always have a current plan in mind. ... Then relax and enjoy."
Overcoming Obstacles
We all make mistakes in our careers, but successful people recover from them. What is her advice on how best to do this? "Understand that this too shall pass. ... Remember, you become a person of character not just when everything goes well, but when your pick up your head after things go poorly."
Quick Facts on...Olabisi Boyle
Education:
B.S. in physics from Fordham University
B.S. in industrial engineering from Columbia University
M.S. in mechanical engineering from Columbia University
Recent Awards:
"Modern Day Technology Leader" at the 2006 Black Engineer of the Year Awards
"Most Promising Engineer" at the 2005 National Woman of Color Technology Awards.
Current Position:
Senior manager, Dodge SUVs
Truck Engineering
DaimlerChrysler Corporation
