Company and Executive Women Worth Watching® 2014 Award Winner
Katie
Carter
Hyatt Hotels Corporation How has education affected your career? My personal experiences
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EING PUSHED BEYOND WHAT I’M COMFORTABLE WITH HAS ALLOWED ME TO THRIVE IN MY PROFESSION, AND I CREDIT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE FOR HAVING INFLUENCE AND IMPACT ON MY CAREER AND LEADERSHIP STYLE. I started my career in customer service. My experiences with customer service have impacted the rest of my career. The needs of customers, both internal and external, and stakeholders, both personal and professional, are at the forefront of what I do. It is crucial to build strong and trust-based relationships with those around me so that I have the chance to make and learn from my mistakes, which have, in turn, made me stronger and smarter, and most importantly, a better leader. The men and women that I have the opportunity to work with on a daily basis motivate and encourage me to always seek new opportunities, no matter how difficult the challenge may be. I allow myself to make mistakes, and I embrace those mistakes, learning and growing from each. I am fortunate to have encouragement and support from my colleagues, family, and friends, all of whom continuously inspire me to be true to myself, and more importantly, constantly challenge me to be an authentic leader.
have had a profound impact on me: My upbringing in Africa, Dutch background, my many travels growing up, parents and friends, and education. With these experiences, I feel I have been able to establish a well-rounded, experiential foundation of knowledge that has guided my career.
Is there a role model who has had a profound impact on your career and/or life? What did he/she motivate you to do? My mother and father shaped who I am: My mother is the business achiever and my father was the artist and dreamer. Being surrounded and influenced by their unique and sometimes opposing personality traits enabled me to recognize and balance my own strengths, stay true to myself, and be authentic in how I live and work every day.
HEADQUARTERS: Chicago, Illinois WEBSITE: www.hyatt.com BUSINESS: Hospitality REVENUES: $3.949 billion EMPLOYEES: 90,000 TITLE: Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Global Operations Center
“The needs of
EDUCATION: BA, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida
CUSTOMERS, both internal and external, and stakeholders, both personal and professional, are at the forefront of what I do.”
FIRST JOB: Tennis instructor and coach
MY PHILOSOPHY: Be true to who you are, explore the road less traveled, and don’t take life too seriously—be able to laugh at yourself. These are the key principles that personally guide me. What I’m Reading: Breakout Nations, In Pursuit of the Next Economic Miracles, by Ruchir Sharma
September/October 2013
WWW.DIVERSITYJOURNAL.COM
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