Amy Ruchte
ENT 600 September 2015
Subject Matter Expert Interview
Carol Brinkley, Head, U.S. Business Service Center, GlaxoSmithKline
I had the pleasure of interviewing Carol Brinkley. She has over 25 years of experience. Several years ago I worked at GlaxoSmithKline in the same department as Mrs. Brinkley. She is a leader, detail oriented and a wealth of knowledge. It was a joy for me to reconnect with her and to learn more about her background. She is a true professional that has figured out the delicate balance of being a friendly and approachable manager and getting a team to work well together and achieving maximum results.
Tell me about your professional background.
My experience has been primarily in Human Resources, Shared Service Delivery and in Global Business Services working in the Pharmaceutical/Health Care Industry. Prior to that, I worked in HR for a non-profit semiconductor research company and a for profit semiconductor company, both in Research Triangle Park.
How did you first enter your line of work?
I started in Human Resources after completing my Bachelor’s degree, recruiting in a company that was growing very quickly. That led to other opportunities in HR as a generalist supporting different parts of the business.
How long have you been in your field?
I spent about 25 years working in HR and service delivery in a shared services environment before moving into my current role in the US Business Service Center two and a half years ago.
How would you describe your typical day?
I manage a small team that is working cross functionally in two Business Service Centers, to help the service owners and their teams deliver IT and Finance services more effectively to our internal customers with a high level of customer satisfaction. We spend a lot of our time working with leaders and teams to solve problems, to enhance staff engagement and to develop capabilities. The Research Triangle Park and Navy Yard (Philadelphia) BSCs are part of a global network of six BSC locations, including Poznan (Poland), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Stockley Park (London) and Costa Rica. I spend part of my time working with my peers to ensure we provide a consistent level of support to our BSC service teams in other locations.
What do you look for in a candidate when you need to fill a management position?
In my current role, I look for skills related to service management, continuous improvement and customer focus. Change management and stakeholder management are also critically important. I also look for candidates who have a high level of passion and energy to help others develop their capabilities and to continuously improve their ways of working.
Could you give me some examples that illustrate the challenges you faced in creating a management team?
I have recruited over the years for managers in 3 different parts of the company and have always enjoyed the process of selecting the best candidate for the role. The biggest challenge is always finding the right fit for the role and for the organization. It’s always difficult to turn down excellent candidates when I realize that they would not be a good fit for the long term needs. In many cases, I have hired candidates who are willing to take a leap of faith and trust me to try something different in their careers. In some cases, this hasn’t always worked out as well as we hoped due to organizational changes and down-sizing.
If you are adding a new manager to an existing management team, how do you know that person is the right fit for the team?
I always like to involve the team to provide input on a new manager coming into the team. While I trust my judgment to select a new manager, it’s great to have others involved in the recruitment process and get their input. That way I will know that they have a good chance to work well together with the team and be successful.
What would you say is the greatest strength of strong management team?
For me, the greatest strength a management team has is the ability to develop their staff to be more effective in their current roles and to help them prepare for future roles and career opportunities. This requires knowing their team and individual strengths and using that knowledge to set clear goals and manage performance effectively.
How have your career experiences influenced the way you manage today?
I have learned valuable lessons from working with some really fantastic managers. With great managers, I learned what motivates me within a team, what my strengths are and increased my own self awareness. In contrast, my most difficult roles were character building experiences that helped me develop and land in other roles that I might not have expected.
How do you motivate or reward employees?
I am lucky to be part of a company that has great recognition programs in place so I generally use those programs and make recognition a priority. As for motivation, I support setting stretch goals, and expect that most people at this level are pretty self-motivated. If I can leverage people’s strengths, they typically respond well to that approach.
How do you keep up with best practices in your industry?
I try to stay current through going to see what other companies (or other parts of my company) are doing (Gemba), by attending external conferences and by reading about best practices and trends in Global Business Services industry.
How do you maintain a great work/life balance?
I stay focused on my own resilience and energy through many of the programs we have here at GSK. I am also lucky to have a great husband who understands the corporate world, who works from home and keeps up with everything there! I keep my weekends focused on spending time with my family and relaxing by the pool (in the summer).
What advice would you give to someone just starting out your field?
Don’t be afraid to take a risk and try something new or different than what you might think you are looking for. The first job you take will lead you to the next one if you follow your heart and leverage your strengths.
I thanked Mrs. Brinkley for the interview and let her know I appreciate her sharing her knowledge and taking time out of her busy schedule for the interview.
