The Unstoppable Leader: Victoria Pelletier's Journey Through Corporate Transformation
The intersection of leadership, technology, and personal growth has never been more critical than in today's rapidly evolving corporate landscape. Victoria Pelletier, a C-suite executive, board director, bestselling author, and professional speaker, recently shared her inspiring journey and invaluable insights on the Designing with Love podcast, offering a masterclass in career advancement and resilience.
Victoria's journey began far from the executive suite. Originally planning to become a lawyer, she found herself working in a bank's contact center during university to accommodate her school schedule. What was meant to be a temporary position before law school transformed into an unexpected career path when she was offered a promotion that led to a relocation opportunity. Taking a chance on this new direction, Victoria discovered her passion for leadership and coaching, which propelled her rapid ascent to becoming a Chief Operating Officer by age 24.
This unexpected career trajectory underscores one of Victoria's core philosophies: opportunity often arrives in unexpected packages. Her willingness to pivot from her original plan opened doors she never anticipated, demonstrating the value of adaptability in building a successful career. Today, Victoria leads non-technical aspects of business at Kindrel, a technology company that spun out from IBM, where she focuses on the human elements of technological transformation.
Victoria's approach to overcoming obstacles centers around two powerful concepts she frequently hashtags: #unstoppable and #noexcuses. These aren't just catchphrases but reflect her deeply held belief that resilience comes from both innate determination and conscious choice. Despite experiencing significant trauma in her youth, Victoria developed what she calls a "fighter" mentality, refusing to let circumstances dictate her future. She emphasizes that while we can't control all challenges, we can control how we respond to them, building resilience like a muscle through consistent practice and self-reflection.
For professionals looking to advance their careers, Victoria offers four key strategic pillars. First, develop resilience to navigate organizational changes and transformations. Second, understand how success is measured in your organization beyond your immediate role, and continuously develop skills that keep you relevant as work evolves. Third, build a strong personal brand based on performance and authentic relationships. Finally, cultivate supportive relationships with coaches who can guide your performance and sponsors who will advocate for you when you're not in the room.
The conversation turned to how artificial intelligence is reshaping the workplace. Victoria dispels the common fear that AI will simply replace human workers, instead emphasizing that AI will augment human capabilities. "It is not AI replacing us," she explains, "it is AI and humans." This perspective shifts the focus from job replacement to job transformation – the work that doesn't get automated typically becomes more complex and requires higher-level skills. For leaders and organizations, this means rethinking traditional job profiles and instead focusing on discrete skills and learning paths that prepare workers for future needs.
This shift has elevated the importance of learning and development within organizations. Victoria notes that her teams focused on change management, workforce transformation, and reskilling are among the busiest in her portfolio as companies recognize the need to continuously update employee skills. The shelf life of technical skills is shrinking rapidly – sometimes to mere months – creating an urgent need for adaptive learning approaches that Victoria likens to "Netflix-style learning" that can serve up personalized development paths.
As our workplaces transform, Victoria's parting advice resonates profoundly: "Everything you've ever wanted lives on the other side of fear." Growth and opportunity emerge when we step into discomfort, whether that means pursuing leadership roles, applying for new positions, or embracing technological change. By getting comfortable with discomfort and taking calculated risks, we open ourselves to possibilities that might otherwise remain undiscovered.
Victoria's journey and insights offer a powerful blueprint for navigating today's complex professional landscape. Her emphasis on resilience, strategic career planning, embracing technological change, and moving beyond fear provides actionable wisdom for anyone looking to advance their career and adapt to our rapidly evolving workplace. As we face unprecedented transformation in how we work, Victoria's experience reminds us that our greatest opportunities often lie just beyond our comfort zones.
📢 Call to Action: Victoria is an in-demand public speaker on a variety of business, culture, and motivational topics. Please head over to her website to read her articles, order a copy of her books, or book her for speaking engagements.
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Please visit Victoria Pelletier’s website and social media links below.
Jackie Pelegrin
Instructional Designer, Author, College Professor, and Podcast Host
Jackie, an Arizona native, leverages decades of experience as an instructional designer within both higher education and the corporate world. She holds an MBA and a Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology, both acquired through online learning. In addition to her full-time role, Jackie serves as an adjunct instructor, teaching online courses at Grand Canyon University. During her leisure time, she delights in reading books across a range of genres, enjoying movies and TV shows, playing games, listening to uplifting music, and spending quality time with her family and friends.
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