As we have fun Black Historical past Month, for this #ClouderLife Highlight we sat down with Clouderan Kimberly Lewis to speak about her profession journey in human sources, rising up in New Orleans, and the way her expertise in basketball translated to management and profession improvement within the office.
Kim is the director of human sources (HR) packages at Cloudera. She manages the whole lot that occurs on a programmatic foundation in HR that has a method and a plan. “I work intently with the chief human sources officer on strategic planning in addition to HR management,” she stated. She additionally seems to be at every of the six HR management tracks to determine initiatives and assist management achieve success with pending and ongoing priorities.
Kim joined Cloudera two years in the past. “On the time they have been seeking to fill a strategically targeted function, which was a superb match with my previous background as an HR enterprise accomplice (HRBP),” she stated. In her earlier function, Kim led HRBP groups implementing methods amongst all of the HR areas. She functioned because the liaison between the sector and company, the place she wanted to be an professional throughout all useful areas, creating a mindset for the bigger firm technique.
As quickly as she began at Cloudera there was a direct want for her to implement an initiative across the workforce modifications because of COVID-19 restrictions. “My very first duty was to supervise the COVID-19 committee at Cloudera,” she stated.
“The perfect factor about Cloudera is the people who I get to attach with every day, there’s nothing prefer it,” she stated, describing her expertise working at Cloudera. “The folks I meet actually need to do nice work and they’re enthusiastic about it. They’re prepared to sacrifice their time utterly.”
Rising up within the Massive Simple was about household, tradition, and new alternatives by means of the love of basketball
Kim grew up in New Orleans in a close-knit, multi-generational household, however felt just like the larger neighborhood of New Orleans was additionally household. “The fervour of town with a wealthy historical past wrapped in a cultural melting pot and anchored within the annual festivities of Mardi Gras. That is what makes New Orleans so particular,” she acknowledged.
It appeared like from the time Kim might stroll she was concerned with the sport of basketball. Enjoying all through her faculty days, she later earned a university basketball scholarship. Initially, Kim wished to check structure however selected a college that finest match her athletic aspirations that didn’t have structure as a serious. Then, after taking an employment legislation class she knew HR could be her main, and he or she has had a ardour for it ever since.
With basketball, Kim went on to be a division-two level guard in her school years after which grew to become a referee for semi-pro, and in addition coached at numerous ranges since.
Quickly after school, she settled in Atlanta to begin her profession the place she has been ever since. Kim stated, “They are saying in the event you’re in Atlanta longer than 10 years you then’re technically from Atlanta. I assume I now qualify.”
How classes discovered on the basketball courtroom translate to the office
“Basketball and workforce sports activities have been a centerpiece all through my life,” Kim stated. “Being an athlete could be very a lot part of who I’m and began my management basis. I’m very a lot a servant chief and all in regards to the workforce.”
Kim attracts on classes discovered on the courtroom to the office. Relating to organizational success, “working collectively accomplishes much more for your self and the group than being a star participant or working as a person,” she stated. “Being an important participant is one factor, however you don’t win until you will have an important workforce.”
By way of technique, Kim has additionally drawn related parallels. “Trying on the larger image versus the now could be one thing I discovered years in the past in sports activities,” she stated. “You may lose the sport right now understanding that there’s a broader or larger objective to win the championship. Equally, in HR, for instance, there are initiatives that we need to do right now however should take a step again and take a look at the larger technique to ensure the main points align with our targets.”
These classes additionally carry over to profession improvement as she appeared again at her personal profession path. “Not being afraid to fail,” she stated. “I discovered among the greatest life classes when issues didn’t go proper. Having the ability to mirror on what went effectively however studying the teachings of what didn’t work and never being afraid to regulate course.” She added, “Like in sports activities in the event you run a play and it doesn’t work, do you hand over on the sport? Or relatively, take a step again and take a look at another strategy to assault the state of affairs and rating?”
One other lesson that Kim attributes to her profession development is just not being afraid to assume otherwise or unorthodoxly. “It’s essential in my function to be versatile and open to different methods of doing issues,” she stated. “Generally you will have the perfect plans however issues occur that change your trajectory. Our entire trade is at all times altering so we’ve got to be versatile to vary with it in any other case we will probably be left behind.”
Reflecting on Black Historical past Month
In reflecting on Black Historical past Month Kim stated, “It’s such an emotional time for minorities as a result of, on the one hand, we mirror on the wrestle, and on the opposite, the sensation of pleasure for the accomplishments of minorities. All the good issues that we’ve got contributed to society and seeing the progress is thrilling.”
“Reflecting as a Black American lady, it wasn’t that way back when girls have been first allowed to vote,” she stated. “My mom was in class throughout segregation. After I despatched my daughters to high school, that they had a selection that my mom, who is barely two generations aside, didn’t.” She provides, “Black Historical past, though a month-long occasion, is as much as us to maintain high of thoughts on a regular basis.”
The ultimate query: did you remorse not changing into an architect?
“I’m nonetheless captivated with structure,” Kim replied. “After I journey, I make it some extent to see the structure of the realm, it’s so fascinating to me. I attempt to get to any metropolis that has implausible structure. I’m nonetheless a scholar of structure. I’m additionally an final DIYer. I’ve renovated my residence many occasions over. However on the finish of the day, my ardour is for folks, and HR is my strategy to contribute.”
As we shut the dialog, we need to thank Kim for contributing a lot to Cloudera and telling her story.
