The learning happens outside your comfort zone
Twenty-six years ago, Leslee O’Loughlin, Group HR Manager for Enterprise Ireland, embarked on a career journey that has taken her from a Management Trainee in Virginia, USA, to several promotions and roles in her hometown of San Francisco, and eventually to the Republic of Ireland, which she has called home for the past 15 years.
“Things moved quickly after I joined, which is how I like it,” she recalls. “I love new challenges and stretching out in different directions.”
Leslee was promoted to Local Corporate Accounts Manager within about two years of starting with the company. After successful 12 months in that role, when she ranked among the top 10 globally, she was asked to apply for an Area Manager position, and was offered the role.
After a fast-paced three years, Leslee’s career then took a different direction.
“It was the dot.com era,” she recalls. “It was an intense labour market. Silicon Valley businesses were attracting 18-year-olds with sports cars. I’d make campus visits with a Talent Acquisition Manager. It opened my eyes to a new opportunity in the business, and I wanted it.”
Progressing to the role of Talent Acquisition Manager in the US, Leslee then applied for the Group HR Manager position in Ireland two years later when the opportunity became available.
“It was a huge move, but I just had to apply,” she tells DRIVE. “I grew up in Europe because my dad was in the army. The idea of working internationally was very appealing.”
“The idea of working internationally was very appealing”
Leslee explained how her formative experiences in the US had made her realise that HR was the right career path.
“For me, it was always about people. Fortunately, Enterprise gives you the opportunity to try many different roles while working for the same company. All the different experiences in rental, corporate sales and talent acquisition have helped me become a better consultant and business partner to my internal customers and teams.”
Moving to Ireland, Leslee met and married someone in the Irish police force – the Garda Síochána – and made the decision to settle long-term.
She then became involved in driving diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which she remains very passionate about.
“Being an ally started at a young age with my father in the military. I grew up in a very small and diverse community in San Francisco, and then I became immersed in different cultures moving from country to country.”
It was during one of her father’s army posting that Leslee first encountered discrimination.
“I was confronted with terminology and a way of living and thinking that was very different from what I had learned and understood as a child. I found it very difficult to integrate, and I learned to take a stand and not to acquiesce.”
“Enterprise gives you the opportunity to try many different roles while working for the same company”
The importance of allyship as a personal responsibility has continued into her career at Enterprise.
“It’s how I was raised, and it aligns with Enterprise’s values. Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is embraced throughout the organisation, driven by our passionate employees who thrive in an environment where they are encouraged to bring their true selves to work every day. Surrounding myself with people who share this inclusive approach is very important to me.”
Leslee’s favourite Enterprise moments are linked to the development and progression of the people around her.
“I’m so proud of my team and what we’ve achieved,” she says. “It’s great to be part of something that is going from strength to strength. I get that pop of endorphin when someone is promoted where I’ve been involved in impacting them in some way. There are lots of little moments where I know I’ve added value. I always keep the promotional notes when people mention me, and I look at them on the hard days.”
“Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is embraced throughout the organisation”
Leslee’s career top tips:
- Do not be afraid to fail – it’s a part of success. I have failed massively multiple times! It’s what you do with the failure that determines how you’re going to carry on. Sometimes you can be accidentally successful – it’s when we fail that we truly learn.
- Keep an open mind – learn, ask as many questions as you can. We like to think that a career is upwards. Stepping sideways has sometimes been my most important step forwards, opening roles and opportunities that I would never have thought of.
- Develop your network and listen to other people – people with experience, especially from different backgrounds, can add value in unique ways.
- Identify your role models and mentors, and don’t wait for one to be appointed for you. You can always find your own. They won’t always look like you. Take initiative and look outside your comfort zone – that’s when the learning happens. Move into the stretch zone if you want to start developing.
If you are interested in a career with Enterprise, please visit our recruitment website at careers.enterprise.co.uk
