David shares his career development from engineering design, to project management, to program management, and what he learned from backpacking, music, and dancing that helped him on the way.
Notes: Host Jeff Plumblee interviews David Sediles, a Program Manager at Duracell.
Key Takeaways:
David started as a design engineer before and after graduation from college, first making high-tech rope. He did engineering work until 2013. David then took a year off for a long and slow backpacking trip to Europe. He recorded how he grew as a person and what he learned about cultures throughout the trip.
Project management is connecting to people. You influence without authority. You build relationships. On his trip, David learned to connect. He told that to the hiring manager who hired him. In project management, you interface with a huge pool of people. Charm is the special sauce. A technical mindset helps.
Situations can get heated quickly, depending on personality, experience, and their perception of you. David shares how he managed situations at Quantum. David learned much in the seven years he worked there.
David discusses his program manager role at Duracell. He works in the Latin American sector for Product Supply. He works with every new initiative across the region, streamlining task relationships, minimizing silos, and automation. 90% of his time is in communication. Everybody is bi-lingual in David’s division.
David is excited about the opportunity to see how he’s steering the ship. He talks about what he learned as a dance instructor that helps him in program management. Communication must be consistent, clear, and transparent. He shares lessons he learned as a musician. You need a technical mindset.
