Editor’s note: This new, ongoing series will introduce you to the experts who make our People Science team the best in the business.

Amy Lavoie

Title: People Science Regional Leader

Residence: Park City, Utah (6,500 feet above sea level) 

Hometown: New Orleans, LA (1 foot below sea level)

There’s a reason Amy Lavoie’s People Science teammates have affectionately dubbed her the Transformation Czarina: She is relentlessly focused on helping organizations and their people transform into the best versions of themselves. 

“I scrutinize everything we do by asking the question, ‘How can this help people be happier and more successful at work?’ ” Amy says. “And if our strategy isn’t having maximum impact, we need to rethink it.” 

Amy has undergone a career transformation of her own. After spending the first half of her career on in-house HR teams, she started to gravitate toward roles that focus more closely on employee feedback. Amy was drawn to the prospect of using people data to elevate the HR agenda to an executive level. That’s what she found at Glint: a technology that enables all managers and leaders to make better decisions with their people data. 

“When we have data to support our message,” she says, “we’re able to take it so much farther.”

Learn more about Amy’s work and life:

Work

What’s your motivation for doing what you do? 

I wake up every morning pumped to start my work day. I believe I’m a better partner, mom, friend, and human because I love my job. I want everyone to feel the same way I do about work! And I want to help create a world where organizations put their people at the center of their solutions so that, when my boys enter the workforce, they experience the same happiness and success that I do. 

Any career goals you’re working toward?

I’m one of those people who has never had career goals or a plan. I used to feel guilty about that, but it works for me. I just keep working with people who inspire me and doing work that challenges me…as a result, I have found passions and meaning that I would have never known to look for. And thank you to Adam Grant for telling me this is okay, too! 

What has been a big learning moment in your career?

Oh gosh, I learn so much every day. One big one for me was to own my truth and needs as I figured out the role that would be the best fit for me. In my old company, I was one of the only consultants on the team who was not an industrial-organizational psychology Ph.D. I always felt like an outsider and was insecure about my shortcomings. It took a manager telling me that I made the team better because I approached things differently. When I interviewed with Glint, I talked about what I did well and was excited about, but I was also blunt about the skills I lacked and what I wasn’t as excited to do. I said, “If this is the type of consultant you need, I’m not the right choice.” I was also candid about the priorities I had at home as a mom of young children. I still remember where I was sitting when I owned my truth, and my now boss responded with, “Great!” I joined a team with all my cards on the table and started to overcome the Imposter Syndrome that had been ailing me. 

What’s your top tip?

Spend your extra energy with the people (in your work life and personal life) who are aligned with your vision and values, versus spending all your time trying to convince the naysayers to get on board. You’ll have such a bigger impact, feel a greater sense of reward, and be able to convince others more effectively in the future. 

Life

What was your first job?

I started babysitting at a young age, and had a full-blown business throughout most of middle and high school. 

How many cups of coffee do you drink per day?

Two cups on the dot.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Living up in the mountains, we spend the summers hiking and biking, and the winters skiing. Watching my 5-year-old do jumps on the ski hill is so fun (and scary)!

Connect with Amy on LinkedIn.