This month we are featuring Holly Sheldon, Associate in the Saba practice at Educe.
What do you do in your day-to-day role?
Currently, my day-to-day role involves working with multiple clients who are all at different phases of their Saba journey. That means that every day is different! Sometimes I find myself facilitating workshops for a client who is newly implementing Saba. There are days that I focus on solutioning client requirements and determining how Saba can best support those needs. Finally, there are also days that I spend building out reports and notifications in order to supplement client administrative resources.
What skills does your current job require? How have you mastered those skills?
I believe the skills that make a consultant successful include communication, the ability to connect with people, solution-driven, and a strong desire to learn. In the world of software, things move so quickly that it’s challenging to truly become the master of all things. I feel very fortunate to find myself amidst a group of incredibly talented and intelligent individuals, who I continue to learn from every day.
What advice would you give to others working in Educe Group about how to succeed in the organization?
I think it’s important to apply the same skills that make you a great consultant to your efforts in being an employee of Educe. Collaborating and building connections with your peers is so important, especially in an environment when so many employees work remote. Sharing feedback or ideas surrounding continuous improvement matters – particularly in a place that is so receptive to evolving.
How do you successfully build relationships with clients?
I strive for all my client interactions to be authentic. The person that you experience as your workshop facilitator is the same person that will be chatting with you before and after our virtual workshop sessions. While I know my role is to be there to facilitate a training or workshop, at the end of the day, we are all people with interests outside of the workplace. I love learning what makes people tick because those authentic connections can assist in navigating project challenges.
What do you feel sets us apart from other consulting firms?
Educe is such a unique place to work. Senior leadership strives to maintain an environment where employees are comfortable being their authentic selves, and I feel like that translates to how we approach our projects and client interactions. As a remote employee, having the opportunity to connect virtually at all firm meetings (twice per year) allows me to feel like I’m genuinely part of the team. I love that employees at all levels can feel like they are making contributions to the firm and that their feedback matters.
What are your hobbies/interests outside of work?
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and very active three-year-old daughter. We are currently in the process of home renovations – so my talents for online shopping have been put to great use! We also enjoy hiking during the beautiful Arizona winter. Most recently, I have committed to spending at least 15 minutes per day to learning the Ukulele. You won’t find me on YouTube anytime soon, but my daughter thinks I’m very talented.
