In Jenny Wood’s 18 years at Google, she grew from entry-level to executive, and she most recently led a large operations team that helped drive tens of billions of revenue per year. In 2021, she started a passion project within Google called Own Your Career, which grew into one of the largest career development programs in Google’s history. Jenny is the author of Wild Courage – Go After What You Want and Get it.

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The Learning Leader Show

  • Serendipity isn’t found. It’s made. Make your own luck. The best leaders create serendipity for their teams. A success mindset precedes success.
    • From Jenny – In 2011, I was single and living in New York City. I spotted an attractive guy across the train from me. I wanted to talk to him, but I was too nervous. Then he got off the train. She met her future husband by chasing after him off a train in NYC. “I was letting life pass me by.” She used some wild courage to approach him.
  • What sits between you and the thing you want is fear. Who are your dynamic dozen? The 12 people you need to meet.
  • Monday mini-festo. In 15 minutes, write the 2 things you did last week that you’re proud of. Write 2 things you’re excited about for this upcoming week.
  • Focus on doing the work that helps the company be better. Solve problems. Read the VP email. Know your stuff.
  • Get to know your boss’s boss. Do it the right way by talking with your boss.
  • Jenny’s career at Google – First 11 years in sales, Go To Market, and Operations. Own your Career project. She got 2,000 people to come to her first training. Used all resources within the company to do it.
  • Use “for example.” Don’t speak in generalities.
  •  Role, Objective, Impact – ROI
  • At work, say no to the small. Don’t reply all to the Happy Birthday emails. Don’t do the NAP work. NAP stands for “Not Actually Promotable” Work. Sign up for the projects that help make your company better.
  • Carlye Kosiak is one of their best hires at Google. She had the courage to stand out. She was specific. Her resume indicated interest in “recipe tasting in pursuit of the perfect oatmeal raisin cookie.” Personality popped off the page. She was weird, reckless, nosy, obsessed, brutal. Must be yourself. Don’t just be weird to play a role.
  • Goal Setting framework – Rock, Chalk, Talk, Walk.
  • Jenny’s goal is to sell 15,000 books by the end of week 1 and hit the NY Times best seller list.
  •  If you sell 12,000 copies in week 1, how will you feel? “You ask such great questions.”
  • Don’t play it cool.  Play it hot. Don’t decide to fit in. Stand out.
  • Watermark your work. Put your name and picture on the deck. Let people know you made it.
  • Lady Gaga – A group of students at NYU created a Facebook group called “Stefani Germanotta, you will never be famous.” Have the courage to stand behind your work. Lady Gaga wanted to be a big star.
  • Life and Career Advice – Performance reviews – Focus 75% of your time on your strengths. Say yes to 75% of the things asked of you. Start sentences with “YOU” instead of “I” – Focus on them. Build influence thru empathy.
  • Apply to be part of my Learning Leader Circle
Resources:

More Learning:

Episode 078: Kat Cole – From Hooters Waitress To President of Cinnabon

Episode 216: Jim Collins — How To Go From Good To Great

Episode #300: AJ & Keith Hawk – How To Instill Work Ethic & Curiosity In Your Children

Episode #303: General Stanley McChrystal – The New Definition Of Leadership

Time Stamps

1:00 Jenny’s subway story: How she met her husband by taking action

4:09 Jenny’s 18-year journey at Google from entry-level to executive

8:25 Practical career tools: The Dynamic Dozen and Monday Mini-festo

12:23 NAP: Not Actually Promotable work to avoid

16:10 How Jenny’s “Own Your Career” passion project went viral at Google

27:09 The wake-up call: When Jenny realized she needed to leave Google

29:07 Finding “weird” talent: The story of one of Jenny’s best hires at Google

35:14 Goal setting: The Rock Chalk Talk Walk method explained

41:07 “Play it hot”: Why standing out matters in your career

51:55 Career advice for early professionals: The 75% rule and “Woo with You”