Elizabeth Adefioye is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Emerson. When asked what she wants this article to say about her and her accomplishments, she humbly stated, ““We did it together!” That headline encompasses for me the essence of great leadership—it brings people together to accomplish what none of us can do alone.”
As a human resources officer, Adefioye sees the transition to an increasingly diverse industry and it’s something she believes will lead to more women in leadership positions than ever before, “What I hope I and other leaders who embody more diverse perspectives and lived experiences are doing, is helping others see that you don’t have to ‘role play’ someone else’s definition of leadership—you can lead with authenticity and generosity being unapologetically yourself and creating a space for others to do the same. This is what I tell the women I have the privilege of supporting and mentoring.”
For Adefioye, this diverse future is ideal as it furthers her sense of purpose which she explains, “For me, purpose is irreplaceable as a motivation for leadership. Purpose is what gives me buoyancy and resilience in the face of big challenges and profound disappointments. Purpose spurs me to learn and to adapt, and it keeps me focused on what really matters. Purpose enables a life of meaning and impact, which frankly, is the definition of success that we all should aspire to achieve…It’s not about “having it all,” it’s about living a life of purpose that makes the world better and enabling others to do the same, starting with our own children.”
When asked about what inspires her and keeps her pushing forward as a leader even in the face of adversity and setbacks, Adefioye explained, “When faced with a daunting challenge I don’t know how to overcome, I remember the power of “yet.” I may not know how to address the challenge—yet. But with a growth mindset and bringing together others with grit, perseverance, and care, even what seems insurmountable may be overcome.” Now, Adefioye is focused on perpetuating true DEI initiatives, “DEI at its best is not just about representation, it’s about building a much richer, fuller, and more nuanced understanding of what it means to be human—including what it means to be female and a leader.”
Full Interview
If you could write your own headline, what would you want the article to say about you and your accomplishments?
“We did it together!” That headline encompasses for me the essence of great leadership—it brings people together to accomplish what none of us can do alone.
How would you describe the standard for women in the workplace and what are you uniquely doing to redefine that standard for the better?
Historically, the standard for women in the workplace was defined by who we saw in leadership all around us. Ask anyone from my generation who grew up working in US and European-based companies, who we saw in leadership most often was a very typical kind of white male leader who wielded power in a particular kind of way. Think Jack Welsh, or Lou Gerstner, and there are many others. Those are iconic leaders from my early career—and while these men were certainly effective in many ways, they embodied a relatively narrow range of leadership styles and approaches.
What I hope I and other leaders who embody more diverse perspectives and lived experiences are doing, is helping others see that you don’t have to “role play” someone else’s definition of leadership—you can lead with authenticity and generosity being unapologetically yourself and creating a space for others to do the same. This is what I tell the women I have the privilege of supporting and mentoring.
As the first Chief People Officer at your company, you’re truly a trailblazer. What does that mean to you, and how would you coach other women leaders looking to be trailblazers for their businesses?
Being a trailblazer isn’t worth much at all if you can’t create followership—and that starts with a deep appreciation and respect for all the folks across the organization that show up every day and give their best to make our company successful.
What I have found most inspiring is the talent, heart, and readiness of the people of Emerson to work together in new ways, to lean in and contribute to a movement that will transform this 135-year-old company—preserving the best of our past while embodying the mindsets and behaviors that will achieve our bold aspirations for the future.
Your LinkedIn bio says you “combine a global perspective with decades of diverse experience within Human Resources.” Can you elaborate on this global experience and your passion/sense of purpose in being a human resources officer?
I have had the great privilege of living, working, and connecting with people around the world throughout my career. I have helped business leaders navigate the nuanced and specific challenges in a variety of business contexts with the tools of my HR trade—and I’ve seen firsthand how the work we do in HR can make the world a better place, one workplace at a time. I can’t imagine a better way to spend my time.
Your children and husband are just as successful as you are, making you a very dynamic and driven family. What role does your passion for your family play in your life, and how do you balance this while creating a powerful career and being a trailblazing leader?
My husband and I refused to believe in the “zero sum game” mindset that we see too often in couples and families—essentially, the sense that ‘my success’ had to come at a cost to our family, to our relationships, to our sense of duty and service, or to our collective and individual flourishing.
Of course, it requires hard choices, lots of frequent flier miles, and probably a lot less sleep than my doctor says is ideal—but we simply committed ourselves to work hard together to put our family in the best position to thrive. It’s not about “having it all,” it’s about living a life of purpose that makes the world better and enabling others to do the same, starting with our own children.
How did you define your personal leadership style, and how do you reflect your leadership style through your wardrobe? Why is your appearance and style important to you?
My approach to life is to live it—vibrantly, authentically, and with beauty in as many ways and in as many moments as possible. I strive to show up to the world in alignment with that approach whether I’m in the boardroom or with my grandkids at play. Style for me is both my own self-expression and an invitation to others—I want people to show up as their true self!
How important has your personal brand been to your success? What are some actionable steps women can take to be perceived as future leaders?
I honestly hope my personal brand is less about my success and more about providing a clear message to others that each one of us brings something beautiful, distinct, and valuable to the world, and that we all are better off when every person has an opportunity to shine as themselves. My suggestion to women who want to be perceived as future leaders is to find what purpose is so compelling to you that you would work in service of this purpose, even if you were not in a leadership role. Align that purpose with your passion and see how your potential flourishes. The most effective leaders are motivated by purpose, not ambition.
What role does diversity, equity, and inclusion play in re-imagining female leadership?
DEI is essential to re-imagining female leadership because women are not all the same—and “more women leaders” is not necessarily a worthy goal if women are being asked to give up essential elements of themselves in order to lead. DEI at its best is not just about representation, it’s about building a much richer, fuller, and more nuanced understanding of what it means to be human, including what it means to be female and a leader.
You recently joined the Sealed Air Corporation (SEE) to ‘champion purpose-led work.’ What role does purpose play in the success of a female leader?
For me, purpose is irreplaceable as a motivation for leadership. Purpose is what gives me buoyancy and resilience in the face of big challenges and profound disappointments. Purpose spurs me to learn and to adapt, and it keeps me focused on what really matters. Purpose enables a life of meaning and impact, which frankly, is the definition of success that we all should aspire to achieve.
You believe in cultivating a culture of caring for business. What does that look like from a leadership perspective, and how does it reflect across your own life?
For me, a culture of caring combines a deep and abiding compassion for people in all their humanity with an absolute commitment to enabling people to accomplish great things together.
Caring means I am not content with the status quo—it means I go above and beyond on your behalf and on our behalf. Caring is the opposite of complacency. I am invested in our collective flourishing, and I will use all my effort and ingenuity to help us succeed, and I invite you to do the same. Caring means I hold a growth mindset about myself and about others.
I care enough to bring people together to tackle intractable problems, to learn from others, to take risks, and encourage bold aspirations because there is little we cannot accomplish if we work together. I strive to create a culture of caring in every team and every organization I’m a part of.
What advice do you wish someone would have told you that you believe is essential for women to get to the top?
Don’t buy into the notion that your success has to come at someone else’s cost. The world is vast, and the needs and opportunities are great. Find the leadership roles where your success enables others’ success—run from situations that ask you to win at all costs.
Recommend one book OR tool and briefly describe how it helped you!
‘Growth Mindset’ by Carol Dweck was a game-changer for me. Her research affirmed what my own upbringing and experience affirmed—that when it comes to life and work, effort, determination, curiosity, and humility are even more critical than “intelligence.”
When faced with a daunting challenge I don’t know how to overcome, I remember the power of “yet.” I may not know how to address the challenge—yet. But with a growth mindset and bringing together others with grit, perseverance, and care, even what seems insurmountable may be overcome.
