Competing on the Global Level

Today is my FIFTH anniversary with Procter & Gamble ! I joined the company to learn about brand building from the best marketers on the planet. What I did not expect was that I would earn the equivalent of a master's degree in communications and experience a "master class" in developing the best consumer goods in the world.

To celebrate five years, here are five lessons I've learned that have helped me elevate my professional game to continue to compete on a global level:

“Feedback is a gift.”

The truth is, our work gets better when we accept input from our teammates and colleagues. Too often, we can perceive constructive feedback as criticism or misinterpret it as failure.

Feedback is a gift. Productive feedback is meant to provide support, improve the product, and give you a fresh perspective. This can sometimes be framed as "growth mindset" (we talked about this ALOT when I was at Cincinnati Public Schools !) I'm listening to a MasterClass led by Carol Dweck this week - definitely worth adding to your podcast mix.

“Win today and invent tomorrow.”

P&G is iconic, and so are its people. Marc S. Pritchard is one of those icons -- truly a legend in global marketing. Marc always coaches us brand builders to "win today and invent tomorrow." I love that phrasing because invention can take on many forms: from reinventing ourselves and how we approach the work, to literally inventing a new product or process, to coming up with the next "big idea" that constructively disrupts the marketplace.

I had this experience when I had the amazing opportunity to work with the Tampax team and Angel Reese last year. We were able to work with Angel in a way that drove the business last year, but also laid the groundwork for outreach to young women moving forward.

This adage translates to any industry or line of work you're in. What can you do to win today, and what can you learn from that win to redefine how you work and your goals to be successful in the future?

Check out an interview with Marc!

What can you do to win today, and what can you learn from that win to redefine how you work and your goals to be successful in the future?

“Good morning, good afternoon and good evening.”

One of the biggest mental transitions you make when you join P&G is just how big and how influential our company truly is -- not just in the CPG industry but in global marketing as well.

8 a.m. meetings are the norm at P&G, in no small part because we're connecting with our colleagues in Asia, Europe and South America together on many projects.

"Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening" is the traditional opening for global meetings and trainings - I find it to be friendly and inclusive, but also a quick reminder of P&G's incredible footprint.

“Execute with Excellence.”

I first heard this phrase in my initial interview with P&G, and it is a rallying cry throughout the operation. Everything worth doing is worth doing well, and that is genuinely a refrain here and a thread that weaves into every conversation we have here, like:

• Coaching our agencies on what success looks like;
• Interviewing potential teammates;
• Reviewing the objectives and goals for projects with the team;
• And even when talking to ourselves about the outcomes we're striving for individually.

I personally love the phrase "execute with excellence" because it's as much about the process as it is the product - it's a way of being and existing within the world. Communicators who execute excellently strive for best-in-class work in approaching issues and projects every time, with focus, precision, and performing at their best.

"Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect." - Vince Lombardi

Force for Growth so we can be a Force for Good.

The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer has a lot of bad news - but one bright light for the private sector is that only business is seen as both competent and ethical. In other words, business is the most trusted institution.

Based on that data point alone, most people want businesses to do the right thing and believe that private industry is doing just that. Said another way, when you address the issues that consumers care about, including solving problems for them with your product or process, you can grow your company or organization.

My way of being a Force for Growth and Good is giving back through mentoring. I've learned so much from the mistakes and opportunities I've had throughout my career. By participating in panels and mentoring sessions with early-career professionals, I can help others learn from my experience and even if one person gets one idea or insight that helps them improve their performance or grow their business or feels inspired, that's me showing up as a Force for Good in a small but meaningful way.

Celebrating Five Years

A five-year milestone is meaningful and a time to reflect, and to take those insights and learnings to push ahead. It's not easy to adopt a growth mindset every moment of every day -- but you can always learn something from others and learn from yourself if you take the time to reflect.

So use my five-year anniversary at P&G to take your moment to think about how you can win today and how you will invent tomorrow! I'd love to hear from you - add your comments or send me a DM!