Innovation. Moxie. Persistence … These are traits Dr. Lisa Wicker embodies. The internationally recognized thought leader and career strategist is a conduit for change and progress. She is also an entrepreneur, author, speaker, wife, mother and friend. With her dynamic approach to life and signature style, she connects people across the world, fulfilling her mission to help others get the most out of their careers. Along with empowering employees, she teaches companies how to attract and retain talent. As the founder, CEO and president of Linwick & Associates LLC, a global human resources firm, she focuses on creating organizational value through people.
With a stellar reputation, she is a sought after expert in the field of HR, change management, learning, leadership development and career strategy. Her various accolades include being named Ace Recruiter and One of the Most Successful Businesswomen in Detroit by The Detroit News. She was featured in JET Magazine and was dubbed a “trailblazer” by the Michigan Chronicle. She was also recognized as one of America’s Top 100 Executives by UPTOWN Professional Magazine and Black Enterprise magazine’s Top Executives in Diversity. Her portfolio boasts clients from the automotive, marketing, healthcare, government and banking industries. Wicker’s vision and can-do attitude resulted in being named a winner in the inaugural Metropolitan Detroit’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For competition.
A purposeful visionary, she created the Career Mastered Women’s History Leadership in Action Awards and Women’s Business Collaborative Networks. The goal is to recognize iconic, powerful women who inspire and support one another while making a compelling mark on business. The groundbreaking annual awards ceremony is being held in Detroit, New York and Charlotte, North Carolina, this year. Proceeds from the events support Excel Village, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide mentoring and scholarships for girls. Further, 2018 marks a milestone for Wicker as she launches the premiere issue of Career Mastered Magazine. If you ever experience her presence, you will absorb her spirit of resilience.
Check out some gems of wisdom this busy maven shared with rolling out.
How did you determine your career path?
My career path was based on an HR internship opportunity while in college. The experience led me to change my major to human resources and the rest is history.
Describe the future skill sets that are essential to future business leaders and innovators.
Being a constructive disruptor. This requires approaching change in a positive way while disrupting business as usual. Being a problem solver: coming to the table with solutions rather than problems with no answers.
How do you successfully grow from business failure?
Visualize what success looks like; plan for that success; work the plan; measure the plan; adjust as needed to stay relevant in the market.
As a Black woman, what do you consider your superpowers to be?
Making an impact in the lives of others, lifting women and girls to the next level so that they will impact the economy and the positioning of women in leadership roles.
Why is it important for the more mature, seasoned and experienced Black women to reach back and help younger women of color?
It is important to give others hope, a future and courage to win. It is wealth building when we can leave a generational legacy. Each of us has stood on the shoulders of someone to get where we are today. We too have that same responsibility.
As a successful woman in business, what is your greatest/proudest achievement?
I just released the Career Mastered Magazine on March 6. The creation of a medium to advance the global career woman is a dream come true.
What prompted you to create and launch Career Mastered?
After retiring from corporate in 2015, I realized it was time to give back in a purposeful way. Reflectively, I realized that my career story is one of achievements, disappointments, failures, opportunities and wins. At the end of the day, I mastered my career while navigating through the corporate hallways of Fortune 500 companies. While I had mentors, not many of them were women. My goal with Career Mastered is to provide a process and place where women will support women via recognition awards, mentoring, networking and training.
Tell us three goals you aim to achieve within the next five years.
- Global distribution of Career Mastered Magazine
- Travel, travel, travel
- Mentor program expansion across the U.S.
For more information, visit www.careermastered.com and www.drlisawicker.com
