The finalists for WashingtonExec’s Chief Officer Awards were announced March 28, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place live, in-person May 10.
Next is Marion Ticknor, chief people officer at DMI, and finalist in the Private and Public Chief Human Resources Officer category. Here, she shares key achievements, focus areas going forward, career advice and more.
What key achievements did you have in 2023?
2023 was a transformational year for DMI. Perhaps most notably, the company fully integrated a sizable acquisition (which closed late in 2022), and shortly thereafter welcomed 15 international employees from a second acquisition. To ensure these new team members were folded seamlessly into the fabric of DMI while maintaining the consistent support of the existing workforce, our team led various programs to improve engagement across the business that includes a blend of in-person and virtual workers. These included opportunities for socialization such as virtual coffee talks, trivia events, awards ceremonies and development through participation in Employee Resource Groups like DMIVets and Women In Tech.
In addition to supporting our current workforce, we fortified our recruitment pipeline to ensure DMI’s workforce remains agile and resilient. We revamped our onboarding process to swiftly train new employees and ensure they feel welcome at DMI, and we bolstered our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging CounciI. These leaders are dedicated to creating a culture where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and experiences to the overall success of the business.
Finally, we focused on our Learning and Development program. We elevated our platform to a tailored approach, focused on IDPs delivered to our top talent, revamped our leadership development plan, and held a variety of topical seminar-like forums to round out our CBT library of offerings. We also rolled out a Program Manager Toolkit to ensure consistent performance and leadership across our programs.
What are your primary focus areas going forward, and why are those so important to the mission?
In 2024, DMI will continue to invest in the growth and development of our workforce. We’re nearing the final stages of building our career framework, which outlines a clear career progression for DMI’s employees to achieve their professional goals. This effort involved first simplifying our structure from over 650 job titles to 80 roles. The goal for this project is to give employees clarity around opportunities for professional growth, which fosters a positive and supporting environment. Although career pathways are complex, with multiple feeds and variables, we are on track and within reach — we will roll out our final product by mid-summer!
What is your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Far too often, young professional women do not voice their opinions or take decisive action because they are unsure about the “right” thing to say or do.
To these women, I say: Don’t be afraid to let your voice be heard, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Errors are inevitable, so when you do make a wrong decision, take accountability, and move forward.
Try not to let fear prevent you from speaking your mind. Decisiveness and boldness are usually respected, as long as you own up to your mistakes.
Fun Fact: What is something about you that most people do not know?
One of my greatest passions in life is flower gardening. Nurturing the garden and watching last year’s effort turn into this year’s success is extremely rewarding. It does require consistent attention; if you leave it untended, it will be overtaken by opportunistic weeds and critters. If you’re not afraid to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty, I’d encourage anyone to give gardening a try!