Myname: Tonya V. Thomas
My company: EduTechDivaEnterprises
My title: Principal/ChiefEffectiveness Officer
Mylocation: Detroit, Michigan
Best business advice I ever received: Remember to treat yourself as your own most valuablecommodity. You cannot neglect your own personal and professional development for the sake of any one organization. Youmust continue to make yourself as marketable and in-demand as possible, even ifthat means investing in yourself, byyourself.
Most daring personal career move: My most daring personal career move was when I decided toleave a perfectly adequate job for one working as an L&D director with aprominent education reform organization. For the first time in my career, therole required me to do a lot of traveling across the US. That was a dauntingprospect as a single mom—working two jobs and going to school full-time—but Imade it work. It was an opportunity I could not pass up because it allowed meto work full time to further educational equity, a cause near and dear to myown heart.
What I’m mostproud of: I’m most proud ofthe fact that despite the challenges of being a divorced single mom working twojobs and going to school full-time, I’ve been able to further my own educationand be an example of hard work and perseverance to my daughters, who both nowhave blossoming professional careers of their own. Many people have shared withme how encouraging and uplifting my personal journey has been to them, whichhas inspired me to write my first book. It is currently being edited and willbe published in the very near future.
Current workplacechallenge: Bringingworkplace practices up to speed with modern workplace tools, while adjustingattitudes at the same time. The constant tug of war between companies trying todo more with less while demanding that their staff stay updated and retooledfor the changing future of work is exhausting, but it makes what I do for myclients even more valuable because we learn to maximize ourselves withoutlosing our focus on individual goals. I attribute my success in maintainingsuch a balance for myself to the teachings of Dr. Stephen Covey, David Allen,and a few others—and I share these practices with folks I come in contact with.
Something people don’t know about me: I’ma closet interior decorator, which probably stems from my propensity as aprofessional organizer and effectiveness consultant. I’m a huge advocate ofcreating an environment that is conducive to being your most effective self anddoing your best, most meaningful work. Effectivenesstechniques like this, and many more, will be the topic of my next book,currently in draft.
