Meet Lesley Pinckney

We were lucky to catch up with Lesley Pinckney recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lesley, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I would answer this question differently at every stage of my career. When I was starting out and was less confident, I mainly focused on what I could control, so I outworked and “outlearned” my peers. The fear of being perceived consciously or subconsciously as an affirmative action hire (I pre-date the pejorative “diversity hire”) was distasteful and became a tremendous motivating factor. Then, as I matured in the workforce, I realized that most people who would think in those labels usually weren’t objective about performance in the first place, so I added additional tools to the arsenal. I will still outlearn most people as I believe curiosity is critical to innovation, and learning, for me, creates more curiosity. But I now pair that with openness and confidence since I’ve succeeded in the best spaces. The openness is welcoming and can diffuse people who only see me as my identity, and the confidence reminds them that I’m likely not going to put up with their bullshit.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I currently lead marketing for a division within Intel that builds 3D stereo depth cameras, modules, and software. Our product line is called Intel® RealSense™ Technology, and we have over 15 SKUs. We’ve just started building hardware-software bundles. We are at the forefront of enterprise vision AI innovation, and the current development and the possibilities are wild to see. This is my first hardware and B2B role. It has all the things – emerging technology, global footprint, proven use cases across almost every industry vertical, with customers ranging from start-ups to blue-chip corporations. This year we’ve expanded beyond hardware with several new solutions: Face ID, PT Metrics, VSLAM, and the D421 Module. Next year, we have a product that we believe will truly be a game-changer, but alas, I can’t talk about it yet.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Curiosity, tenacity, and the ability to quickly synthesize large amounts of information. I’m grateful I grew up in a house full of books, where going to the library was a regular activity, and debate and conversation were welcomed and encouraged. For people just starting, I would suggest reading more long-form fiction to help keep their creative muscles strong and consume non-fiction of all lengths to increase their attention span. So much of success is the ability to prioritize and focus while knowing more or being better than your competition. If reading is not your thing, you’re lucky because we have audio versions of most things today. Lastly, talk to more people – if you ask the right questions, you’ll always learn something new.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

Touch Grass. Seriously, as a full-time working mother with a pretty robust volunteer schedule, it’s important for me to take the time to decompress. It can be as small as taking a walk or as big as unplugging on a two-week vacation. It’s also important to cultivate hobbies – I love music and cooking, so a night in the kitchen making food and dancing to Prince can do wonders for my soul. I think the trick is ensuring you have significant and little coping mechanisms. You can’t always go on vacation, but you can always take a walk, meditate or play a sport. I also believe in the power of therapy (but not all therapists). So if you can afford it, try it.

Contact Info:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lpinckney/
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/oQQMrJu4pGA?si=bNf5dNNzuj8a9aCj
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/user/1222928800?si=97f543d4e8704766