We were lucky to catch up with Kenni Kaufman recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kenni, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
It took a long time to feel comfortable and able to hold my own in rooms/meetings, especially in rooms/meetings where I thought I was the only one who looked like me. Over the years, I’ve come to understand that my previous experiences are valuable and have learned to embrace, understand, and own my narrative so that it works for me in any situation or room that I’m in. I’ve learned to be successful in rooms because I lean into what sets me a part from everyone else – my differences. I am effective in rooms/meetings, because I know that if I am called, then I’m wanted. I know that my expertise is needed and I present myself accordingly.
I also think it’s important to note that when you’re in a room with ten other people the only thing you truly have in common are your differences. And know that most, if not everyone in that room is going to have at least three insecurities, which means everyone feels like they are the only one who looks like them in some capacity.
Your unique story is your greatest asset. No one else holds your exact background or experiences, making your narrative incredibly valuable. Consider it a form of currency, waiting to be acknowledged by the world. Your personal and professional life intertwine to create this narrative, shaping who you are in every room, every meeting, and every opportunity.
If you are there, then you belong.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Over the course of my career, I’ve been instrumental in growing teams from 0 employees to 300+, expanding companies and cultures across multiple offices, and building dynamic technical and creative teams, successfully creating diversity and inclusion and employee engagement programs and initiatives, and creating company systems and processes for a variety of companies including NFL, Canvas Worldwide, Horizon Media, Vizeum, Magnopus, and most recently Brud, Nexus Studios, and Community to name a few.
Before transitioning to a full-time consultant, I held an Executive position at the virtual production and VR/XR/MR studio Magnopus. As their Head of Studio, I developed and led a diverse team of Engineers, Artists, Producers, and support staff. Oversaw organizational development and production and company operations. Managed employee talent acquisitions and recruiting and successfully grew the workforce from less than 30 employees to well over 150 and growing. Designed and implemented diversity and inclusion best practices in hiring and throughout the organization. Partnered with co-founders to land top projects with Sony Music, Pixar, Disney, Apple, Facebook, and other high profile clients.
In addition to my work with tech and entertainment companies, I’ve worked closely with several organizations that provide aid and counseling to victims of domestic s*x trafficking as well as organizations that promote the arts and tech among young people in economically disadvantaged areas.
As of today, I’m actively coaching numerous clients within organizations and independently with their career growth.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Learning the value of your narrative is probably the most important thing I’ve learned to do throughout my career. As I mentioned before, I’ve come embrace, understand, and own my narrative so that it works for me. There were times throughout my career I didn’t share my personal hardships, the fact I grew up with a teenage single mother, or that I grew up in poverty. I now share all of those things and more if needed. I am who I am and my past experiences have contributed to the woman I am today.
2. Stay in alignment with the things you do well.
If you’ve always been great at project management, or teaching, or math, lean into those skills. And don’t feel as if you have to work in those professions directly. For instance, if you’ve always been a great teacher, but you don’t want to go into education, work on going into upper management so that you can mentor or teach a team. There have been so many times I’ve talked to people who wanted to lean into an opposite direction of where their talents lie and it doesn’t always work out for the best.
3 Accept and understand your points for growth and own and admit to your failures. We all have areas were we excel and areas where we need to grow. I often find that us as humans tend to pretend that we excel at everything or ignore the areas where we are lacking.
Knowing and owning where you need to grow is probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned throughout my career. It’s what has been one of the key reasons to my success. And It’s tough. It’s tough because most people don’t practice this. Most people screw up and will blame you. Most people fail and make excuses as to why certain things happened or didn’t happen. But when you come along and you say, “yeah, I screwed up”. “yes, I missed that deadline”. And the next thing you say is, “what do we do now”? How can I make this right? I missed my deadline, but I’ll have it for you in a few hours. When you say those things the people that matter will respect you.
Sounds simple, right? Well, it is. It’s easier to admit your failures rather than trying to come up with an excuse. Now, this will throw most people, but you’ll be respected. Your boss will respect you. Your boss won’t come down on you for screwing something up or not knowing something. We all make mistakes. What your boss wants is someone who screws up, then offers a solution to fix the problem. Own your errors and always come with a solution.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
What do I do when I’m overwhelmed? I pause. And unfortunately, I’ve felt extremely overwhelmed as of late. I’m overwhelmed with work, with my personal life, and the list goes on and on. I find it helpful to pause, reassess, then move forward slowly with intention.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kennikaufman.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecareercorner/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KenniKaufman
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennikaufman/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6OFuu23m-4PkXHPgCA6ERg
Image Credits
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