Developing Leaders at Ups

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While Jovita was climbing the ladder of success within UPS, they had started looking at its actions in its training programs and how to better align itself with millennials in developing better leaders. “UPS’s training and leadership-development models did not take into account that its managers should understand how the core of what it does every day – logistics – helps its customers to compete on a global scale. Now, UPS is creating job models and leadership competencies that align with the company’s goals and priorities” (“UPS Delivers”, 2011, p.12).

In Jovita’s words of wisdom, she states,” Sit back and listen, and observe” (Hughes et al. 2015, p.80). “At UPS she was known for rubbing elbows with the transportation workers on the airport tarmac, if necessary, to learn how things worked” (Norman, 2007, p. 1). Due to her successes and experience in each position, part-time clerk to HR – were she was engaged in training employees, to her current role as VP, she learned first-hand how each worker for UPS accomplished their job. “Leadership development depends not just on the kinds of experiences one has but also on how one uses them to foster growth” (Hughes et al. 2015, p.45). Jovita observes others around her and learns from them, but also as a past Human Resources Manager takes the opportunity to teach, train, and coach those around her.

Jovita’s reflection comes from the statement,” You learn more by not speaking…I’m very methodical about that” (Hughes et al. 2015, p.80). By being methodical, shows she has given a lot of thought, and reflection, as to how to learn from others and herself.

Question 3: Do you think Jovita Carranza’s performance and rise in UPS would have been similarly impressive if she worked in the government sector rather than the corporate?

This author had a parent, her mother- Gabby, who was a civil service employee for Wright Patterson Air Force Base for 30 years. Gabby started her career in the commissary (government version of a grocery store) as a cashier and pay grade of GS-5. Within a year, she was promoted to GS-7 and moved to accounting doing basic data entry. Within two years she was promoted again to GS-9 and moved to foreign military sales. In each promotion and move she excelled in learning the position, showed leadership, and gained experience in multiple ways that would benefit her next move. However, once in foreign military sales the promotions were very slow. Many times the government was on a hiring, promoting, and pay freeze where no one in the government moved from their current position or pay grade. Over time, Gabby was promoted to a GS-11 and became a project manager for the country of Greece in foreign military sales. At the age of 51, she graduated with her Bachelors in Political Science and that was the last thing needed to get promoted to a GS-12. GS-12 step 6 was her last promotion one year before her medical retirement.

Given Jovita’s work ethic and commitment to her job, it is very possible that Jovita would have experienced promotions as steadily as she received at UPS.

References:

Biederman, D. (2001). Learning to get ahead. Traffic World 265(16), p.28-30.

Ford et al. (2007). Learning from the pros: Influence of web-based expert commentary on vicarious learning about financial markets. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education 5(1), p.43-63.

Hughes et al. (2015). Leadership: enhancing the lessons of experience (8th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, p.47, 49, 79-80.

Norman, J. (2007, May 17). Executive brings her expertise to SBA. Orange County Register, p.1

UPS delivers leadership-development reforms: Changes equip firm for modern global business environment. Human Resource Management International Digest 19(06), p.11-13. doi:10.1108/09670731111163446

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