Biggest Challenges Faced By A Director Of Operations At A Carbon Sequestration Company
Emilie's biggest challenge as Director of Operations at a cutting-edge carbon sequestration startup is the lack of historical data for forecasting, requiring many "judgment calls" and accepting that "mistakes are an opportunity to learn." This inherent uncertainty, typical of a nascent industry, contrasts with the need for certainty when managing a team and programs.
Overcoming Challenges, Industry Realities, Workplace Challenges, Executive/Leadership, Decision-Making
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Emilie Wood
Director of Operations
Carbon Sequestration Company
UC Santa Barbara
n/a
Environmental & Related Sciences
Climate, Environment, Sustainability & Waste Management
Operations and Project Management
Honors Student
Video Highlights
1. Working in a startup environment requires making many judgment calls with limited data.
2. It's crucial to accept that mistakes will be made and view them as learning opportunities.
3. There is a lack of certainty in this industry, which can be challenging when leading a team or managing a product.
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
My biggest challenge in this role is the nature of working in a startup, especially one on the cutting edge. There's not a lot of historical data or ability to forecast what will happen because you are creating the industry.
You have to make a lot of judgment calls with the available data and just go for it. I think you have to understand that sometimes you're going to make mistakes, and those are an opportunity to learn. Or you make a bet on something that ends up not panning out, and that's just the nature of working in a startup.
But it can be challenging because you want certainty for your team, your program, or your product. That just doesn't really exist in this industry.