What A Director Of Operations At Organic Certifiers Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Organic Certification Industry
Nicole, a Director of Operations at Organic Certifiers, advises that the organic certification industry is "constantly changing" and requires continuous learning, along with the ability to thrive in a sometimes chaotic environment. Overcoming imposter syndrome, a feeling Nicole experienced due to their age, is also crucial for success, highlighting the importance of self-compassion and the realization that "everyone is out here winging it."
Regulatory Knowledge, Adaptability, Continuous Learning, Leadership Skills, Imposter Syndrome
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Nicole Davis
Director of Operations
Organic Certifiers
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
N/A
Communications
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Operations and Project Management
Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. The organic certification industry has a complex and ever-changing regulatory environment, necessitating continuous learning.
2. Maintaining composure amidst ambiguity and undefined processes is crucial for success in this field.
3. Imposter syndrome is common, especially when younger individuals assume leadership roles; self-compassion and the recognition that everyone faces similar challenges are important antidotes to this feeling.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before entering the industry?
Organic certification can be really complex. The regulatory environment is constantly changing, so it does require some continuous learning.
Some good advice would have been to be comfortable with chaos. I'm someone who really appreciates clear, defined processes, and you're not always going to get that in your training or at the workplace. So, it's about adjusting expectations.
And then also, talking about imposter syndrome. This was definitely real for me when I first became a director of operations because I'm younger than a lot of the people who report to me.
To overcome that, I think it's important to recognize that everyone is out here winging it. We're all just doing our best. Some of that advice maybe would have been good to know ahead of time, and I would have given myself a little more grace had I known.