Top of Mind with Todd: Q&A with HP’s Malinda Lindsey

Top of Mind with Todd: Q&A with HP’s Malinda Lindsey

?Malinda, tell me about your career journey. What led you to your current role?

Upon graduating from Hampton University, I found myself in a position that many graduates face. I felt uncertain about the next chapter in life because I did not have a solid post-graduation plan.?I knew that I had a passion for building relationships, which led me to start my career in sales at Xerox, where I spent 4 years in the Federal organization.?

The opportunity to join HP was driven by an African American female leader within HP that knew of an opportunity to drive diversity within the sales organization. When I joined HP, I was likely the youngest and one of few women and African Americans within my organization - I note this to bring home the message that it is important to be intentional when making hiring decisions.

I have now spent 15 years with HP. The culture and the people motivate me to continue growing as a leader here. I made the decision in 2020 to embark upon my current role as District Manager for the SLED Mid-Atlantic region based on a desire to further my development under leaders that I admire and knew would challenge me.

Looking back on your early career, what was the most valuable advice you received?

Develop your brand. This has by far been the best career advice I have received. You gave me this advice more than 10 years ago and it stuck with me because you told me, “You have a bright future ahead of you - just make sure that people know who you are and what you stand for.” ?

From that day on, I committed to shaping how I was viewed both professionally and personally.?Whether we agree or not - how others view you matters, especially as you look to move into leadership roles. What I have learned along the journey of developing my brand is that doing your job is not enough. The development of your brand requires mindfulness and being self-aware of how you show up and share your perspectives. I am hopeful that when my colleagues think of my brand they see someone that is bold, supportive, and inclusive.

Now, what advice do you have for others as they foster early career talent??

The diversification of early career talent brings excitement and innovative ideas to an organization. I would suggest that leaders give these individuals the freedom to be creative, encourage them to be vocal and be open to adapting to how they approach business decisions. Within our organization, we recently introduced a role that encourages leaders to hire early career talent. This will have a huge impact on the talent pipeline. As leaders, our role is to be supportive and provide enough guidance for these individuals to be successful. On a personal note, it is an honor to be a part of an initiative that is shaping future change-makers.

?I am so impressed by the work you have recently driven in the DEI space. In your experience, what do leaders need to know about implementing successful DEI initiatives?

My guidance on implementing successful DEI initiatives would be to make sure it is authentic. It is not enough to talk the talk, but we must lead by example and walk the walk. Prior to starting this journey, have a clear understanding on your “why.” DEI initiatives should never be viewed as a checkbox. Instead, there should be meaningful and measurable reasons around the initiatives. Build a team with diverse perspectives, be willing to adapt and, more importantly, to take a stand and remain firm in pushing the agenda forward.

When you reflect on the impact of the work you’ve led to-date, what initiative stands out as your proudest moment so far?

Whenever I have the opportunity to engage with students currently enrolled at an HBCU, I jump at the opportunity. As a graduate of an HBCU I am familiar with the obstacles that many of them face, especially those who are first generation college students lacking access to mentors or internship opportunities and other resources that would help them jumpstart their career post-graduation. HP’s Annual HBCU Business Challenge and the HBCU Tech Conference are two initiatives that I leverage to connect my colleagues with amazing talent and give the students a glimpse into the culture at HP. The enthusiasm and energy of the students that participate is both infectious and inspiring.??