Ep. 166 - Claudia San Pedro - Are you creating an inclusive culture where people feel they not only belong but have a career with you? One of the very interesting topics Claudia San Pedro talks about is the four pillars of diversity equity and inclusion. She shares her insights on finding your bearings, keeping yourself and your team motivated, driving performance, and leading through times of change. In this episode, Claudia dives deep into what drove her career success and her experience working for the government as a first-generation immigrant. Listen in to learn the importance of having a ‘why’ for your career and staying grounded to achieve your career’s higher purpose. You will also learn what it takes for leaders to transition a company during acquisition to ensure every stakeholder benefits.
Key Takeaways:
- How to take positive criticism and use it to drive for your career success
- How to say yes to the right opportunities and be grounded to learn from your mentors and coaches
- Learning how to compromise and respect others’ opinions amid political differences
- How to be more listening, caring, and flexible as a leader to employees during a crisis
- How to build a diverse and inclusive culture in an organization through culture pillars
- How to ask tough questions with a constructive intent and to achieve solutions
"The hardest part of all of our jobs as individuals is being willing to take truthful feedback as much as it hurts, and not what we want to hear."
-Claudia San Pedro
In this episode you’ll discover:
Claudia on her personal background and how it contributed to her career success [1:47]
Having the humility and a commitment to personal development to reach your career-high [7:25]
Claudia on her experience working for two government administrations and the private sector [11:52]
How to be committed to mutual respect without allowing our differences to divide us [16:35]
She describes Sonic’s merger and acquisition process and the experience it was [18:20]
How Sonic learned to reprioritize and reframe how things got done during the pandemic [24:49]
Best practices Sonic adopted in the pandemic to keep employees safe and business running [29:18]
Claudia on how she changed her mindset to accommodate different generations at Sonic [32:37]
Sonic’s four major pillars that support a diverse and inclusive culture [34:53]
She explains their talent review process and its benefits in the organization [41:14]
Claudia’s few takeaway pieces she wants leaders to adopt moving forward [44:28]
Why leaders should strive for constructiveness to make an impact in the community [46:24]
CAREER
Claudia San Pedro serves as president of SONIC®, America’s Drive-In®, part of the Inspire Brands family of restaurants including Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Rusty Taco, and Jimmy John’s locations worldwide.
San Pedro assumed her role in January 2018. She joined SONIC in 2006 as vice president of investor relations and treasurer.
Prior to joining SONIC, she served as the director for the Oklahoma Office of State Finance (OSF). Appointed by Governor Brad Henry in 2005, San Pedro was the first female and first Hispanic to serve as director of state finance for Oklahoma.
Previously, San Pedro served as the assistant director of the Oklahoma State Senate fiscal staff and a staff budget analyst for the Senate appropriations subcommittees
BOARDS
Claudia San Pedro presently serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, BOK Financial, and the Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools.
AWARDS
LATINA Style has named Head of Limited Service Category at Inspire and SONIC President Claudia San Pedro the 2020 Corporate LATINA Executive of the Year.
The LATINA Style 50 is the most respected survey of corporate America’s policies and practices as they pertain to the advancement and development of professional Hispanic women. The LATINA Style 50 Awards & Diversity Leaders Conference is also the largest and most prestigious gathering of Latina senior corporate executives in the Nation.
EDUCATION
Claudia holds an undergraduate degree from Smith College in Massachusetts and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Oklahoma.
RESOURCES
Living the Quintessential American Dream
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