Coretta Poole

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."—Theodore Roosevelt

Dawkins' Global Team. Back Row, Robert Sinclair (Sweden), Jeff Burtaine (US), Troy Heflin (US), Bo Blomqvist (Sweden), Scott Morris (US), Ron Mc Innes (Australia), William Waters (US). Front row seated, Stephanie Dawkins, Anne Lyse Ruis-Belles (France), Felicia Featherson (US). The team was in the US last year attending a global strategy session.

Thoughtfully engraved in gold letters on a plaque mounted near the front of her office, these are the first words that greet Stephanie R. Dawkins, a Senior Vice President for AB Volvo, when she enters her Greensboro, North Carolina office. A gift from one of the many people whose lives she has touched, Roosevelt’s inspiring quote about the man in the arena aptly describes the sense of purpose and passion that drives everything Dawkins does. Despite having risen to the executive ranks of one of the world’s most successful companies and with responsibility for more than 83,000 employees around the globe, Dawkins makes no claims to a recipe for certain success. Instead, she emphasizes individual character, perseverance, and competence as a solid spring board for pursuing goals. “It is so important to remain open to new possibilities and to welcome opportunity into your life,” Dawkins notes. “You must be able to recognize an opportunity when it arises and be prepared for it. Successful people are absolutely tenacious. To successfully pursue any goal, that goal must be in your heart. It must be your passion.”

Dawkins always knew she wanted to work in a capacity that involved people. For more than 20 years she has been the woman in the arena, translating her passion for helping others succeed into an enviable career in Operations and Human Resources at such companies as Allied Signal–Aerospace, Black & Decker, and now AB Volvo. After being recruited to Volvo as an HR Manager, Dawkins’ responsibilities have steadily increased along with her promotions. Today, she is the first and only African-American, male or female, to be promoted to the senior executive ranks at AB Volvo. With expertise in organizational development, labor relations, negotiations, change management, and training, Dawkins brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role as Volvo’s Global Process Owner (GPO) for People Performance and Workplace Environment (PPWE). She has been around long enough to see the role of Human Resources in industry evolve from the fluffy image of company picnics and holiday parties to a much more strategic role within the corporate structure.

“Leaders now recognize that humans are the #1 resource of any organization. That reality in a globally competitive environment has earned HR a seat at the table where strategies are developed and decisions are made. One of my roles is to coordinate the harmonization of Volvo’s policies internationally and to ensure that HR initiatives are in place to drive the company’s competitiveness in the marketplace.”

An impromptu meeting in the boardroom with a fraction of Dawkins' team. Felicia Featherson is a global project manager, Troy Heflin is a the North American and Co-Global leader for Organizational Effectiveness, Stephanie Dawkins, William Waters is the North American leader for Workforce Performance and Co-Global leader for Labor and Employee Relations.

Dawkins’ responsibilities include Labor and Employee Relations, Safety and the Environment, Health and Well-being, Performance Management, Organizational Effectiveness, Exit Management and Global Policy Harmonization. Along with a multinational team of other GPO’s and Human Resources professionals, she is charged with leading Volvo’s Human Resources organization into a “Best in Class” operation. A natural people person and leader, she is quick to acknowledge that she does not achieve the strategic goals single handedly. Rather, it is the contributions of an international team of talented professionals that make success possible.

Although Dawkins is modest about her achievements, the three clocks in her office that track time in New York, China, and Goteborg, Sweden, hint at the time demands that Dawkins must face. “Because my work is very much international in nature, I travel 55% of the time and must often be available for conference calls at three o’clock in the morning.” To accommodate her international role, Dawkins maintains an office in Greensboro and an office in Goteborg. She notes that whether she is traveling in France, China, Belgium, or any of a dozen other countries where Volvo has operations, every culture has embraced her. Dawkins proudly mentors people from all backgrounds, and genders.

“When you work with people and people issues, trust and discretion become very important. My role requires that I be a mentor, a coach, a confidante.” With a warm smile, she adds, “I will take many secrets to my grave.”

That ability to convey trust and use discretion is clearly an asset. After years of paying her dues, Dawkins’ moment has arrived. With a nod towards her motivational style coupled with her expert knowledge of Operations and Human Resources, she is in demand internationally both as a keynote and motivational speaker. Dawkins’ gift for public speaking is undeniable. She first realized the power of her speaking abilities some years ago after a speaking engagement in Reidsville, NC. Although in failing health, one of the town’s civic leaders hosted the event. A relative reported that so inspired was this man by Dawkins’ speech that he died days later with her words on his lips. “From that moment, I understood the importance of always being at your personal best. You never know under what circumstances another person’s path will meet with your own. You never know who is watching, who is seeing you as a role model, or who will make the decision to emulate you.”

In December 2005, she served as moderator for the European Networking Group’s “Proving the Business Benefits of Employee Health Strategies” in Amsterdam, where Europe’s top companies participated. That engagement showcased Dawkins’ abilities as a world-class facilitator. Stateside, Dawkins moves in rarified circles and has developed strong ties in Washington, DC. When asked about her ties to leaders in the United States government, she explains, “To perform effectively, leaders of global companies must connect with government to understand if policies are in the works that will affect us. I need to hear this information in a timely manner and I need to hear it firsthand rather than through the media.”

Dawkins and husband Keith spend some quality time alone relaxing at the Atlantis Resort in Nassau, Bahamas.

Dawkins has a history of making an impact beyond the boardroom. She takes particular pride in using her professional role to build bridges between business and community. “Because business relies on the community for both its workers and its customers, it is really incumbent upon business to be a good citizen by giving back to the community in which it operates,” Dawkins observes. “Being in a position to create partnerships between business and community has been one of the more rewarding aspects of my work.” Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. The City of Tarboro awarded Dawkins a Key to the City for her work. Dawkins is also a proud supporter of Special Olympics. Perhaps inspired by her late younger brother, Chavez, who had Down syndrome, Dawkins finds working with special needs children rewarding and fun.

Amber (9) and Justin (6) playing around in the Pippi Longstocking Museum in Stockholm, Sweden during a Dawkins' family vacation in July 2005.

Dawkins credits a healthy lifestyle for her ability to perform at such a high level and maintain a work/life balance. Physical fitness is a top priority and it provides the energy level she needs to be her personal best at the office and at home with her family. She cites her family as her primary focus and her inspiration. “Everything I do is for my family,” declares Dawkins. She notes that her career actually enables her to spend quality time with her children instead of just watching television. For Dawkins, reading a book to her daughter’s class or discussing the beauty of butterflies with her son is as important as any work that she performs at Volvo. And with passports in tow, her children enjoy and benefit from the privilege of global exposure and world travel at a young age. Dawkins’ family is also the foundation of her success and happiness. She credits her husband, Keith, with holding her family life together and being her strongest supporter. “My husband is my soul mate. Totally supportive, he understands my potential better than I do. Because of my husband, when I am at work I am focused on being a Senior VP for Volvo. When I am at home, I am Keith’s wife and mother to Amber and Justin.”

Stephanie R. Dawkins’ Reading List:
Recommended reading from Dawkins’ bookshelf.

Collins, Jim. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t. New York: Collins, 2001.

Connellan, Tom. Inside the Magic Kingdom: Seven Keys to Disney’s Success. Austin, TX: Bard Press, 1997.

Zachary, G. Pascal. The Diversity Advantage: Multicultural Identity in the New World Economy. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2003.

Kisthinios, Kristina: A Scent of Sweden. Falth & Hassler, Varnamo 2002.

Harvard Business School Press: Harvard Business Review on Doing Business in China. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2004.