https://www.dianedarling.com/home/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianedarling/
https://www.gravitasdetroit.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/jangriffiths
Partial transcript below.
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Welcome. My name is Diane darling, and I like to share really interesting people with you. And one person I want to share with you is Jan Griffiths among other things I've never met her because of COVID. We only know that know each other in a virtual setting. And you may be surprised that every morning, Monday to Friday, I get up at six 30 and meet Jan and a group of other people for an accountability group.
We talk about what we're going to get done that day, professionally, personally, and our word for the day. And I've just really enjoyed getting to know Jan over this time. And so I wanted to interview her and talk about the accountability lab. It was called a clinic it's now called a lab. We'll talk about why that has changed and introduce all of you to her.
Jan, thank you so much for joining me today.
Thank you, Diane. It's going to be here with you.
So first let's start out with what's that accent. Tell us about your background.
It's Welsh. Diane, it's not English. It's Welsh. And I get very testy when people say, which part of England are you from? I not from England and from Wales, I'm very proud of my Welsh heritage.
We have a dragon on our flag. What does that tell you about the world's people? So I am from Wales. I grew up on a farm and I in a very small village of Coty. And I came over to this country with the automotive industry. About 35 years ago, worked my way up through the automotive industry and became one of the top 100 leading women in the automotive industry in 2015.
Achieved my dream job of all time, which shows to be in the C-suite of a major auto supplier and then quit Diane. And, I just said it was enough. I wanted to focus on my real passion, which was leadership. And I started my own business two years ago and here we are.
let's talk a couple of different things is, first of all, Wales is, does make quite a contribution other than the Prince of Wales.
We've got what? Catherine Zeta-Jones, Tom Jones. Are there a lot of Joneses in Wales?
Don't forget Anthony Hopkins.
Yep. Tony Hopkins. Absolutely. Wasn't Richard Burton from,
indeed very proud Welshman.
Absolutely. certainly thank you to the country of Wales. I actually was there when I was a child, so many years ago.
And we're not going to, we're not going to put any numbers in here. Otherwise, it means we're over 29, right? Jan.
Oh, that's right.
So you came to, I think the United States with the automotive industry found yourself in this C suite. let's talk about leadership. What was, what was your leadership style, and how did, how did they find you?
Let's talk about that.
I started off, with my leadership style. I grew up in a very aggressive male-dominated automotive environment in the UK. And the same was true in the US I think it was probably a little bit more aggressive in the UK. And I remember Diane when I started my career, I was the one who was expected to get the coffee and take the notes in the meeting because I was the girl in the room.
It had nothing to do with the title or how smart you were. and I tell people that story today and young women just cringe, right? They go, wow. I can't believe that happened today
to a woman.
