This week, Marijo Bos is in the hot seat! I first met Marijo while I worked for Mercer (www.mercer.com) and she worked for Oliver Wyman (www.oliverwyman.com).
Marijo is currently leading and building Bos Advisors in collaboration with a network of expert advisors around the world. Together, they serve global clients, supporting them in the discovery, design and development of programs to overcome the barriers to leadership and organizational success. Their focus is on inspiring positive impact which can be leveraged across the organization. Their goal is to support leaders in making this a reality.
Marijo is also a Current Board Member for one of the largest and most dynamic business networks, European Professional Women's Network. With a presence in 17 cities across Europe and 13 countries, it is a cross-cultural high impact organization. She is also the founding President in Spain and dedicates significant time and energy to building awareness and engagement on the topic of women's progress in business in Spain.
Brian: Tell us about a cool project you are currently working on.
Marijo: Bos Advisors is working with a client on assessing Inclusion IQ in specific markets. This is a progressive assignment and we’re excited and hopeful to support this organization across multiple cultures. Inclusion IQ in this case refers to having a complete understanding, embracing and acting upon the power and benefits of gender balanced teams across all levels of an organization through programs, initiatives and communication. This is a progressive assignment and we're excited and hopeful to support this organization across markets. I’m also really enjoying the ongoing work I’m doing on Difficult Conversations in emerging markets.
Brian: How would you describe yourself? What words would you use? What is your brand?
Marijo: Inventive, truth seeker --connector, motivator. My brand is about pushing progress and not being satisfied with anything less than excellence.
Brian: What are you passionate about? What type of work makes you jump out of bed in the morning and/or stay up late at night?
Marijo: I’m passionate about getting others to be passionate, no matter if it’s about advancing your communication skills as a leader, igniting high performance teams, pushing progress in gender inclusion or inspiring young people to take control of their careers from the start. I’m also passionate about exploring and connecting with new cultures and am an adventure seeker…this really gets me out of bed! My last trips to Sudan and Serbia satisfied those passions.
Brian: What is your source of inspiration? What drives you forward?
Marijo: My source of inspiration is making a difference, a positive impact in other people’s lives. When someone follows up after a program, sharing the difference a topic made in their lives, professional or personal, it makes me want to do more and more.
Brian: How do you see yourself evolving, or "becoming", in the next year? In the next 3 years?
Marijo: I see my practice getting more connected to experts around the world so we can collaborate on exciting projects together. I would like to write a book and tap into my experiences across 17 different cultures on various topics of leadership. Maybe in 2010 I’ll find the time, energy and focus to do so.
Marijo, thank you for taking time to talk with us!
Want to connect with Marijo? Contact her via www.bosadvisors.com.
Are you becoming, or do you know someone who is becoming? I am always looking for the next becoming interview!