Hi, I’m Janet…
Growing up on a small farm, milking cows before breakfast, and working in a garden all summer, I learned that you need technical mastery and good teamwork to succeed. Just kidding – I didn’t learn any of that, except that hard work is critical to getting things done and I didn’t want to be a farmer when I grew up!
Our parents encouraged my two sisters and me to get a good education. I took that to heart as my exit strategy from farm life, getting four degrees - a BS in Mathematics, an MS in Engineering, an MS in Procurement and Acquisition Management, and a PhD in Information Technology.
I've spent over 25 years consulting in organizations across multiple industries, from startups to Fortune 50. The large majority of this work was to help lead (or recover) business transformation initiatives, usually the ones that weren’t going very well. I learned during this career journey that while over two-thirds of these initiatives fail, it’s rarely because of the technology - it’s because of the leadership. (I wrote a book on this: Luck Is Not a Strategy.)
In 2017, I made an intentional shift to provide leadership development services to clients.
I leverage my experiences, thousands of hours spent learning and curating the most relevant information, and a passion for helping others to provide practical guidance to technical people who want to be successful leaders - leaders who people want to work for and who are known for getting results.
When I’m not reading, listening to podcasts, attending training, and all those things that take up the majority of my time, I enjoy scuba diving, flying, kayaking, hiking, playing pickleball, glamping in new places, and most things outdoors.
As a leader, there will likely be multiple times in your career where you’ll be responsible for leading change initiatives.
In Luck Is Not a Strategy, Dr. Janet Ply shares the often hard-won lessons from her 25+ years of consulting experience in leading complex change initiatives for multiple organizations spanning a range of industries, circumstances, and sizes.
Giving back is a priority. Our clients make it possible to support meaningful nonprofits that make a lasting impact. Take Angel Flight, for example. I have flown a number of patients to and from treatment for the South/Central Chapter over the years. A four-year-old patient drew this for me while en route from Houston Hobby to San Antonio. Each client helps make a difference in the lives of others.
There are three core values that we apply to everything we do.
We are honest, ethical, and authentic in all we do.
We strive to deliver more than expected, with the highest quality.
Our greatest rewards are serving others and giving back to the community.
