Ali McKenzie: Generalist doer-of-the-impossible
Ali’s stomach dropped as she realized the severity of the situation. Her Principal & Co-Founder was on a red-eye flight across the country en route to a Board meeting.
They had just received a credible threat to his physical safety.
As a Chief of Staff, Ali is used to solving sticky problems. But she had never encountered something like this.
After cycling through a burst of panic and dread, she drew a few deep breaths and took stock of the situation:
She knew her Principal’s schedule
She knew the layout of the building
She knew the potential bad actor also knew these things
She realized that her usual tools wouldn’t solve this problem. In a moment of egoless leadership, she found a lifeline and asked for help.
Ali had recently joined and participated in a certification programme with the Chief of Staff Association, which is headquartered in London. They were several hours ahead and would be going into the office soon.
She placed an urgent call to her close colleagues at the CSA in hopes of some guidance and fresh perspectives.
Although the event was one day away, Ali needed a solution quickly to allow for a change of venue if needed.
Within just a few hours, she was on the phone with a military security expert in Washington D.C. who walked her through a checklist of procedures and safeguards. Armed with her colleague’s advice, Ali worked with the building staff to add extra layers of protection that allowed the event to continue as scheduled.
Meet Ali McKenzie: Initiative Taker – Problem Solver - Networker.
Ali's resourcefulness, strong professional relationships and knowing when to ask for help ensured her Principal's day went smoothly. This highlights the importance of being a generalist who can think creatively AND collaborate effectively.
Ali is a co-founder of Unicorn & Lion, a boutique management consulting firm that provides innovative CEO/CoS solutions. With a distinguished career spanning diverse organizational capabilities, she brings extensive experience as Chief of Staff at Violet Defense Group and COO of its agricultural lighting division, Violet Gro, coupled with deep expertise in technology and site operations.
As a lifelong learner, Ali holds certifications from the Chief of Staff Association's inaugural program at the University of Oxford, Executive Leadership Development Program from the University of Washington, and governance and leadership certification programs from Northwestern and Cornell.
Ali offers this advice for generalists:
Be brave enough to find the strength in your vulnerabilities
Don’t just comprehend the words ‘find the power in your network’ but actually find the power in your network and be willing to reciprocate
You don’t have to know all of the answers to everything. Triangulate with believable people.
Join us in Breaking the Mold: Generalists Who Thrive in a Specialist's World as we explore real-life examples of generalists connecting dots, innovating, and solving problems.