Redirecting.work
Stela Lupushor: Embracing Change and Humanizing Work
I’ve known Stela for about seven years, first connecting when she implemented a Visier workforce planning solution and I was able to document the story. I quickly became a huge fan because of some personal passion work she was doing to help women over 50 get jobs and fair treatment through a nonprofit - Amazing Community. Our mutual desires to create a more equitable workplace for disadvantaged workers led us to do some webinars on improving DEI through the use of people analytics. She was a supporter of the People Intelligence Alliance, which was dedicated to enabling multiple people and organizations to collectively steer the future of work towards openness, transparency, and collaboration. I’ve been delighted to follow her work with Dr. Solange Charas to write and publicize their book on Humanizing Human Capital, Invest in Your People for Optimal Business Returns.
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​​The Catalyst for Change
Stela's journey is one of resilience and adaptability, marked by multiple pivots that have shaped her into a dynamic leader in the field of HR and people analytics. Each turn in her career was driven by a combination of external events and her unwavering commitment to making a difference.
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Stela's first major pivot came during a tumultuous period in Moldova, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. As a student entering the labor market, she faced the harsh reality of a crumbling economy and widespread financial loss. But amidst the chaos, Stela saw opportunity. In the aftermath of the Soviet Union's collapse, she found herself part of national transformation initiatives aimed at rebuilding Moldova's social, legal, and economic foundations. Despite feeling unprepared, she wholeheartedly embraced roles in critical projects, including the mass privatization of state-owned enterprises and the development of the country's capital market infrastructure. These foundational nation-building efforts taught her the value of coping with ambiguity, strategic planning and seizing transformative opportunities as they arise.
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A life-changing moment occurred when Stela's mother passed away after a tragic accident. Many attended her funeral in their Moldovan village, a testament to her mother's impact on the community. Inspired by her mother's legacy, Stela resolved to live her life with the same humanity, treating everyone with respect and recognizing value in every individual.
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A Series of Pivots
Stela's career path continued to evolve, driven by her curiosity and desire to create upstream impact. Each transition was marked by a pivotal question that propelled her forward, often accompanied by significant geographical moves. From Moldova to Ukraine, then to Russia, and finally to the United States, Stela's journey spanned continents as well as professional domains. She began in custom software development, then asked, 'What if you could standardize development work?' This led her to SAP ERP systems. Her next insight, 'What if you could change the process? Then the system will follow,' guided her into HR process improvement work. Next question 'What if you could change the service delivery?' pushed her to explore how changing strategy could influence service delivery, processes, and technology. Despite new professional and cultural challenges at each step, Stela's willingness to say 'yes' to opportunities continued to build her skills and network across diverse landscapes. Ultimately the question 'What if you could change mindsets through facts and stories?' led her into the world of analytics.
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The relentless demands of her career as a management consultant, particularly the constant travel, began to conflict with Stela's desire to be present for her young children. After years of balancing work with raising a family, she felt the need to recalibrate her priorities. This prompted her to reconsider her path and led her to internal HR transformation roles with the focus on technology and people analytics.
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A New Direction
Stela's latest transition is perhaps her most profound. Realizing that she couldn't change large organizations from within, she decided to focus on what she could control and impact. She left the corporate treadmill and cocooned for six months, reflecting on her next steps. Empowered by new opportunities and the ability to negotiate her terms, she chose to become an independent consultant. This pivot allowed her to fully pursue her mission of humanizing the workplace through technology, analytics, and human-centered design, ensuring that people feel valued and engaged in their professional lives. She now approaches this goal through multiple avenues: consulting for large companies, advising startups that are developing innovative work tech solutions, teaching the next generation of HR leaders, and fostering community within the people analytics field through meetups and events. This multi-channel approach enables Stela to drive change at various levels of the business ecosystem.
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Advice for Successful Pivots
Stela's journey offers invaluable advice for those considering a career pivot:
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1. Network Maintenance: Keep your network strong. "Never piss off anyone as you never know if you will meet again," she
advises. These connections can shape your life and provide support when needed.
2. Resilience and Flexibility: Embrace change and be willing to say "yes" to new opportunities, even if you're unprepared.
Cultivate the ability to navigate ambiguity and thrive in an ever-changing world.
3. Self-Reflection: Regularly ask yourself key questions about success, fulfillment, and what matters most to you.
4. Financial Preparedness: Ensure you have a safety net to give you the freedom to pursue your passions.
5. Humanizing Work: Focus on creating positive impacts and treating everyone with respect, recognizing the value in every
individual.
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Conclusion
Stela's story is a testament to the power of resilience, adaptability, and the relentless pursuit of meaningful work. Her journey from Moldova to becoming a leader in people analytics, HR strategy and humanizing the workplace underscores the importance of embracing change and staying true to one's values. Through her work, Stela continues to inspire others to humanize work, break stereotypes, and find joy in their careers.