Suzanne Bourdeaux on career pivots and four tips for charting your path at Adobe
Photo credit: Cara Paiuk.
Suzanne Bourdeaux, Adobe’s vice president of Americas Consulting and Global Practices, didn’t always plan on a career in technology. In school she was pre-law, and then she went on to study computer programming in graduate school. “My current career is one I didn’t even know existed when I was in college,” she says, “but the idea of a highly social, collaborative career in tech is a niche that really suits me.”
Taking on new challenges—and staying open to opportunities
Recently, Bourdeaux took time away from Consulting Services to head up Global Readiness and Enablement, where she faced an unprecedented challenge. “For our sales kickoff, we usually gather in person. But, of course, that wasn’t possible last year because of COVID.” So Bourdeaux and her team leaned into the benefits of a remote event.
For starters, without the usual capacity limits, they were able to invite a far larger audience. Then, they considered how to make the event more relevant to each region.
“We ended up with nearly 200 events, so the complexity really ballooned, but it gave us the opportunity to focus on best serving the field with local leaders and region-specific examples,” explains Bourdeaux.
After spearheading Adobe’s first virtual sales kickoff, Bourdeaux headed back to Consulting Services with an even greater understanding of the product world. Her next step is to deepen the connection between customer needs and product development.
“I didn’t start with this path all mapped out, but it’s a great example of what I love about Adobe. We move quickly, which means interesting opportunities open up quickly,” explains Bourdeaux. “It’s all about being open to the things that come your way.”
On Adobe’s biggest asset, and her leadership style
“Adobe invests in its people as their main asset,” says Bourdeaux. To help employees get the most from what Adobe has to offer, she thinks leaders have an important role to play.
“New hires have onboarding. After that, it can be a challenge to navigate professional development opportunities. If you’re a leader, you can help the people on your teams make plans and find what they’re looking for. Of course, it’s still employee-driven—we’re each given the keys to a really nice car, but there’s no chauffeur.”
Bourdeaux is also passionate about diversity and inclusion. Early on at Adobe, she took advantage of the Women’s Executive Shadow Program, and she’s now a mentor in the program.
And, as with every good leader, Bourdeaux also has a knack for building teams with just the right chemistry. “I love to create combinations of people who work well together—to join creative people and those who are driven to get things done efficiently—and then to see how the sum of their efforts is greater than their parts,” she says. “If you create a rich environment and challenge people, and invite them to opt in, morale and engagement follow.”
Bourdeaux’s advice for charting your career at Adobe
When members of Bourdeaux’s team ask for advice on building their own careers at Adobe, she shares four tips:
- Excel at your current role. No matter what you’re doing now, do a great job.
- Leverage that excellence to build your network. Adobe is big, so build your network deliberately. The most authentic way to do this is tip number one—to be excellent at what you do.
- Stay open to serendipity. A chance interaction or even a crisis can bring people together and open doors.
- Be patient. Opportunities happen at the intersection of your readiness and a business need. It can be frustrating if you feel ready and the opportunity isn’t there yet, but take the long view and things will open up for you.