Ten Leaders To Know: Jill Bidwell [Full Profile]

Company: Emerson

Title: HR Director, Americas

Birth City: Pella

Current City: Marshalltown

Q: How did you get where you are today?
A: I got to where I am today with the help of a great network of people! Former teachers, coaches, friends, family and past bosses and co-workers all shared knowledge and advice to help me grow my career. I found my current role at Emerson because a former colleague from a prior company who currently works at Emerson reached out to me and asked, "Are you interested?"

Q: Where do you look for inspiration or to generate new ideas?
A: My network inspires me, not just my connections on LinkedIn, but also my book club and church groups and understanding what my teenage son is watching on YouTube or following on Instagram. Teenagers are some of the most creative people I know!

Q: What does effective leadership mean to you?
A: Effective leadership to me means that other people follow you not because they have to, but because they want to. Effective leadership is contagious because people want to be part of something great that matters to them, and they trust the leadership to do the right thing to make this possible.

Q: What is your favorite thing about Iowa?
A: I have the opportunity to travel frequently for work. I think Iowa is one of the best kept secrets in the world because we often forget how great we have it compared to other places. Our commutes are not impacted by traffic, our air is fresh, our crime is low, our food scene is amazing, our schools are the heart of community, and our housing is really affordable compared to other locations. I am not saying we don't have issues in Iowa, but we are low drama compared to other states. When we are not battling traffic or worried about leaving items in our car because it may get stolen, we can focus on other things that matter more, which is essentially the point of the phrase, "Quality of Life."