Consulting® APRIL 2020 37
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Penny Wand loves tackling a tough problem and break- ing it into its components to tame it. This is why she
enjoys technology consulting and
the rapidly evolving area of data
and analytics. “I am passionate
about telling stories with data,”
Wand says. “This capability is still
nascent in many companies, so I
work with clients to define data and
analytics strategies, understand the
potential in their data, and develop
the competence and confidence to
use data to make decisions.”
At this stage of her career, how-
ever, the thing she says she enjoys
most is developing people. “I want
to make sure there is a paved path
for the next generation of female
leaders,” she says. “I want to ac-
celerate career development for
our technology senior managers
by helping them understand what
it means—and takes—to become a
director in a consulting organiza-
tion. I’ve been creating a program
that has shown tremendous early
success in improving understand-
ing of and access to career devel-
opment opportunities.”
Wand joined West Monroe as
a Director in 2018 from Pariveda
Solutions.
Over the next 12 months, Wandsays she looks forward to continuing to advance data literacy and theability to use data to enhance decision making. Companies must elevate these capabilities in order totake advantage of advanced analytics and artificial intelligence, shesays. “I especially look forward toadvancing our focus on inclusion,while moving the needle significantly on diversity in our consulting ranks,” she says.
Of course, there are uniquechallenges as a woman in technology and consulting, she says.“At times, especially when I wasyoung, people tried to intimidateme and I had to learn to stand upfor myself. I discovered how touse my sense of humor and authenticity to make my point withoutcausing the other person unnecessary embarrassment,” she says.
“My biggest learning was that
the people with whom I’d had the
most discomfort or conflict often
wound up being my biggest sup-
porters because they valued that I
had an opinion and was trying to
make things better. I just needed
to find and trust my voice.”
As far as winning a Women
Leaders in Technology award,
Wand says she is grateful for the
recognition. “I am also grateful to
Consulting magazine for launch-
ing this new award and shining
the spotlight on women in technol-
ogy consulting,” she says. “I want
people to see me as someone who
has helped pave the path for other
women to succeed and become
leaders in technology and consult-
ing, so it is a privilege to be recog-
nized in this inaugural class.”
PENNY WAND
WEST MONROEEXCELLENCE INLEADERSHIP
What’s the best advice (consulting or otherwise) you’ve ever received?
WAND: “The best advice came from my Grandpa, who was an electrical engineer,inventor and entrepreneur. He told me to “be a maverick” and “don’t let otherpeople tell you how to think.” I still think of his advice regularly. The second-best advice came from my Mom, and that was “be enthusiastic.” People oftentell me that I bring a positive energy to the room and that came from her. Sheused to say, “Be enthusiastic about getting the mail.” Even now, when that mailis mainly bills or flyers, I’ve found pleasure in this simple task.” Q & A
