AT&T VP Jason Oliver: Why You Need To Encourage Top Leaders To Create A Culture Of Continuous Learning
I had the pleasure of interviewing Jason Oliver, Vice President of AT&T University Operations. Jason is responsible for training and development for all AT&T employees and strategic partners across the globe. He leads the team responsible for designing and delivering innovative course curriculum to meet training needs and drive a culture of continuous learning and performance throughout the business.
What is your “backstory”?
Thank you for opportunity to be a part of this unique experience. I’m truly humbled. I was born in Spokane, WA but grew up in the Midwest (more specifically, Ann Arbor, MI, Milwaukee, WI and Chicago, IL). As the youngest of two siblings, I was raised in an extremely supportive household grounded in self-awareness, faith, love and laughter.
This supportive upbringing instilled in me the drive to obtain my bachelor’s degree from Seattle University and an MBA degree from Kennesaw State University. I joined AT&T in 2000 as a recruitment coordinator, and over the past 19 years, I’ve been given the opportunity to serve in a variety of Human Resources positions.
As the Vice President of AT&T University Operations, I’m responsible for driving a culture of continuous learning. My job is to help maximize global training for over 240k+ employees within AT&T.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?
I’ll never forget the day I was informed I was going to be promoted to my first supervisory role within AT&T. Excited and humbled, I decided to treat myself to lunch off-campus and ran into some colleagues who were part of the organization I was going to be promoted over. Now keep in mind, the promotional announcement wasn’t scheduled to be released for a week and the team was not yet aware, no one was. I sat down with them and during the normal lunch conversation, people started unleashing all their feedback on how the organization was doing — good, bad and ugly. I’m sure they wouldn’t have been so candid if they would’ve known I was going to be their new leader. However, in that moment I learned the principle and value of building a culture of honesty, trust and transparency.
What do you think makes your company stand out?
Our people. Our people, our employees, our AT&T family serve and step up whenever needed.
Also, career opportunity vs. job opportunity. Within AT&T, each of us can thrive in a career versus just a job/position. There are so many ways to reinvent yourself and contribute in meaningful ways.
Are you working on any new or exciting projects now?
We’ve evolved from a telephone company to a mobility company, and now to a data-powered entertainment and business solutions company. As part of that evolution, we are in the midst of one of the most significant transformations in our history. We’re moving to a high-speed, mobile and video-centric network — from cables and hardware to the internet and the cloud. We’re also moving ahead on our efforts to upgrade our network to 5G. It’s critical that we continue to transform our workforce as the company changes
We want to make sure our employees are “Future Ready” and have an opportunity to fill the jobs of the future. Engaging and fostering an environment of continuous learning for our current employee base is the right thing to do for many reasons — not the least of which is providing those who have helped to build AT&T an opportunity to grow and succeed along with the company.
A great example: we provide innovative online tools to help our employees navigate their options and take control of their learning and development.
What advice would you give to other CEOs or founders to help their employees to thrive?
To help employees thrive, I would encourage top leaders to create a culture and environment of continuous learning.
As an HR organization, it’s imperative we provide the business with solutions that are specific to their needs and that drive business objectives.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are?
Many of us have heard the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, there are many people who have supported, influenced and guided me along my journey. Above everyone else though, my parents are core to my success. My mother was the foundation. My father the compass. Together, they provided me with a platform to learn, grow, fail but never quit.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
I’ve always felt it was my obligation to give back by helping others reach their full potential. This commitment to servant leadership was instilled in me a young adult and is now manifesting itself as a husband, father and friend to my wife and two sons, Carter & Cole Oliver.
Through my personal journey, I’ve been fortunate to serve on the board of America SCORES Seattle — an organization that inspires urban youth to lead healthy lives, be engaged students and have the confidence and character to make a difference in the world — and currently serve on the Board of Trustees for Seattle University and the Texas Workforce Commission. Both of these organizations are at the center of molding and improving the lives of current and future generations.
Throughout my time at AT&T, I’ve had the opportunity to actively support organizations like the United Way, Boys & Girls Club of America, and Junior Achievement.
Can you share the top three lessons that you have learned from your experience as a “Black Man in Tech”?
Here are three key learnings/lesson that are critical:
Authentic leadership — Keep it real. Living authentically enables you to find common interests with others and gives you the opportunity to express yourself freely. While others may walk to a destination, it is up to the leader to know and have the courage to leap. You must truly know who you are before you can authentically lead others.
Lead with humility. You will always be observed through a magnifying glass. My advice is to constantly work on self-growth, to be a wealth of knowledge, and aspire to be the best version of yourself as an example to the future generation.
Communication. Be slow to speak and quick to listen.
Can you please give us your favorite “life lesson quote”?
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.” — Maya Angelou
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou
Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the U.S. whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?
You know, leadership and legacy are an extremely broad topic and it’s difficult to narrow it down to one person or one moment.
That said, I would love the opportunity to sit down with Pelé as he is an exceptional figure and role model for both leadership and legacy. I’m a huge sports fan, former soccer player and enthusiast, I appreciate the life lessons and experiences the game has taught me. Pelé is not only an inspirational football player, but he was/is a leader on and off the field. He not only inspired his own country Brazil, but he also inspired many people and young adults around that world that they could make it and persevere. One of those people being me.
Another leader I would’ve liked to sit down with is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His leadership and legacy encompass influential decisions, sacrifices, monumental actions and steadfast progressions of humanitarian rights that reach far beyond the civil rights movement.
Jamie Michael Hemmings President & Co-Founder of Best Tyme. He is running a series highlighting Black Men In Tech.
