Leading From The C-Suite: Capital One VP, Nikita Steals, On The Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective C-Suite Executive

…if I had any advice for the masses, it would be to continually strive to identify your own unique skills, talents, and abilities. Once you discover them, never compromise on fully developing them. The reason we’re all different, with diverse life experiences and varied perspectives, is that the world benefits from this diversity. So, find yourself, give your best to the world, and the world will reward you in return…

I had the distinct pleasure of talking with Nikita Steals, a highly successful, inspirational talent acquisition executive with a vast array of leadership experience across some of our world’s largest companies. As an accomplished leader, Nikita possesses a rich and diverse background across multiple industries and global geographies and has established a strong following due to unprecedented success within her corporate leadership roles, as well as within her own successful entrepreneurial pursuits, including a Ascension12, a reputable global recruitment firm and Divine12 Cafe, a 5-star all-organic, gluten-free restaurant.

Born and raised in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, Nikita was inspired by her family’s mix of success and challenges. Her grandfather, a trailblazer in local politics and labor movements, and her uncles, renowned Motown musicians, greatly influenced her. Nikita began her career as a young journalist for the Beaver County Times, showcasing her talent through inspirational front-page articles about social issues.

She graduated from Carlow College in 1998 with a degree in Communication Arts. Initially planning a career in public service, Nikita’s path took a turn when she accepted a temporary role with Management Recruiters International. This experience ignited her passion for recruitment, leading her to turn down a more stable government job for the career that has held her interest for the past 25 years. Nikita’s prolific rise in recruitment paved the way to her leading at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Conduent, and Amazon. Currently, she is the Vice President of Tech Talent Acquisition with Capital One. In her current role, Nikita focuses on leading the volume delivery of niche tech talent, at scale; strategic planning, global expansion, thought leadership, and building diversity, equity and inclusion levers into the tech talent ecosystem. She believes that a mix of different backgrounds and perspectives is crucial for organizational growth and societal impact.

Nikita’s mix of experience and the complexity of her career journey enriches her perspective and acumen, and her focus on heart-led leadership and empowering emerging leaders to develop keen leadership skill sets is the legacy she is most proud of.

A believer in balance and resilience, Nikita values vulnerability, strength, and humor as key traits for leadership. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining equilibrium in life’s highs and lows and the necessity of having a support system that provides honest feedback.

Nikita encourages everyone to discover and develop their unique talents and skills, emphasizing that diversity in perspectives and experiences enriches the world. You can follow her inspiring journey and insights on LinkedIn, where she continues to share her experiences and leadership wisdom. “Identify your own intrinsic gifts, and give them to the world. The world will pay you back.”

Good afternoon, Nikita. Thank you so much for joining us. Before we dive in deep, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share with us, the story of your childhood and how you grew up?

Nikita: I love this question because it’s something that I take a lot of pride in as a point of reference for where I am today.

I grew up in a very small town in rural Pennsylvania called Beaver Falls, which is about 30 miles west of Pittsburgh. I come from a very large family, a mix of people who are very successful and others who are stricken by poverty. I was fortunate to have some really solid role models. My grandfather, for instance, was the head of a Democratic Union and the first Black head of the Democratic Union in our area. His brothers, Mervin and Melvin Steals are Motown legends known for their hit song Could It Be I’m Falling in Love by the Spinners. So, the combination of my humble beginnings and my desire for greatness, my pursuit of greatness, comes from seeing big demonstrations of both in my upbringing. When I was in high school, I started writing for the Beaver County Times. I was 15 years old and sought a freelance writing position. They couldn’t hire me full-time because I was underage, but they did publish 20 of my front-page articles. At that time, I wrote about topics like domestic violence and inspirational articles on pursuing goals for youth. This idea of me having an old soul, even as a young child, has also shaped my way of being in the world.

Yitzi: Amazing. So can you share with us a story of how you decided to follow this particular career path and eventually led you to your career at Capital One?

Nikita: Sure. I’ve been asked this question many times over the past 20 years, and my answer has always remained the same.

I entered the field of recruiting quite by chance. After graduating from Carlo College in 1998 with a degree in communication arts, I had plans to pursue a master’s degree. I was living in Pittsburgh with my mom while my dad worked for the state of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. He had arranged a clerk role for me in Harrisburg, offering great benefits and career stability, which I was thankful for. However, the state’s bureaucracy meant a six to eight-week wait before I could start working. Having already worked full-time during college, I was eager to get back to work. So, while waiting for my state job to begin, I took a temporary role with Management Recruiters International as a project coordinator. My job was to match resumes with job requisitions and explain why they were a good fit.

I only expected to be there for a few weeks, but I quickly grew attached to the job. I would arrive early and stay late, fully engrossed in the work. The role opened my eyes to the impact of building relationships and understanding someone’s skills to help both individuals and organizations grow. The owner of the company saw potential in me and encouraged me to pursue a career in recruiting, telling me it was my calling. Despite his inability to offer a salary, only a draw against future commissions, I was convinced. I excitedly told my dad about my decision, despite his concerns about leaving a stable job. His advice, rooted in a strong work ethic, was valuable, but I felt a deep drive to follow this new path in recruiting.

I ended up starting at Management Recruiters International where I quickly became one of the top producers in my first year, specializing in technology and science, including placing pharmacists in retail and manufacturing. After a few years there, I moved from Pennsylvania to Baltimore to work for K-Force as an account executive in finance and accounting. At K-Force, I built profitable relationships, one of which led to a significant opportunity. My largest client, Tom Stout, the founder of Stout Causing Warning, noticed my success and invited me to join his firm. He wanted me to bring my recruiting expertise in-house, which was a new direction for their company.

I spent seven years in contingency search before transitioning to in-house recruiting. In this role, I built teams and developed marketing programs around recruiting. I taught employers how to create cost savings by replicating what recruiters do, manage negotiations, set up Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), and strengthen talent ecosystems. This period was full of challenges but also rewarding.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work with PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the big four public accounting firms, and Amazon, where I led their multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects. I also founded my own firm, Ascension 12 Consulting, which was a huge success. This venture led me to start working with Capital One, helping them build their teams of business analysts and data analysts during a growth phase.

I view my career as a combination of tangible and intangible achievements. It’s not just about the roles I’ve had but the successes and failures along the way. What’s important to me is maintaining faith, not in the abstract sense, but in creating new data sets and points, sometimes from nothing. It’s about turning a vision into something scalable and impactful. That’s the legacy I aim to continue building.

Yitzi: So you have many interesting parts to your career. Can you share the most memorable or interesting story that happened since you began your career?

Nikita: It’s tough to choose, but I’d say my role with Amazon in the past three to four years stands out. Amazon really drills into you the essentials of business thinking, emphasizing leadership principles like bias for action, insisting on high standards, thinking big, and disagreeing yet committing. I found my personality aligning well with Amazon’s leadership principles. It was the first time in my career that I fully connected with an organization’s culture, challenging my own thinking to excel. I learned immensely at Amazon, more than at any other point in my career.

Taking on a significant role at Amazon was intimidating. I was responsible for a major business, an MVP practice serving the federal government with cleared engineers, which hadn’t met its goals for years. I also oversaw an infrastructure program that had been successful before I took over. The role spanned nine lines of business across several countries, including AP, JC, and North America. I had limited time to implement major transformations in thought leadership, business enablement, and enhancing Amazon’s external brand, especially around diversity. In about a year and a half to two years, I felt this role was like moving mountains for me. It was a launch pad for my career and for the lessons I learned and needed to learn. The experience challenged me to motivate and inspire people, using intangible skills to help them achieve their best performance.

Yitzi: Do you have a favorite life lesson quote, and can you share an example of how it has been relevant in your life?

Nikita: Yes, there are many. I’m often seen as a source of inspirational quotes, and one simple phrase I frequently use at home, at work, and in my personal relationships is: “Don’t get too high with the highs and too low with the lows.”

There are times in life when everything seems perfect, when success comes easily, and recognition is abundant. It feels like everything is going your way. On the flip side, there are moments when it seems like the odds are against you. Hitting rock bottom is a significant part of our human experience. It’s in these moments that we truly define our character and determine how we stand in the world. As a leader, mother, partner, and friend, I’ve found it most impactful to stay centered. Being in the middle allows me to be objective, to offer stability, to see beyond the immediate, to keep my ego in check, and to understand when to seek help. Celebrating victories and mourning losses are both crucial, and I approach both with my whole heart.

Yitzi: So, Nikita, you are a successful leader. Looking introspectively, which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Could you share an example or anecdote about each one?

Nikita: Sure. One thing that’s crucial to my success as a leader is vulnerability. I recognize my limitations and the need to learn. Surrounding myself with talented individuals helps me learn from them and teach them how to best utilize their skills. For instance, acknowledging when I’m out of balance is vital. If I’m not balanced, my decision-making suffers. It’s about being human and admitting that, despite impressions of greatness, there’s always room for growth.

Another key trait is strength or resilience, an unshakable belief that life is good and will get better. This reminds me of a Japanese proverb: ‘Fall seven times, stand up eight.’ It’s about the inherent ability within us to regenerate and renew, a principle I’ve embraced to overcome stress in my life.

Lastly, a sense of humor is essential. It’s important to connect with people on a human level, especially in significant work like diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. These are world-changing, dealing with fundamental issues like gender and race. But being able to not take ourselves too seriously and maintain a light heart helps us find a balance between serious work and human connection.

Yitzi: Leadership often entails making difficult decisions between two good paths. Can you share a story with us about a tough decision you had to make as a leader?

Nikita: The most notable example I can think of is our North Star vision. I’m an expert in this area, which is essentially about setting transformative goals that require significant changes in processes, people, and technologies. Achieving this vision would scale and transform the organization in an unprecedented way. Currently, I’m engaged in North Star planning with my team at Capital One. In 2022, the tech market saw immense growth, leading many organizations to plan for compounded growth over the next two to five years. But in 2023, things shifted. The stock market indicated a downturn in tech, and organizations began downsizing. This shift meant that we, as leaders, had to rethink our strategies, focusing on process improvement and technology enhancement to prepare for future market changes.

Today, our challenge is determining the most impactful North Star to focus on. This means aligning our finance and leadership teams, along with recruiting and talent marketing, because of limited budgets. We’re engaging in discussions and brainstorming to identify this goal. So far, we’ve decided to concentrate on ecosystem enhancement and the candidate experience. These focuses will benefit the organization regardless of our hiring volume.

Yitzi: Beautiful. In your experience, which aspect of running a company tends to be most underestimated?

Nikita: Well, it’s not as easy as it seems.

You might not have seen my restaurant, Divine 12 Cafe, on LinkedIn. There, you’ll find numerous articles and TV shows featuring it.

Originally, Divine 12 Cafe started as a hobby. Having celiac disease, I can’t eat gluten, and I’m also a chef who loves cooking. After my diagnosis, I thought it would be great to share this gift with others. Our slogan at Divine 12 Cafe was “Food that proves you matter.” We offered dishes like lasagna, fried chicken, and pancakes, which are usually off-limits for many with celiac disease, and they were delicious. The restaurant quickly became a five-star establishment within just six months.

The growth was unexpected, and both my former partner and I were caught off guard. I was still working as an executive elsewhere, and the media attention was constant. The community was very supportive, but running a restaurant was incredibly challenging. It wasn’t about making a profit; it felt more like an act of service for those with severe food allergies. Despite the high energy cost, the social impact and the ability to positively affect people’s lives were truly rewarding. This experience left a lasting impression on me.

Yitzi: Based on your experience, can you share the five things you need to be a highly effective C-suite executive?

Nikita:

1. To be a highly effective C-suite executive, you need rest and balance. It’s essential to have time for self-reflection and to rejuvenate your spirit. This helps you inspire and lead effectively.
2. Believing in something greater than yourself is also crucial. This could be a spiritual practice, mentorship, or even uplifting literature and podcasts that expand your worldview and purpose.
3. Having people who tell you the truth is vital. A trusted circle provides perspective, helping you see yourself and your leadership role more clearly.
4. It’s equally important to engage in activities that bring you joy, be it enjoying great food, traveling, or spending time in nature. Insist on doing things that make you happy.
5. Lastly, caring for your body is fundamental. Your physical well-being is necessary to make a meaningful impact in the world.

So, focusing on rest, mentorship or faith, a trusted circle, pursuing passions, and physical health is key to effective leadership.

Yitzi: In your opinion, what are a few ways that leaders and executives can help create a thriving and fantastic work culture?

This is important.

I think the concept of inclusion is really important. When we hear the word inclusion, we often think about race, gender, ethnicity, or sexual preference.

However, we’re talking about humans in a holistic sense, being in a place where their ideas, strengths, and learning goals are part of the conversation within the company culture. I firmly believe that an organization enriched with diverse people and backgrounds creates a dynamism and fluidity in thought that helps the organization scale. This isn’t just about revenue; it’s also about societal value and an organization’s impact on the world. It’s about allowing people to be fully human within that organization.

Yitzi: This is our aspirational question. Nikita, because of the great work that you’ve done and the platform that you’ve built, you’re a person of enormous influence and people take your words very seriously. If you could spread an idea or inspire a movement that will bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

Nikita: It’s so important. I believe that every one of us inherently possesses a unique combination of traits, skills, talents, and abilities that can only grow through experience. So, if I had any advice for the masses, it would be to continually strive to identify your own unique skills, talents, and abilities. Once you discover them, never compromise on fully developing them. The reason we’re all different, with diverse life experiences and varied perspectives, is that the world benefits from this diversity. So, find yourself, give your best to the world, and the world will reward you in return.

Yitzi: Amazing. How can our readers continue to follow your work online?

Nikita: I think LinkedIn is a really good venue to follow me. There’s more to come, absolutely. In my leadership role and in my overall leadership in the coming months, I’m looking forward to continuing to inspire and lead within corporate America and within society as a whole.

Yitzi: Thank you Nikita for this brilliant and inspirational interview. I wish you only continued success and blessings!