The Lens Behind My Work
When something is not working, I assume it can be redesigned.
Most operational challenges are not caused by a lack of effort or talent. They usually come from systems that were never intentionally designed for how people actually work.
My instinct is to step back, study the structure behind the problem, and identify where friction is slowing progress. From there, the goal is to build models that make the right actions easier, clearer, and more consistent.
I am drawn to complex environments where the path forward is not immediately obvious. In those situations, progress depends on curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to take ownership of the problem rather than waiting for perfect conditions.
Over time, this mindset has led me to build operational models, workflow systems, and decision frameworks that improve how organizations function in the real world.
While I care deeply about building strong systems, I care just as much about the people working within them. I believe teams do their best work in environments where expectations are clear, standards are high, and leaders are genuinely invested in their growth.
Principles I Operate By
Systems over symptoms. Ownership over excuses. Today over someday.
Today Over Someday
During a road trip through the Mojave Desert on the way back to Los Angeles, my son, who had just moved out west after college, told me about massive sand dunes that look like pyramids hidden somewhere off the highway nearby. He said we should see them someday.
I remember thinking about how often people say “someday” and never follow through. So I told him, “That day is today.”
We filled up with water, followed the GPS as far as we could, and navigated the rest by instinct until we finally found them. It was over 110 degrees, and we were not prepared to climb them, but standing there together was our reward.
We felt brave in that moment, and I was happy that I could still teach my adult son something about seizing the opportunities in front of us.
That mindset shapes how I approach challenges and how I mentor others. Ownership is where progress begins.
Someday is a decision.
We chose today instead.
Where My Work Is Evolving
This direction is not a sudden change. It is the natural continuation of the way I have always approached challenges.
Very early in life I learned that the desire to be great has to come from within. You cannot depend on external validation to build that kind of drive.
As a teenage mother, many people assumed my path was already decided. Instead, I raised five remarkable children who are now creative professionals in their own right, rose to leadership in my field, and later earned a master’s degree focused on innovation.
I have never been someone who does things halfway. That mindset continues to shape the way I approach problems, opportunities, and the work I choose to pursue next.
I have always been drawn to building things that did not exist before, whether that meant redesigning an operational system, creating a new framework, or rethinking how a problem should be solved.
Recently, that instinct has pulled me toward the intersection of operations, technology, and intelligent systems. I am particularly interested in how emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools, can support better decisions, reduce friction in daily workflows, and help organizations build systems that actually function in the real world.
The most effective systems are not purely technical or purely human. They are thoughtfully designed combinations of both.
As a nontraditional leader, I naturally connect ideas across disciplines and translate them into systems people can actually use. That perspective continues to shape the work I pursue and the kinds of teams and organizations I am excited to build with next.
Shirin McComb 