Today I’m publishing a short interview with former Harvard Business School researcher and ex-Google Exec, Jenny Wood.

Jenny founded a program called Own Your Career at Google which helped tens of thousands of employees land their next Google roles. So if anyone knows a thing or two about getting ahead at work, it’s Jenny.

Sure enough, with all that know-how up her career-savvy sleeve, Jenny’s new book Wild Courage has just become a New York Times bestseller.

Over to you Jenny…

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Tom: Could you tell us a bit about yourself and what’s brought you to where you are today?

Jenny: I’m Jenny Wood, author, speaker and former Google executive. I spent 18 years at Google, starting in an entry-level role and eventually leading a large operations team that helped drive billions in advertising revenue. Along the way, I launched Own Your Career, which grew into one of Google’s largest career development programs.

I’m also a mum, a pilot, and now, the proud NYT bestselling author of Wild Courage. At the heart of everything I do is a passion for helping people go after what they want. Boldly and unapologetically!

Tom: How do you define courage? How does courage differ from wild courage?

Jenny: Courage is feeling fear and acting anyway. Wild Courage is about going a step further: it’s the willingness to break the “rules” that keep us small, leveraging traits like being weird, selfish, shameless, nosy, obsessed, manipulative (in a positive way), brutal, reckless, and bossy. Not to harm, but to unapologetically pursue what matters most to you. It’s about getting comfortable with discomfort and using it as a launchpad.

Tom: Can you share an example of Wild Courage?

Jenny: I once chased a total stranger off the subway. Now he’s my husband and the father of our two children. 

I used only one sense in that moment: sight. This attractive stranger stood 20 feet away from me. I saw his gorgeous blue eyes, thick wavy hair and his smile. I was too fearful to talk to him on the train while 50 people watched and judged me. But the sight of him kept a hold of me. When he got off the train, a wave of Wild Courage washed over me and, prying the doors open, I chased him off the train. 

I gave him my business card and he called the next day. I said yes to my gut and I said no to my head and the analysis paralysis of how I typically approached dating (I used to keep a spreadsheet of all my pending first dates). That day, I just went with my sense, and my entire life unfolded. 

Serendipity isn’t found. It’s made.

Tom: What’s one of the biggest misconceptions people have about their careers?

Jenny: That you have to tone yourself down to move forward. So many people believe that being “too much” (too curious, too bold, too different) is a liability. But in my experience, these so called flaws are often your greatest assets. The fastest movers are often the ones who get nosy, ask for what they want and aren’t afraid to make a little noise.

Tom: Where can people go to find out more about you?

Jenny: Check out my LinkedIn here or sign up to my weekly newsletter here. 

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Thank you Jenny!

And if you've been waiting for a sign to make your bold, wild, courageous move at work, consider this it.