Shelby Clark is a human capital leader with more than 25 years of experience helping global matrixed organizations maximize the potential of their talent and scale high-performing teams through innovative strategic and operational solutions and executive partnership. As Vice President of People and Culture, Clark leads all components of Aligned’s human resources, recruitment, and talent development activities while developing and executing a comprehensive and sustainable people strategy that will allow Aligned to meet its business objectives and growth projections. She is also a Board Member of Hunger Busters, a non-profit organization that provides afterschool nutrition to students experiencing food insecurity in Dallas County.
TALENT DEVELOPMENT OVERVIEW
Why is talent development such a critical part of successful enterprises today?
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, continuous talent development is essential. By investing in our employees’ growth—offering them career pathing and a true lens to their future—we ensure they possess the skills necessary to meet current and future challenges while driving both individual and organizational success.
What advice do you have for attracting next-generation talent and bridging the skills gap?
It’s crucial to cultivate an inclusive and dynamic workplace culture. Engaging and collaborating with local universities, trade schools, and industry groups through paid internships and regional hiring initiatives provides a win / win opportunity for both the employee and the company.
What strategies do you employ to foster a culture of continuous learning and development?
We strive to be an organization of continuous learners by providing access to training programs, encouraging knowledge sharing, and supporting professional development initiatives. Our leadership is fully committed to the People and Culture function, whereby they create an environment where employees are motivated to pursue growth opportunities.
Are there any specific programs you have in place to hire and develop future leaders within the organization?
We have developed (and facilitate multiple times per year) leadership training for both new and existing managers. Our six-week Management Essentials—Leading4Success program teaches fundamentals such as goal setting, delegation, giving and receiving feedback, leading through change, and how to have difficult conversations. For additional inclusivity and accessibility across the locations in which we operate, we facilitate these trainings in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
MY ALIGNED STORY
Quote to Live By: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
Describe Aligned in Three Words: Agile; Sustainable; Committed
Your Favorite Aligned Innovation: A rapidly changing market demands constant adaptation—and it’s truly fascinating to watch this team be able to pivot quickly and effectively respond to new trends and challenges. A great example of this agility has been our air and liquid cooling, which we’ve been innovating for 10+ years. This approach allows us to develop solutions that make pivoting to accommodate next-generation applications an easy and fast process for our customers.
The Best Part About Working at Aligned: Our commitment and investment in the Employee Experience. Our people take center stage at Aligned. We constantly strive not only to introduce general programs like Management Essentials —Leading4Success as well as multi-cultural training, mentor / mentee training, and executive coaching, but also niche programs like our soon to be rolled out Aligned Women program (aimed at growing our current female employee base and attracting more women to the data center industry) and Mission Connect (focused on our significant military veteran population).
What You’ve Learned from Working at Aligned: Never be afraid to pivot and always be agile. If we fail, course correct and keep moving forward.Advice for People Looking to Join the Industry: Embrace continuous learning and seek opportunities that align with your values and career aspirations. Engage with a company that prioritizes innovation, lives and breathes customer satisfaction, and invests in your future.
