Nancy Gioia – Director, Mobility Technologies & Hybrid Vehicle Programs, Ford Motor Co.

Detroit is getting greener, thanks to Nancy Gioia.

By Taylor Mallory

In an industry rife with bailouts and layoffs, Ford Motor Co. (which, in the name of full disclosure, hasn’t asked for government support) isn’t scaling back on its environmental efforts. It’s ramping up. That’s thanks to Nancy Gioia, Ford’s director of sustainable mobility technologies and hybrid vehicle programs, who oversees research, development and, ultimately, deployment of sustainable mobility technologies. She recently launched the Ford Fusion. Now she’s heading up the development of four electric vehicles to be unveiled in the next four years: including the Transit Connect, “a fully electric, compact van for commercial use, perfect for small businesses,” and a plug-in hybrid, “which will run as an electric car for the first 30 miles and a hybrid after that.”

Now, get to know the woman behind the revolution:

PINK: How do you balance work and life?
Nancy Gioia: I have a wonderful husband and a 16-year-old daughter who is about to get her driver’s license. For me, the key is being clear about what’s important. There are lots of things I’d love to dabble in, like art and music. There are different challenges I could take on, different efforts I know I could contribute to. But I only have so much time during the day, and when I go home, it’s all about family. We have dinner together, ride horses together and talk to each other about our lives. My daughter and I travel to horse shows. I don’t miss her plays or key school activities. And we spend a lot of time with our extended family. There are things that intrigue me, but I only have 24 hours a day, and this is my priority. And you have to be OK with the fact that you can’t be everything to everyone. I’m absolutely OK with that.

PINK: What advice do you give to women you mentor?
N.G.: First, always do the very best job you can. Even if you hate what you’re doing, don’t back off. That’s your representation to others of your integrity and what they can count on you for.

Second, there are three elements to a career: people, product and process. As you change jobs, recognize that if you change just of those things, it’s a lower risk than if you change two or all three at once. If you change all three, you will be most uncomfortable and have a higher stress level. It’s important to know that and plan accordingly.

PINK: What is the best business advice you’ve ever received?
N.G.: Your first impression may not always be right. Whenever you meet someone for the first time or come into a new situation, you will make a snap judgment. That’s perfectly natural. But give yourself time before you act on it or completely accept it as the truth. I always try to remember that I could be wrong, so I set it aside for a while and wait to decide. And it’s a policy that’s served me well.

PINK: How do you define “success,” and what have been your secrets to achieving that definition of success?
N.G.: Being part of and contributing to something that makes a difference and enriches lives. To get there, you have to have passion for what you do, to be energized and challenged by it, which doesn’t always mean being comfortable. I’ve always sought out opportunities to learn – craved challenges, even when they were a little terrifying. Just keep moving forward. If I don’t feel energized and passionate, I do the best job I can until I can make a change. I’ve been at Ford for 26 years and have had at least 16 different job assignments all over the company. Each time I think I get a better total view and can deliver bigger results, and it was the passion that drove me.