Foreword

By Ken Bouyer, EY Americas Director of Inclusiveness Recruiting

EY is a global leader in assurance, consulting, strategy and transactions, and tax services with a purpose of building a better working world. While fulfilling their purpose and creating positive change through knowledge, skills, and experience, EY and GenHERation^® have partnered for 10 years to close the gender leadership gap and create life-changing opportunities for high school and college women. Since its inception, EY has been a steadfast partner of GenHERation^®, aligning with its mission to empower entrepreneurs. Witnessing their growth and accomplishments throughout our partnership has been deeply gratifying. EY acknowledges the urgency to address the gender gap, investing more than just financially by dedicating the time and effort of our team. This engagement with GenHERation^® has proved to be both enriching and rewarding for our staff. I believe that we must actively confront the unique challenges faced by women through targeted support and awareness. This sense of urgency has been underscored by my daughter’s recent experiences in college. She has declared Biology as her major, and I have witnessed firsthand the ongoing need to raise awareness of opportunities for women in certain disciplines and how programs like this play a key role. To celebrate our partnership and further amplify our impact, we are interviewing 10 EY leaders, innovators, and changemakers to highlight their expertise and inspire the GenHERation^® community to turn insight into action. 

Here is what EY Americas Director of Career Coaching and the EY Career Center, Dawn Pons, had to say when asked about giving and receiving feedback:

GenHERation^®: What one word best describes EY?

Dawn Pons: Evolving.

GenHERation^®: In your current role, what are your primary responsibilities? 

Pons: I lead EY Executive Career Services, which includes the firm’s Executive Career Coaching and consulting offerings and the EY Career Center that provides career navigation support for our executives, alumni and strategic friends of the firm. At the heart of my work is empowering professionals to navigate what’s next in their careers with confidence and clarity so they can thrive.

GenHERation^®: What best practices should you follow when giving and receiving feedback?

Pons: All of us have a tendency to hear feedback through the lens of what’s being communicated negatively about us. A powerful framework for offering feedback in a way recipients can hear and absorb it is called +EBI. The plus sign stands for giving positive feedback first on what went well. EBI stands for “even better if … .” Follow up with what went well and what would have made the effort or outcome even better.

When receiving feedback, be a gracious recipient. So often, feedback triggers the desire to explain, defend or justify ourselves. Feedback is simply a way to better understand how others experience us. If we can pause our immediate reactions to really get curious and stay open to learning more about our impact on others, it catalyzes growth and development. Listen first, ask questions to clarify and [be in a mindset to] thank the individual for providing valuable information. Tip: It can help to first do your own reflection of the EBIs of your work, then receiving others’ POV can be a more engaged conversation that is meaningful to your growth and development.

GenHERation^®: How do you make an impact in your role?

Pons: One of the great privileges of the work I get to do is the opportunity to impact both our professionals directly and the culture of the organization at large. On an individual level, I am passionate about coaching leaders to find fulfillment and satisfaction in the work they do. Our career journeys are constantly evolving and my clients are often walking through acute disruptions or significant crossroads that require them to pause and reflect. It is an honor to sit with my clients at the intersection of what’s next and what’s possible and cocreate a meaningful path forward.

At the organizational level, the firm has made a significant investment in creating an exceptional EY experience that lasts a lifetime. Being in a position to lead services that directly deliver on that promise is immensely gratifying. Our career coaching and consulting offerings and resources help our professionals identify their purpose, values, strengths and energizers, and a path forward to align themselves with career experiences that will be the most fulfilling. I am most proud that we are creating a culture of care for our people’s careers—both within and beyond EY.

GenHERation^®: What advice would you give your younger self?

Pons: There is a profound quote from Susan David that says, “Discomfort is the price of admission to a meaningful life. Courage is fear walking.” If I could give my younger self advice, it would be to keep walking, and along the way gain as much self-awareness as possible. Say yes when fear is telling you no. In the face of discomfort, believe you can.

When insecurity rises, do it anyway. View everything and everyone you engage with as opportunities to learn more about yourself. Life and all of its challenges are invitations to learn, grow and become the healthiest version of yourself that you can be. The key is to know yourself, believe in yourself and lean into what may feel scary but brings you most to life. Courage, resiliency, growth and thriving all start with taking the next right step and being flexible to adjust course along the journey.

Dawn Pons has provided executive coaching for senior leaders at Ernst & Young LLP in professional services for over 25 years. Her dynamic coaching approach and experience in career transitions have empowered hundreds of leaders to maximize their success during significant professional transitions within and beyond the firm.  Dawn’s business savvy, coupled with her ability to create deep and trusted connections, creates a meaningful platform for leaders to discover their best future.

Dawn currently leads Executive Career Coaching and the EY Career Center. She is responsible for driving the strategy and offerings that are focused on giving EY leaders the clarity and confidence to navigate their career transitions. Within her pillar of work, Dawn’s team delivers Career Directions coaching for partners at a career crossroad and Future Directions coaching and workshops for retiring partners planning for what’s next beyond their EY career.

Dawn also pioneered the creation of the EY Career Center, which harnesses the collective power of the EY Talent, Markets and Alumni organizations to connect people to a world of opportunity so they experience positive career transitions and a lifetime connection with the firm. EY senior managers, alumni and friends of the firm have access to the EY Career Center’s services, which include coaching, facilitated networking, market opportunity insights, and career planning tools and resources.

Dawn received a Master in Education and Counseling from the University of Maryland. She is a PCC certified executive coach with the International Coach Federation. She holds several certifications that contribute to her client work, including MBTI, TRACOM, the Hogan suite of tools and Personal Directions. 

Dawn resides in the Washington, DC, area with her husband and two children. She loves live music, Pilates, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.