Episode 15: Rob Dromgoole of Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

Big Fish in the Talent Pool

Of all the Talent Acquisition Leader jobs I’ve seen, the most unique has to be Rob Dromgoole’s role at The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. And check your stereotypes about Native Americans at the door, because it’s not what you think. Their guiding principles are Faith, Family, and Culture, and The 10 Commandments are posted outside of every Choctaw Nation building. Servant leadership is the norm and they open every meeting with prayer. But Rob is no stranger to unique and challenging TA leader roles. He brings a load of experience recruiting impossible-to-find skill sets into out-of-the way geographies like Nuclear Engineers and Physicists to arid eastern Washington for Pacific Northwest National Laboratories. As a former editor and photojournalist for the US Army, Rob learned early in his career about the art of storytelling. Later while at Executive Search Firm ROI, Rob shares how his former boss would point out random individuals walking by in downtown Seattle and would ask him to “share their story”, as weaving an individual’s story eventually became a differentiator for him. We also discuss how Choctaw Nation’s diverse TA Team is navigating through the COVID-19 challenge, adapting to virtual work while supporting their need for connection with each other. When we focus on the needs of our own communities, Rob told me, we are able to create opportunities for others to grow and prosper. Topics Discussed: Why storytelling is essential to leadership and Talent Acquisition How diversity cultivates Choctaw’s strong community and TA team The importance of faith, family, and culture in Choctaw’s employment brand Navigating and adapting to change through a global pandemic Servant leadership as the key to Choctaw’s success Connect with Rob Dromgoole LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dromgoole LinkedIn - CNO: https://www.linkedin.com/company/choctaw-nation-of-oklahoma/