How to automate without leaving people behind: A conversation with Jamie Sermon

In this episode of Catalyst, Tammy sits down with Jamie Sermon, Vice President of Engineering Robotics and Automation at UPS. Jamie shares his unconventional path from studying physical therapy in Cuba to leading the future of logistics at UPS. Over his fifteen years there, Jamie has become known for his authentic, people-first leadership style. Tammy and Jamie discuss risk-taking, resilience and the human side of robotics.

Highlights from the episode include:

• A people-first technologist. Jamie originally pursued physical therapy and veterinary medicine, drawn to the caring nature of those who advocate for patients who can’t speak for themselves. That people-first mindset followed him into technology and still guides how he leads today.
• Learning through risk. Innovation doesn’t happen without mistakes. Leaders who treat failure as a lesson, not a setback, are more likely to build a culture of trust. That trust is what gets people to truly follow you.
• Mentorship saves spirits. Jamie credits his success to having people around him who picked him up during tough moments. When someone hits a scenario that threatens to kill their spirit, having a mentor who says, "I've seen this before" can make all the difference.

Check out the full episode to learn more about Jamie’s philosophy of “customer first, people led, innovation driven” and why the best person to lead a robotics revolution is, ironically, a people person.

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Please note that the views expressed in this episode may not necessarily be those of NTT DATA.