{"id":41525,"date":"2020-09-10T12:40:50","date_gmt":"2020-09-10T19:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=41525"},"modified":"2020-09-10T12:41:35","modified_gmt":"2020-09-10T19:41:35","slug":"positive-energy-translates-into-conquered-challenges-for-toshiba-difference-maker-michele-cockins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/the-week-in-imaging-twii\/editors-blog\/2020\/09\/positive-energy-translates-into-conquered-challenges-for-toshiba-difference-maker-michele-cockins\/","title":{"rendered":"Positive Energy Translates into Conquered Challenges for Toshiba Difference Maker Michele Cockins"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Michele Cockins, Toshiba America Business Solutions<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s something to be said for the power of positivity.\nWhen one approaches any task at hand with a can-do attitude, it takes the teeth\nright out of a challenge. And with a 30-year track record of employing this upbeat\napproach at Toshiba America Business Solutions, Michele Cockins has left many\novercome obstacles in her wake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not a case of being an office Pollyanna. If there is\none thing that is sure to put a smile on Cockins\u2019 face, it is accomplishing\nthat which is seemingly impossible\u2014even if it entails getting her hands dirty\nin the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI get things done quickly, work well in teams and enjoy\nleveraging the individual strengths and ideas of teammates,\u201d said Cockins, a\n2020 ENX Magazine<\/em> Difference Maker. \u201cAnd,\nI am not afraid to get in the trenches. I won\u2019t ask anyone to do what I will\nnot do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As director of subsidiary sales, Cockins is tasked with\ntraining sales reps and managers, and helps draw up the blueprints for\nhigh-level deal presentations, in addition to coordinating nationwide sales\ncontests for Toshiba Business Solutions, the organization\u2019s direct sales\noperation. She relishes the opportunity to develop and mentor teammates in\nhelping them realize their potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The University of Cincinnati graduate and holder of a\nmarketing degree, she worked as a technical writer while still in school.\nRecognizing it was not the career path for her, Cockins took a cue from her\nfather, an IBM employee, who recommended giving the office technology industry\na shot. Her first job out of college came courtesy of Xerox (she would later\nwork for Exxon Office Systems and Ricoh).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe similar path did provide a lot of fun banter with my dad before his retirement,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matter of Trust<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from her father, Cockins has found a true mentor in\nTBS President Steven Sauer, a 2019 Difference Maker. Sauer has stressed the\nimportance of trust in business as a catalyst for fast-tracking success. It\nalso fosters a culture that yields honest feedback while helping to ensure a\nteam can perform at the highest levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How we handle adversity can often act as a test of\ncharacter. Cockins recalled being handed a quick-turnaround, national project\nthat fell outside the scope of her expertise. While she was able to beat the\ndeadline, the project suffered from a quality standpoint. There was a mistake\nin Cockins\u2019 analysis that was widely communicated before being discovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI learned in that moment to own up to it and move on,\u201d she\nsaid. \u201cData was recalculated and I received recognition for doing it well. At\nthat moment, the lesson was in the power of acknowledging mistakes. Doing so\ninstills courage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toshiba\u2019s fiscal 2019 calendar wrapped up in March, just as the country (and the world) was confronted with the realities brought by COVID-19. TBS quickly shifted gears and provided its clients and prospects with webinars as a substitute for in-person meetings. Cockins is proud of the program series TBS was able to deliver and how the team reacted to the necessary pivot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eyes on Prize<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the pandemic, Cockins is channeling her energies\ntoward ensuring TBS\u2019 sales professionals can maximize meaningful business\nconversations and engagements while keeping a watchful eye on the sales\npipeline. The pause has created opportunities to learn, and Cockins vows to\nleverage the reservoir of information at her disposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI believe that you can learn from anyone and everyone,\u201d she\nsaid. \u201cFor my part, I will continue to work on key projects with a team\napproach. This is a great way to learn from experts. We have huge talent at\nToshiba.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cockins and her husband, Steve Rosenzweig, recently\ncelebrated their 24th<\/sup> wedding anniversary. Both avid travel\nenthusiasts, COVID-19 unfortunately put the kibosh on a summer trip to\nScotland. The pair also share a passion for muscle cars and enjoy hitting the\nauction circuit in pursuit of a new set of wheels.\n\nRotary is another endeavor that occupies their\nfree time. Cockins is involved with Women in Rotary, and a current focus is on\nhelping impoverished women in the community get a second chance at professional\nand personal success.\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s something to be said for the power of positivity. When one approaches any task at hand with a can-do attitude, it takes the teeth right out of a challenge. And with a 30-year track record of employing this upbeat approach at Toshiba America Business Solutions, Michele Cockins has left many overcome obstacles in her wake. It\u2019s not a case of being an office Pollyanna. If there is one thing that is sure to put a smile on Cockins\u2019 face, it is accomplishing that which is seemingly impossible\u2014even if it entails getting her hands dirty in the process. \u201cI get things done quickly, work well in teams and enjoy leveraging the individual strengths and ideas of teammates,\u201d said Cockins, a 2020 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. \u201cAnd, I am not afraid to get in the trenches. I won\u2019t ask anyone to do what I will not do.\u201d As director of subsidiary sales, Cockins is tasked with training sales reps and managers, and helps draw up the blueprints for high-level deal presentations, in addition to coordinating nationwide sales contests for Toshiba Business Solutions, the organization\u2019s direct sales operation. She relishes the opportunity to develop and mentor teammates in helping them realize their potential. The University of Cincinnati graduate and holder of a marketing degree, she worked as a technical writer while still in school. Recognizing it was not the career path for her, Cockins took a cue from her father, an IBM employee, who recommended giving the office technology industry a shot. Her first job out of college came courtesy of Xerox (she would later work for Exxon Office Systems and Ricoh). \u201cThe similar path did provide a lot of fun banter with my dad before his retirement,\u201d she said. Matter of Trust Apart from her father, Cockins has found a true mentor in TBS President Steven Sauer, a 2019 Difference Maker. Sauer has stressed the importance of trust in business as a catalyst for fast-tracking success. It also fosters a culture that yields honest feedback while helping to ensure a team can perform at the highest levels. How we handle adversity can often act as a test of character. Cockins recalled being handed a quick-turnaround, national project that fell outside the scope of her expertise. While she was able to beat the deadline, the project suffered from a quality standpoint. There was a mistake in Cockins\u2019 analysis that was widely communicated before being discovered. \u201cI learned in that moment to own up to it and move on,\u201d she said. \u201cData was recalculated and I received recognition for doing it well. At that moment, the lesson was in the power of acknowledging mistakes. Doing so instills courage.\u201d Toshiba\u2019s fiscal 2019 calendar wrapped up in March, just as the country (and the world) was confronted with the realities brought by COVID-19. TBS quickly shifted gears and provided its clients and prospects with webinars as a substitute for in-person meetings. Cockins is proud of the program series TBS was able to deliver and how the team reacted to the necessary pivot. Eyes on Prize Despite the pandemic, Cockins is channeling her energies toward ensuring TBS\u2019 sales professionals can maximize meaningful business conversations and engagements while keeping a watchful eye on the sales pipeline. The pause has created opportunities to learn, and Cockins vows to leverage the reservoir of information at her disposal. \u201cI believe that you can learn from anyone and everyone,\u201d she said. \u201cFor my part, I will continue to work on key projects with a team approach. This is a great way to learn from experts. We have huge talent at Toshiba.\u201d Cockins and her husband, Steve Rosenzweig, recently celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary. Both avid travel enthusiasts, COVID-19 unfortunately put the kibosh on a summer trip to Scotland. The pair also share a passion for muscle cars and enjoy hitting the auction circuit in pursuit of a new set of wheels. Rotary is another endeavor that occupies their free time. Cockins is involved with Women in Rotary, and a current focus is on helping impoverished women in the community get a second chance at professional and personal success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":40067,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[80,1650,82,1638],"tags":[3874,349],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41525"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41525"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41525\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41527,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41525\/revisions\/41527"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40067"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41525"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}