MEL #046 | From Local Plant to Worldwide Impact through Taking Initiative and Leveraging Transferable Skills with Greivin Chavarria

In this episode, I speak with Greivin Chavarria, Global Quality Strategy and Innovation Director at Medtronic. Greivin grew up in Costa Rica, where he discovered chemical engineering by asking questions at a sugar mill. He launched his career in process optimization through a rotational program at CEMEX where he built global experience and led major manufacturing operations. After completing an executive MBA at MIT, he transitioned into the medical device industry. In our leadership segment, Greivin discussed how, mere weeks into a new role, he inherited a 60 % capacity ramp project for a multi-shift production line. He combined strategic actions with political and cultural lenses, aligning cross-functional teams, protecting quality, and connecting the work to patient impact. Greivin's advice to engineering leaders? Try small experiments in people leadership, study enduring operations principles like the Toyota Way, and pursue continuous learning. Embrace discomfort by raising your hand before you feel fully ready. Explore the full episode summary, including guest bio, key takeaways, transcript, and recommended resources in the shownotes at www.drangeliqueadams.com/podcast