Barbara Polk Talks Shop

With 4,000 employees and revenues exceeding $1.4 billion, XO communications is one of the largest telecom companies in the United States. Senior Vice President of Human Resources Barbara Polk recently sat down with the Washington Post to talk about her career and philosophy.

The interview boiled down to Polk stressing that relationships were paramount in advancing her career: “I was always very outgoing growing up and loved connecting with people,” Polk said. “At the end of the day, I think that’s what human resources is all about. It’s about building and harnessing relationships for the good of a corporation”

Polk concluded, “There’s not a script for this. It’s a very competitive business, and I’m never bored.”