Eric Hawkins

Hawkins oversees Human Resources Management for all of Discovery’s U.S. networks and joint ventures, including talent management, leadership development, recruitment, inclusion and more. He’s been instrumental in several high profile executive appointments for the company this year, including welcoming Rich Ross as President of the Discovery Channel, and he plays an integral role as the leader of Discovery’s strategic “HR 2020” initiative. “At Discovery,” he says, “employees are the heart and soul of our business. They are as varied and vast as the brands we offer.”

Best business advice you’ve received?

The best business advice I’ve received is to be yourself and to ensure that your professional choices are aligned with your natural curiosity, passions and interests.  In so doing, your style and actions will naturally be more authentic; enabling you to achieve greater satisfaction and fulfillment throughout your career.

How can cable better support diversity?

Cable can better support diversity by consciously leveraging the unique perspectives, talents and stories of our workforce. It is our people who distinguish us and have the power to innovate and influence the programming that our viewers engage with daily. At Discovery, employees are the heart and soul of our business – they are as vary and vast as the brands we offer. The diverse minds, experiences, cultures and unique points of view of our employees provide an invaluable resource to enhance our content and promote diversity with our audiences. Together, we can ensure that our products, services suppliers, and workforce (both on and off-air) are inclusive and reflective of the diverse audiences we serve.

How do you define success?

I define success as living my life in alignment with a sense of meaning and purpose. For me, a purpose-driven life means living with personal authenticity where my decisions and achievements are aligned with integrity, collaboration and positivity.