Ten Interesting Questions Asked of Female Leaders in Homeland Security and Public Safety

Question 1: How do you balance work and life responsibilities?

Answer: Maintaining a work/life balance is important in all professions. Leaders in Public Safety and Emergency Management have the added challenge of shift work and unexpected emergencies which may compound an already stressful situation. I find that it is not the quantity of time you spend with family and friends but the quality of the time. First and foremost, unplug if you can. Technology may be perfect for work but if you are spending quality time with the family, technology can become disruptive. Ask your spouse and children to unplug as well, particularly during meal time. Breakfast and dinner time together provides an excellent opportunity to catch up with one another. Family rule: no electronics at the breakfast or dinner table. Prioritize what and who is/are important and cut out wasted time. Try to attend milestone celebrations. If you are unable to attend an event because of a work commitment then ask someone to video record the moment and then share it with your loved one. Lastly, remember, “Me Time”. Exercise, meditate, or just take a few minutes to decompress, release stress, and naturally boost endorphins.

Question 2: Do women in your profession have a hard time getting promoted?

Answer: It has been my experience that promotional opportunities and promotional testing are fair and equitable processes. Many organizations contract outside vendors to develop and administer promotional testing. Promotional testing often consists of a written examination which tests the promotional candidate’s knowledge regarding policies, procedures, industry best practices and trends. In addition to a written test often an “in basket” or some other type of practical assessment is given to each candidate to calculate how each candidate manages job specific activities, correspondences, and agency paperwork. Lastly, many organizations use a candidate identification number which completely conceals the candidate’s identity from the tester and evaluator.

Question 3: As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career?

Answer: I would have to say the lack of female role models and mentors. I began my law enforcement career in 1983. I was the first female deputy sheriff hired in the 350+ years of my agency. In 1983 there weren’t many female leaders in the law enforcement profession so initially, I did not have a female role model or a fellow female officer I could ask questions of. Although I did not have many female role models, I was very fortunate for the many male role models who were supportive, great mentors, and believed women contributed as equals to the law enforcement profession. As I began to rise through the chain of command, I became a role model not only for women in our profession but men as well.

Question 4: Who inspired you and why?

Answer: This question is very personal, and the answers vary from individual to individual. I have met several inspirational people in my life. The first person who inspired me was a childhood friend I met when I was five years old. My friend lost her hearing when she was only a few months old. As we were growing up, I noticed that there didn’t seem to be any challenge in life that held her back. She attended school with her friends, played sports, and managed to keep up with our neighborhood mischief activities. She learned to talk and was a master at lip reading. The only indicator that she was slightly different from the rest of the kids in our neighborhood was her slight speech impediment. We have been life-long friends and she is still an inspiration today.

The same question was asked of another female leader who has been a law enforcement officer since 1970. Her answer: “Annie Oakley. She supported her family, competed against men but kept her femininity. She married the man she competed against, and by all accounts publicly humiliated. They remained married for life. She was kind and generous, determined, and a survivor.”

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Question 5: What it was like being in Iraq for a year? (This question was asked of a female commander who served in combat)

Answer: For me, it was a life changing experience. I came back realizing how damaging war is on a country and their citizens. Male leaders may see it as destruction of buildings/enemies, but I see it from a different lens. I see what it did to the families, economy, children and elderly. I see what it did to our own soldiers. Although I spent over 33 years in the Army, I prefer to use diplomatic, social, and economic means, and only war as a last option.

Question 6: What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

Answer: Do not underestimate your capabilities. I witness women play down and almost apologize for their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Accept the fact that women are just as competent as their male counterparts. Be a role model from the very beginning of your career. Leadership is not the rank insignia on a uniform. A wise person once said to me: “Just hold your breath and jump into the pool. You will swim.” Over the years I have shared that same advice with subordinates and colleagues who were floundering with their confidence but I was confident in their ability to meet and exceed in the challenge. They held their breath, jumped in the pool found they could swim.

Question 7: Have you ever been afraid on the job?

Answer: The short answer is yes. Stress and fear are normal in my profession; however, the stress or fear did not hit me until after the crisis was over and I had time to reflect on the incident. During the incident I relied on my knowledge and training to help me manage the situation. The adrenaline dump post-incident is exhausting, and if you dwell too much on what happened it causes even greater stress. I also was not afraid to reach out for help if needed. Thankfully, there are many support services available to public safety professionals. Even though I knew that what I was feeling was normal, I still reached out and debriefed with a professional.

Question 8: Do you experience resistance when you are leading men?

Answer: The resistance today is not as overt as it was thirty years ago. I think the greatest chance for resistance, from both men and women, happens when there is a change in leadership. Not necessarily because the leader is male or female. Change is uncomfortable. It produces feelings of uncertainty in those you are charged with leading. I generally don’t focus on the fact that I am a woman. I maintain my professionalism and work towards building trust. I also focus on the organization’s values and goals. I don’t take others’ feelings of uncertainty personally and I don’t let resistance cause the organization to deviate from our duties, responsibilities and mission.

Question 9: What is some of the advice you share with young women entering a male-dominated profession?

Answer: First, establish your credibility early on in your career. We all were hired to perform a job, so go out and perform the job and carry your weight. Never ask anyone to do something that you are not willing to do yourself. Next, public trust and the trust of those you serve with is paramount. Without the trust of those we serve and those who serve with us, we are ineffective. At the end of the day you have to like and respect the person in the mirror. My next piece of advice is you do not have to be “one of the boys”. You can perform your duties and maintain your femininity; however, is a delicate balancing act particularly for women in uniform. Too feminine and women risk being labeled prim or prudish. To masculine and they may be label crass or rough. Find the balance and just be you. Lastly, Pay It Forward!! I believe that women supporting women is a very important concept. I am seen women in a male-dominated profession alienate each for one reason or another. We have a duty and responsibility to be a positive role model and mentor. Help the next generation of leaders learn, grow and become authentic, trusted leaders who will carry on the mission and who others will be willing to follow.

Question 10: When you began your career many years ago, did you ever imagine that you would be a leader in a male-dominated profession?

Answer: Honestly, if you would have told me years ago that I would spend my entire professional life as a law enforcement officer I would have never believed you. The local sheriff’s office was hiring so I thought, what the heck. I took what I thought was going to be a brief sabbatical from college and applied for the job. My initial game plan was to work for a few years, save money and return to college. Here I am, 34 years later and still loving what I do. I believe being a police officer was a calling for me. I have had a blessed career. I have had to opportunity to work in every division in the profession. I also found, with a great deal of support from my family, that I was able to get married, raise two beautiful children and go back to school to finish both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. I am a firm believer that if you love what you do for a living then you never really work a day in your life.