Career changes are rewarding and terrifying, but like most things in life, there is little reward without risk. Finding the courage to take a chance is hard, but overcoming the fear of change can result in amazing opportunities and remarkable work experience. I began my career in government service with the CIA – completing impactful tours in R&D, applied research, and counterterrorism. I had an awesome job and was on an upwards trajectory supporting a high-impact mission, with a great team and effective management. I was doing something I loved, something I was good at, and making a difference. Ten…
Work Mom – And Other Things You Would Never Call a Man
Part 2 in our Novetta Nexus International Women’s Day blog series, BE AUTHENTIC.
I teach a Novetta “Intro to Python” class, and one evening as we were wrapping up, the students and I got into a discussion about my teaching style compared to the other instructor, who was a man. “Will is more matter-of-fact,” a student said, “And your style is more nurturing.” The student meant no harm with his comment, but I took issue with the term nurturing. I associated that word with someone who was soft, a pushover who couldn’t make tough decisions. I think of myself as a technical leader, someone who works to find an answer for every challenge…
Introverts as Leaders
Novetta Nexus is proud to launch Part 1 of our International Women’s Day blog series, BE AUTHENTIC.
Someone recently asked me how I became a leader, and I honestly didn’t have a good answer. I’m a reluctant leader, at best, so this isn’t a path that I intentionally forged. I had always envisioned leaders as very vivacious, outgoing and commanding of an audience ~ but that’s just not me. I’ve had a few decades to practice the outward roles of being a leader, but when balanced against my preconceptions of how a leader should behave, I’ve always felt like I fell short. It’s taken many years of introspection and affirmation, but I’ve come to realize that my…
