Col. Victoria A. Velez - DISA: The power of sharing
Connecting state and local government leaders
For Air Force Col. Victoria A. Velez, the word 'empower' has become a bit worn-out. But she still embraces the idea it conveys. 'I hate to use the word 'empower' because I think sometimes people overuse it,' said Velez, commander of the Defense Information Systems Agency's Joint Interoperability Test Command at Fort Huachuca, Ariz.
'If you instill trust in people, they tend to strive a little harder and be more creative in fulfilling goals.' -- Air Force Col. Victoria Velez
Chis Richards
It will be challenging, but the rewards are many. Be fair, be ready to make the hard decisions (especially when the "oh, no's" occur), always remember there are two sides to every story (listen well) and go into management with your eyes wide open to the many possibilities for failure and success.
Without a doubt, always do your very best and strive to make a difference.
Q: What's the best advice you received, and from whom?
Best advice: To be myself, be wise and treat others as I would want to be treated. From: My parents!
Q: Why government service?
Joining the military was due, in part, to my father, who spent 20 years in the Air Force'I'm second-generation Air Force. He offered it as a great opportunity to learn, grow and develop great skills'and he was right! My mother supported the decision from the onset and she has been my biggest cheerleader.
Since my commissioning as a 2nd lieutenant in 1981, I've had wonderful opportunities that I doubt I would have had in another realm.
The clear benefits of government service include: learning very early to lead and manage groups of people (small and large), meeting and working with wonderful professionals and expanding my skills by being challenged to do something different in each job I've been given. I'm very proud to be associated with such a great nation and feel fortunate to have played an integral part as a member of the armed forces in supporting and defending my nation.
Q: How important is mentoring in developing a good manager?
Mentoring is very important'it allows a person to see a problem from a different perspective and the feedback is critical in growing into a better leader and manager. It's hard to develop your skills or redirect your path if there's no one pointing out potential steps to improve yourself or the shortfalls in your plan. Learn from others and seek their wisdom and experience'it's invaluable.
Q: What part does fun play in your work?
Fun is definitely important'and laughter makes a difficult situation easier to cope with. I try to do as my boss advocates: take the job seriously, but not myself. I heartily advocate laughing hard and often.
Q: How do you balance work and home life?
In all honesty, I wish I was better at doing this'I can't say I've been very successful at balancing home and work. I'm committed to getting the job done and if it means a 12-to-14-hour day and weekends too, so be it.
We don't have the same resources as days gone by, so as a military member, I do what needs to be done despite my personal needs. It's a small sacrifice, especially when others have sacrificed much more'they have given the ultimate sacrifice with their lives.