Join Women in Data's Datathon for free here: (https://womenindata.mn.co/spaces/10708034/about) (00:00:21) Importance of soft skills for technical professionals (00:00:39) Introduction to the guest's extensive career and leadership in the military and data fields (00:01:16) Discussion on breaking barriers in a male-dominated field (00:01:45) Leadership journey and pivotal moments in career (00:02:12) Starting a non-traditional career and early involvement with data (00:03:04) Returning to federal service after 9/11 and subsequent roles in intelligence (00:03:30) Impact of being selected as a White House leadership fellow (00:04:25) Importance of breadth and depth in skill development (00:05:19) How to lead without authority or official title (00:06:02) Developing emotional intelligence (EQ) and soft skills (00:06:27) Importance of partnerships and collaboration in the data and AI community (00:07:03) Challenges of soft skills for technical professionals (00:07:45) Practical advice for developing soft skills and teamwork (00:08:44) Peer mentoring and the value of collaborative learning (00:09:54) Adaptability in a rapidly changing tech environment (00:10:38) The need to dream big and be prepared for future roles (00:11:09) Lifelong commitment to curiosity and upskilling (00:12:00) Encouragement to apply for challenging roles (00:13:10) Starting an office from scratch as a Chief Data Officer (00:14:15) Using an agile approach to deliver capability and value (00:15:16) Building partnerships and collaborating with military executives (00:16:27) Importance of strategic communication in leadership (00:17:34) Balancing technical skills with leadership responsibilities (00:18:22) Fostering innovation and creativity within data and AI teams (00:19:34) Hosting hackathons and datathons to solve hard problems (00:21:00) Providing a safe environment for team creativity and risk-taking (00:21:51) Balancing technical knowledge with leadership roles (00:22:48) Staying current through teaching and continuous learning (00:24:13) Teaching as a way to learn and stay relevant (00:25:01) Encouraging participation in datathons and hackathons (00:25:52) Advice for emerging leaders on staying relevant and dreaming big (00:27:30) The importance of lifelong learning and curiosity (00:27:55) Plans after retirement and ongoing impact in the data field (00:30:10) Building the next generation of leaders through volunteering and advising --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/women-in-data/support