A Time To Remember

November is a time when I reflect on my service and remember those who are no longer here with us. It is a time that I am grateful for the career that I have built and also to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to make it all possible, for me and for every Canadian.

Coming from a military family, service was always baked into everything I did. So – serving others, and the ‘team’ are paramount. Everything we do is collaborative and is grounded in supporting our team and our collective mission. I believe that this is the foundation of my success, and my work at Microsoft as a whole.

After completing military college and my obligatory service, I was able to work in various parts of the armed forces, reinforcing my strengths and working in fields aligned to my skills and interests. My time in the military exposed me to so many great experiences, giving me confidence to push outside of my comfort zone and sustain a growth mindset whether I remained in full-time service or not, as I gained valuable expertise that serves me to this day.

When I transitioned out of full-time service, I spent several years in banking during the financial crisis (and beyond...) and then eventually re-entered public service to work for one of Canada’s Ministers of National Defence as a civilian strategic advisor. Even as a civilian, I saw this as an opportunity to continue serving and contributing to the safety and security of my country.

In the following phase of my career, I continued to work with various arms of government through the private sector to help them to leverage technology in a way that best served citizens.

The experience I continue to gain in the private sector is also incredibly valuable to my current service with the Canadian Armed Forces, as they, like many other organizations, continue to digitally transform. I am proud that I can leverage my technological expertise to bring forward opportunities for innovation and practical insights on their journey. I continue to see service to citizens as the north star of my career.

And now, as a team leader straddling both military and private sector, I can appreciate how transferable so many skills are to a job in the private sector. As a military officer, planning, organizing and leading teams to accomplish a mission is the nature of the job. Other qualities like being persistent, disciplined, reliable, and a team player are key characteristics that are also reflected in some of the best CEOs and leaders within the private sector.