WOMEN IN TECH BLOG SERIES: 5 LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM MY HEROS; WOMEN IN GOVERNMENT

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Written By: Claudia Arriaga, SVP of Customer Success, OpenGov

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Claudia Arriaga serves as the SVP of Customer Success at OpenGov. Before establishing the BD division at OpenGov, Claudia served as the VP of Sales and BD for Experian’s Public Sector organization. Prior to that, she ran the IBM WebSphere Business Unit as the brand executive responsible for leading the development of sales, marketing, and operations strategies, as well as structuring and negotiating complex enterprise agreements across the federal government. Claudia leads the inclusivity team at OpenGov working with over 10 mentees on career development. She is also passionate about her work with Caron Treatment Centers to help create awareness and raise funds to battle addiction. Claudia holds a B.S in Business Administration from Florida International University, an MBA from the George Washington University, and she has received a government executive certification from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government as part of their executive education program.

I’ve spent over 20 years working in govtech, in roles where I’ve interacted with public servants spanning every agency, municipality, and role. Why govtech? I love that my work is meaningful, and I’m inspired by every customer I interact with. They are the heroes making our communities function from processing wedding licenses and building permits, to creating and maintaining budget books, to ensure all our water and sewer lines are well-maintained, and more. The fact that this isn’t something we hear a lot about in the news is a sign that these public servants are succeeding.

One commonality I’ve found between my experience in the private sector and what I’ve learned from women in the public sector is our experiences as women leaders. In either sector, the women who are most successful are the ones who are adaptable, take risks and show measured success, and build their network.

In honor of National Women’s Month, I’m rounding up leadership lessons I’ve learned from women in government:

  • Be assertive, not aggressive

Strong women are assertive. Many struggle to strike the right note, and we fall into either being labeled “passive” or “aggressive.” Here’s the key: Assertive communication is equal parts direct and respectful. When you’re not direct enough, you’re passive. When you’re not respectful enough, you’re aggressive. It takes a lot of practice to find the right balance for you.

  • Listen more than you speak

Have you ever walked away from a meeting with your manager where they spoke the entire time and sent you off with a to do list? It wasn’t inspiring, was it? The manager’s role is to empower their team to get results. I’ve found that the best way to do that is to ask the team questions. Encourage them to bring ideas. They’ll be more motivated to make the programs work when it’s their idea because they’ll have a feeling of ownership in their work.

  • Fearlessly make mistakes

If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not taking big enough risks. And, learning from those mistakes is how you grow as a professional and a leader. The number of times I have advocated for and launched a program, only for it not to pan out, is a huge number. But, I’ve learned from each of those failures, and then launched far more successful programs as a result.

  • Seek mentorship

We can all benefit from mentorship and guidance, no matter how seasoned you become. I have people in my corner who are all ages, disciplines, and seniority. They give me feedback, words of encouragement, and guide me through difficult decisions. I encourage all women to seek other women leaders as mentors as well as volunteer their time to mentor. The longest-lasting mentor-mentee relationships are the ones that are mutually beneficial.

  • Advocate for others

Strong women support other women. Let’s create the work environment we want where everyone regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, etc. is represented in the decision-making processes. My advice to leaders is to openly congratulate and thank teammates for their contributions, particularly the ones who don’t advocate for themselves as much.

These are my top five leadership lessons I’ve taken away from other women leaders during my career in government. Now, I’m going to go follow my advice and share some kudos with my team. Happy National Women’s Month!