This article was written by Luenne Gomez-Pieters, LLM, Managing Director of the Aruba Tax Department. This article is one of the finalists in Apolitical’s 2020 women in government writing competition.

We’ve seen the statistics.

On average, women in OECD countries are well represented in the public sector (58.2%), compared to the whole economy, where employment of women reached only 45.3%.

Yet despite the fact women constitute a majority of the workforce in this sector, they sadly make up a minority in senior positions.

How can we advance in our careers? Are women waiting for an extraordinary opportunity, or should they just take charge?

Commissioned on 1 May 2015, funnily enough on Labor Day, I started a new challenge in my career as the Managing Director of the Aruba Tax Department.

I had two master’s degrees in my pocket at the age of 26 and was promoted to my first management position as a Tax Inspector at the age of 29. Just thinking about what I have accomplished up until now with my team, and the way we have been advancing is something that energises me as a leader.

The challenge we face in the public sector is that people often just show up to collect their paycheck at the end of the month

What all male and female leaders have in common is the challenge of getting the most out of their people and their organisation.

Hard experience has taught me that real leadership is about understanding yourself first. The good, the bad and the ugly. Most obstacles that limit our potential are usually set in motion and are rooted in our fears, egotistical needs, insecurities, and bad habits.

The excellent thing about human beings is that we have the power of choice. That means that we get to choose between advancing in our careers or giving up.

Take charge and use your life experience to advance and to create a great organisation

I have come to realise that success is not static. You don’t arrive at success, open a bottle of wine, and call it a day. Success is a way of being, a state of mind, where you evolve, adapt and grow. It requires commitment, motivation, focus, a sense of purpose, courage and belief. And most importantly, it requires that you continually flex these muscles so you can crush each new challenge with boldness.

Lead by example

Real leadership needs to be done by example. A leader will never accomplish what he or she wants by bossing people around.

You need to walk your talk. Whether you like it or not, people follow your example. They look up to you, and you have enormous influence over them. If they see you fail to implement a policy you disagree with, they might think they have a green light to do the same.

And if they see you challenge outdated business practices to increase effectiveness and the overall customer experience, they may well follow that approach too. You train your team how to operate through every decision you make and every action you take.

Look for results not recognition

The secret of leading an organisation in the public sector or managing a company is to articulate a common goal that inspires a diverse group of people to work hard together.

The challenge we face in the public sector is that people often just show up to collect their paycheck at the end of the month. They lock their passion and creativity in their cars in the parking lot and just bring their bodies to work.

We want and need our employees to be energised as they are our biggest assets. I want my employees to open up their minds, use their imagination and find better ways of doing what we do as a Tax Department. Not for recognition but for tangible results! I want our managers to understand that ideas and initiative could emerge from the lower ranks also.

History records countless incidents in which organisation leaders permitted a climate of intimidation to reign in the workplace, silencing the voices that could have prevented a disaster.

When leaders behave as though they are above their people, when they announce decisions after little or no consultation, when they make it clear that their orders are not to be questioned, then conditions are ripe for disaster.

Half the battle is in attaining the conviction that you can finish what you start. Don’t work harder, work smarter, and allow yourself to take calculated risks that will benefit the organisation. Your destiny isn’t a matter of chance, but a matter of choice. — Luenne Gomez-Pieters

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