Pasco Podcast Women's History Month leadership
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The county’s agenda for Planning Commission, May 18, 2023
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What was said
Machine transcription of 19m of recording, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 30% of 56 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.
Mm-hmm.
You're listening to the Pasco podcast with Mike Arvala.
Welcome to season three of Pasco Podcast, a series about leadership and public service. We'd like to thank our sponsors, the nearly 600,000 people of Pasco County, as represented by the Board of County Commissioners. It's through their trust and empowerment of our workforce and leadership team that we're able to bring you this podcast. This podcast is designed to help public servants build leadership skills and leverage them for success by sharing the experiences of our peers.
Hi, I'm Joanna Cheshire, Pasco County Administrator Chief of Staff. I'm filling in for Mike for Women's History Month. We've been officially celebrating women's contributions to society since nineteen eighty, when President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential proclamation for National Women's History Week. Now, of course, it's a month long celebration. So we thought it fitting to invite two of our female leaders to the table, budget manager Amy Farrell and Corrections Captain Kim Riggins. Thank you so much for joining me, ladies. Absolutely. So appreciate
it. Excited to to learn about more of uh your leadership background and what you do and and uh bring this to our viewers too. So we'll just start off with telling us about yourself and how you came to Pasco County.
You want me to go first? Sure. All right. So um I actually got poached from a Sterling examiner training to come work here. Um, I worked for the Department of Children and Families for 11 and a half years and we hosted training a lot. And the then budget manager had come. We were, I knew her already ahead of time. Um, and there were some vacancies and she's like, Have you ever thought of? And I was like, Well, I haven't. And then of course after like an arduous pros and cons list, tears were shed, um, tough
decisions were had and been here ever since.
Oh wow. That's great. Did you do Sterling stuff at DCF? Mm-hmm. Oh nice.
Yeah. So it was um so that kind of connection knowing that we were implementing that here and that was the leadership framework and how the county was marching forward, I was like, it just felt like our values kind of aligned.
That's wonderful. What about you, Captain?
Yeah,
so um So I started working in the um Pasco County Jail 24 years ago underneath the sheriff's office, right? So um When the jail transitioned from the sheriff's office to the county back in October, I transitioned right along with them. So here I am, and I'm really excited about the transition and and what this means for us as a department.
Yeah, we're I can't tell you how happy we are to have you part of the county. Um I was part of the transition team with you and it was just a joy to work with you last year. I know it was hard for everybody. A lot of changes, uh, a lot of unknowns. Right. But you definitely in your leadership, you you made it easier. And um I I'm I uh from this side I can speak with honesty with that. But you know, I'm sure your team felt the same way at the jail. So thank you. Oh,
I appreciate that. Thank you. It
was
a pleasure working with you really. Yeah, you too.
Thank you. You're both great examples of strong female leaders. When did you first realize you wanted to lead others? Do you know you are leading others?
Well If uh if you were to ask my siblings, they'd probably say the day I was born, I I came out bossy, right? But um all kidd aside, I don't You know, I don't know if there's an actual moment or a time where I was like, oh, this is it. I'm a leader now, you know, or oh, I really want to lead. I just kind of feel that, you know, organically it happened over time. Um I know once I had that first opportunity working professionally in more of a formal leadership role. it
like ignited a spark in me, right? And so having the ability to like, impact others and help others see their potential and grow and and in turn, allowing myself to grow while doing so, it just literally lit, like I said, a a spark, a passion in me and it's something that I just truly find satisfying. Um There's nothing more rewarding to me than being able to take somebody who's
maybe struggling a little bit or who needs a little coaching or guidance or maybe just encouragement and really like helping them say I can do this, you know, I can get there, I can be able to accomplish this and Then whether it's minutes, weeks, months, years later, them coming back to you and saying, Wow, thank you. You know, thank you for what you did. And whether, you know, just being there and and encouraging me and giving me the tools to succeed. And that you I wanna bottle that
up, you know, and sell it 'cause it's it's an amazing feeling that you just I don't think you can get that in any other way. Yeah, absolutely. How about Yami?
Um I was pretty young. Um playing sports growing up. I was a soccer player and it It kind of came organically wanting to take some of the stress from my team members and just kind of carry it. Right. Um, like let's have fun, let's play. If there's like a penalty kick or something, I would raise my hand. Let me, I'll, I'll wear that burden. You all have fun. And then we'll have fun together. Right. And so that kind of was the start of it for me. So like I grew into captain of like my high school team and then
um not so much college. That's a whole different kind of pedigree. I still I was playing D one school, but I had another captain who was actually The female leader who inspired me, I think, the most. Um, but it just kind of it fit right. And then I just kind of built on that that underlying value of that teamwork, that camaraderie, and doing the hard work alongside your team so they know they can do it because they see you doing it.
Right. I love that. And listening to both of you it it's kinda sounds like, um You know, with nurturing like taking that burden on for for your team so it's easier for them. And then also the teaching aspect. Um, it just kind of reminded me of like some of my best teachers and how you as adults we look back and you think like how powerful their impact was on your life. Um, and so that leads me great greatly into the next question of how's your leadership style different than your male counterparts?
Hmm. So for me, I I don't know if it's really different. To me, leadership isn't about me. It's about the people I'm leading, right? So I think it has to be very transitional. Um in how I handle one person versus the other might be different, right? Regardless if they're male or female. Um I think truly in order to be successful you have to see what makes each person tick. and kind of adjust your way and your style.
for each person.
Yeah, no, I love that she said that because it really is about what does my person, what do my people, what do they need for me in this moment? And moment to moment, day to day, that can change. And so we've got to be kind of flexible and agile. And it's not about how do I necessarily aspire to be a leader, but what do you need from me today? And how can I be flexible and adapt and give that to you, even if that's outside of my comfort zone? That's what I signed up for. Right. Yeah.
I love the curveball of like when you um you're interviewing for a job and they say what's your leadership style? And it's like, well, depends on the day and the person. And you know, whatever I need to be. And you're right, that's incumbent upon good leaders is to be able to adapt and learn all those different styles. Maybe a hybrid of multiple and um and delivering that to your team for sure.
And asking for that feedback, right? Like, so I thought I I really nailed it, but did did I drop the ball? Like did I give you what you needed? Like ha and having that kind of follow-up dialogue and make sure like, okay, that was actually what you needed from me. Or asking the question, are you just here to vent or do you want a solution? Right. And so kind of knowing like, okay, so that's what you need from me right now, but also following up, like, how'd I do? Right.
Yeah. It goes both ways for sure. And I've asked my team before, you know, what what could I have done differently? Or um give me some feedback. Give give me what I can work on as a manager. Because I I want to get better as a leader and managing my team. And so I can't do that. I can't get into your head. I can't guess what I could have done better, whatever. So it's uh and I think that also a good leader is open to that feedback.
Absolutely.
For sure. I love that. Have you guys experienced any resistance um as a female leader?
I so I feel like um not necessarily as a female leader, um, but I've definitely experienced some resistance being a female on a boys field. Right. And like one of those, if you're not gonna make space for me at the table, sometimes I just gotta either carve out my own space or plan a different field.
Yeah. And so for me, I d again, um, you know, I have been so blessed and I know that I'm fortunate and it's not this way everywhere, right? Um, but in in corrections in Pasco County, we don't really see male female. So it's very unique environment, especially in a male dominated field. Right. I mean it is It's all men, right? There's a few of us ladies. Um but I can tell you from from day
one and and a story I'll share is when I went to the academy a long time ago, um I remember we were doing defensive tactics, right? And back then I was a lot smaller than I am now. Um and The instructor, you know, we got randomly paired up. And of course, I'm with the biggest guy in the class and and he's strong and just got out of the military. And I'm like, oh man, this is gonna hurt, right? And so of course he we're doing everything we need to do, but he's not giving it 110 because he's like, man, I don't want to hurt her, you
know? And I'll remember, and it's funny because the instructor at the time was uh was Chief Jenkins now, she was a sergeant at the time, and she came around and she was like, Hey, Tony, listen If you don't do it a hundred percent once, you're gonna keep doing it until you do. And so that stuck with me throughout my entire career, like We are all gotta do this together and we all gotta be at the same level. And and so I wouldn't want it any other way. Um and of course Tony was like, Yes ma'am, you know, and off he went
and uh It just, it, the people that have been put in positions and promoted and grown along the way, I truly believe fully that they're there because of their hard work and their merit and they earned it. And so I am so proud that we have so many great female leaders in our department. I mean, a lot of female leaders and it's awesome, you know. Um I'd say probably the only resistance and Again,
I don't know if it's male or female, but um One thing I get sometimes is people when they first meet me, they'll say, you know Man, you're. I was intimidated by you. You're intimidating. And it kind of would make me giggle because I'm like, I'm intimidating or you're intimidated, right? Because those are two totally different things. Right. So I'm not mean, I'm not aggressive. I'm just very honest and outspoken and I'm very confident in who I am
as a person and as a leader. And so I had to realize for my own sake as well as for them that this isn't about me, right? It was about the perception of me. And so it was my responsibility to change that, right? And so literally just after a few moments, they realize that I'm this big goofball who laughs and jokes about everything. And, you know, my my humor is that of a 12-year-old. And so So it usually breaks the ice and and comes across, but I think just being a strong female in a male dominated industry that sometimes
that's the initial take is, oh, she's gonna be hard. She's gonna be harsh. And it's just not.
Sometimes it makes me think that it can be harder for us because we have to adapt and think of that way.
Right.
And so like we have to we have to make sure to either turn it up or tone it down, depending on who we're with. And I think that it kind of makes us a more dynamic leader, if you think about it that way. But
I yeah, I think that just naturally raises our emotional intelligence to a degree that maybe our male account. parts haven't had it had to fine-tune that skill, right? Because they can just come as you are and that's just globally accepted, right?
Right.
As females keep breaking those glass ceilings, right? Um, and we're making space, I think that might that might start to change and adapt over time. But for the time being, you're right. Sometimes we gotta tone it up or turn it down.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. So in keeping with women's history theme, who has been the biggest female influence in your life in terms of leadership?
So my captain of my college soccer team, she um One practice we were doing lots of running. And if everyone didn't finish by a certain time, we all just kept going, right? And so we had kept going. And there was one girl on our team who just she wasn't making it. So our captain just finished. her whole group, they all made it, so she lined up. Ran again. That girl made it. How do you not? Right. Like I'm we're putting in work. We're
a team, right? We are only as strong as our weakest link. And so here's our captain just kind of
That's awesome.
And that sticks.
Yeah. Right? Yeah, for sure. Yeah. It's huge.
So I think
my I've had two really, really strong female leaders um in my professional career. And and so the first, um would be retired Lieutenant Barbara Taylor, right? She is an amazing woman and she taught me so much and I'm so grateful to her. And every day I fight to make her proud of me, right? So Um I kinda you know, I've grown up in the Pasco County Jail, essentially, right? Which I don't know what many people want to say that. But on the
other side of the bars. Sure, some people can say that. Right, sure. On the good side, right? So, um, but you know, she really taught me what true leadership was about selflessness and about pushing me. She would always push me to grow and go outside my comfort zone and make me do things that I'm like, oh gosh, you know. Um, but she cared. She cared so much. She was so invested in me and my peers that. you know, her integrity could never be questioned, right? And even if she had to tell
me something hard or difficult to hear, I knew that it was true because I believed in her and I knew that she cared. Um and so for that, I think it