By: Sinclair Johnson-Knight
If there is one word that could best describe Tanya Smith, it would be: brilliant. Not just in a way that is studious or quick-witted (although she is both of these), but in a way that is bright and welcoming.
Tanya, now Founder and CEO of Life in Quarters, was 32 when she first joined active duty. As a black woman, Tanya found that she was often mistrusted and underestimated by her peers and superiors. At times in her career, she also mentioned feeling like a “ghost,” and struggled to find her voice even when she had a seat at the table.
“As a woman and as a black female, I felt like I just was not being heard,” Tanya stated, following up with how difficult it was to advocate for herself without being labeled as ‘intimidating’ or ‘too pushy.’”
“I was often disregarded, and not considered for higher positions,” she continued, “…even when I was first pinned as Sergeant E-5, people came up to me and told me I wasn’t ready for it, without asking me about my background.”
“I also wished my peers and superiors would stop talking to me about how things ‘used to be,’ because if we went back to how things used to be, we wouldn’t be allowed in the same room because of our gender and racial differences.”
Gender and race-based discrimination continued throughout her career, rearing its ugly head even during moments of success.“I spoke Spanish teaching a group of students who were learning Chinese, and it was the first time the Defense Language Institute had a 100% graduation rate. We were also all getting high scores on our PT tests,” Tanya said, “but when we received an award, my superior told me to stop being such an ‘overachiever.’”
When asked about what types of strategies she used to become stronger in the face of constant adversity, Tanya stated that becoming spiritually connected, resilient, and self-sufficient helped her to get through the bulk of those challenges.
“Having experiences with bad leaders increased my emotional intelligence, built empathy, and made me an overall better leader,” Tanya said confidently. “If I hadn’t had all of those issues, I wouldn’t have gained the experience necessary to win people’s trust.” She also felt she learned to be more strategic in her problem-solving, likening her journey to that made by Harriet Tubman through the woods without a trail, map, or compass.
“Men have to know how to play checkers in order to succeed. As women, we have to know how to play chess.”
As a result of this experience, Tanya was able to shape her leadership coaching business, Life in Quarters, to help her clients become good leaders, and help organizations understand what can grow or dismantle their organization. Tanya went on to ask that, if we as women and as leaders do not emulate what we want those emerging leaders to become, then how can we expect them to be better?
When making the transition from military to civilian life, one of the things that helped Tanya along was that she was a great observer. “I realized it was important for me to start my transition plan early,” she said, “The Army helps you with financial, academic, and medical benefits, and if you already have those components of a transition under control, the Army thinks you’re good to go.
“She also stated that because she had spent some time in the civilian world before joining the military, she never fully absorbed the importance of rank that the Army ingrained among its soldiers. Before she joined the Army, Tanya was a director of a residential program for male juvenile offenders, supervising 25 staff members and serving up to 50 clients.”
“In the Army, often your identity is based upon your rank,” she said. “But I never identified myself in that way. I did not let my rank demand respect for me. Many people face certain social and psychological challenges when they transition, because when they take off their uniform, they’ve lost who they are.”
“Working on re-branding yourself as early as possible is key,” she continued.
Tanya went on to say that it was absolutely paramount for her to be able to find her values and identify her goals before transitioning. “One of the most important decisions I’ve ever made is aligning my goals to my behavior,” she said.
“What I love about the Command Presence Foundation is that sharing your story, having a support group, and being transparent, sympathetic, and empathetic are all so necessary for us to get through that next phase in our lives,” Tanya explained. “When transitioning, we are making a paradigm shift, and CPF is an important part of that.
”Now a Leadership and Performance Strategist, speaker, professional coach, and best-selling author, Tanya devotes her time to helping her clients reach their true potential. Along with advocating for women veterans like herself, she continues to serve as an active and valuable member of The Command Presence Foundation network.