At 2019’s final Women In Business, WGCDR Susie Barns shared personal and professional aspects of her inspirational path to becoming second-in-command at RNZAF Auckland.
In 1993, she joined the air force as an admin clerk certificate trainee on her 18th birthday. Since then, Susie’s career has taken her to the likes of Ireland, the UK, the Solomon Islands, and Australia (to name but a few). Currently 15.9 per cent of NZDF personnel are female; the goal is for this to be 20 per cent by 2025. She spoke of the crucial role of women within the armed forces. For example, when deployed to Bougainville Island, the role of NZDF’s women was pivotal for developing trust and co-operation with this strong matriarchal society.
She talked of women’s strength, their ability to be flexible and agile, whilst acknowledging the guilt felt by virtually every working mum: how to juggle home with work – and be amazing at both.
Everyone in the room empathised with Susie’s raw emotion when she spoke about losing her husband to cancer in 2018. She had never expected to be a solo mum, and of course this has caused a major shift in her focus. “We are tougher than we know, and our children are tougher than we might give them credit for.”
In summing up, Susie offered seven key learnings:
- Understand your purpose. This isn’t about doing a Simon Sinek and going off to Google your “why”. It’s more about understanding what you feel deep in your heart or your gut. If you can harness this in your professional and personal life, everything else will follow.
- Work/life balance is actually work/life alignment, and therefore needs adjusting as priorities change. Cherish every moment you spend with friends and loved ones and remember that (99.9 per cent of the time) no-one will die if you don’t immediately reply to a work e-mail.
- Make sure you allocate time for yourself and your own development. You can’t fill someone else’s cup if yours is empty. (This echoed Mike King’s message from 13 November.)
- Be authentic. Never shy away from who you are, and don’t be afraid to laugh, cry and joke with people.
- Network, network, network!
- “Giving back” is fulfilling – to know that you’re creating “the next, better version” of yourself. In 2016, one of Susie’s mentees, Keisha Malone, received the air force’s inaugural Airman of the Year award. So, get involved with coaching and mentoring when you can.
- Life is way too short not to have a shedload of fun! If you’re unhappy with an aspect of your life, make real efforts to change it. And, don’t be paralysed by fear. When you see an opportunity, seize it.
