The International Association of Interviewers (IAI) teamed with General Dynamics for their annual recognition of remarkable women in loss prevention. Cita Doyle, director of sales and marketing for Instakey Security Systems, is one of the 2017 honorees.
As you reflect upon your career, to what do you attribute your high level of success?
My success has been a result of the relationships and partnerships that I have built over the years. I have been blessed to collaborate with and learn from many talented colleagues and leaders throughout my career.
What will be the biggest challenge for the generation of women behind you?
With increasing leadership opportunities available to women, the next generation will likely be more data driven and have more options available to them than ever before. Women beginning their careers will be more accessible and have more information available in real time, which could impact their work/life balance. They will have to make personal and professional decisions more quickly which could become increasingly difficult as technology grows and as they progress in their careers. The key for them will be devoting time to both personal and professional pursuits. Without a consistent work/life balance, any leader can get overwhelmed resulting in a focus on one area while neglecting the other.
What has been your greatest achievement over the last two to three years at work?
A great achievement would be our company’s ability to consistently grow market share and profitability amidst an ever-changing market.
We have many incredible client partnerships that have helped me evolve our program to meet their needs.
What is the most important characteristic you believe every leader should possess?
Leaders should have a clear vision of where they are going and openly share what they are trying to accomplish. They should display transparency to align their teams toward a collective goal while championing individual success.
What is one mistake you witness leaders making more frequently than others?
A consistent leadership oversight is to overlook openly sharing the vision for the organization. Through clearly communicating the direction, and aligning partnerships, whether internal or external resources, teams better understand the common goal and where each individual can contribute. Leaders can overlook the importance of being transparent while focusing on vision and direction.
What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?
I’d recommend to new leaders that they set as their first goal to maintain a healthy work/life balance. This choice is even more critical as our lives and real time connectivity accelerate.
When faced with two equally-qualified candidates, how do you determine whom to hire?
I evaluate new candidates by how they best match the role, but hiring ultimately comes down to how this person would mesh with our culture, management, and colleagues. I believe that the most important factors to consider when hiring are a successful track record, past history, references, and whether or not the candidate will fit the company culture.
How are you working to continue to grow and develop as a leader?
I have recently had the opportunity to learn that because members of a team appear to be enthusiastic and happy in their roles, they may not be openly communicating their concerns. This humbling realization has inspired me to be more engaged with my team and continue my own leadership training as I feel we all must take the opportunity to improve ourselves. I also plan to fulfill my Loss Prevention Foundation’s LPC Certification to further my knowledge and career pursuits.
Do you have a favorite quote?
“Do the right thing regardless of opportunity or cost.”
Check out the other IAI Remarkable Women honorees.