I showed up at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center with long blonde hair, red, white, and blue fingernails and a pair of black high-top Guess sneakers instead of the stereotypical scowl and combat boots. As you can imagine, this did not go over well.

I envisioned sitting at a big mahogany desk with the official seal of the United States of America emblazoned on the name tag on the door to my office. What I got was an assignment to work on the rat-infested piers of New York with some pretty cranky men who didn’t think women should be part of their world. (Oh, I could tell you some stories…) And, no desk. And, no office.

I realized quickly that it was going to be VERY different than the detective shows I watched on television as a kid. (No, I was not going to be one of Charlie’s Angels.) And, I recognized that being my soft-spoken and speak-when-spoken-to self was not going to enable me to excel in this arena. I needed to find my voice.

Instead of Looking at What Others Are Doing, Focus on Your Own Journey.

On the job, some of the guys called me “Hair and Nails” and a few did their best to make my life a nightmare, publicly berating me and harassing me.

But, I worked side by side in filthy assignments in the heat, snow, and rain lifting boxes, driving a forklift, and sifting through smelly shipments on the contraband enforcement (narcotics interdiction) and EXODUS (money laundering) teams.

I was one of the fastest promoted women on the job, and while I can’t say I was the best at enforcement, I was smart, hard-working, quick-witted – and I found my voice.

Working in the New York area during 9/11, I worked 16-hour grueling shifts after losing my mentor in the Trade Center bombings. And, over time, I earned the respect from these tough-as-nails men as they treated me like one of the boys.

Yes, I held my own.

And, when I left federal law enforcement after 10 years, I left with pride, and the nickname “Mary F’in Sunshine”.

What I Learned was You Can Do Anything You Want without Compromising Who You Are.

While I began my job with a small-town naiveté and there were days when I was unsure of myself, I learned how to be strong, stand up for what I wanted (I had a no-profanity rule which the guys adhered to….LOL), how to work well with others (even the people you don’t like), not to take other people’s “crap” without being ugly, and how to trust my gut to the point where I now have a built-in “No B.S.” meter.

I studied leadership and the inner workings of what it takes to communicate effectively and build a personal brand.

The World is Made for Those who Learn How to Stand Out, Not Fit In.

I worked in a male-dominated industry where I had to learn how to communicate who I was, what I brought to the job, or become invisible. And, despite the rigors of 9/11, my deep compassion for others led me to helping some of my co-workers cope with the changing landscape and recognize that every day brings is a gift which brings the promise of a new beginning. (From my 1st book, Designing Your Destiny….)

My career in law enforcement was a challenging journey – and I walked through this because of Choice. Direction. Commitment. and Discipline and you can do the same with whatever you are seeking to achieve or move forward in your organization or personal life.

Vince Lombardi said, “Leaders aren’t born; they’re made. And, they’re made like anything else, through hard work.” You can develop what it takes to be a leader in your career and in your life. I studied personal leadership and effective management and supervision, and you can be taught the same principles and learn how to do this with ease.

People Follow the Person First, and Then their Great Plan.

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