Maj. Marjorie Masias believes in the importance of emotional intelligence

“What makes a good leader within the military has come a long way, and the rise of emotional intelligence is a much-needed addition to a leader’s toolbelt,” said Maj. Marjorie Masias, assistant product manager for Global Enterprise Network Modernization – Americas (GENM-A) within the Integrated Enterprise Network (IEN) portfolio at PEO EIS.

The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the importance of emotional intelligence in a leader to Masias. During the pandemic, she and other staff members had to deal with the hardship of not being able to take their children to daycare, along with other stresses, leading to a more chaotic work experience. She recognized that leaders with high levels of emotional intelligence were able to better support their staff and get the most out of them during a difficult time.

“I believe that having a high level of emotional intelligence will get you further than being the smartest person in the room,” said Masias. “I’ve put a lot of work into developing and nurturing my level of emotional intelligence, so that I can better support my team.”

For today’s #PEOEISTeammateTuesday, Masias answered questions about her career and life.

Describe what you did before joining IEN.

Before joining IEN, I was an assistant product manager (APM) for the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) at PEO Missiles & Space (M&S) for two years. IBCS provides a common engagement operations center and data sharing capability for all echelons of Army Air and Missile Defense by aggregating data from multiple systems that were not designed to work together. During my time at IBCS, I supported both hardware and software integration.

What was it like joining IBCS before the pandemic — and IEN during it?

Roughly three months after joining PEO M&S, the pandemic hit, and we were all told to telework. That was a difficult experience for me because I was still very new to the team. I didn’t fully know my co-workers, and the process of meeting them over Microsoft Teams was not as ingrained into the culture as it is now. However, I had a leg up over others due to my being there for a few months before the pandemic started.

Joining IEN was a more difficult transition because everyone was teleworking when I arrived. I had met Col. Shell and Lt. Col. Arnold, but I didn’t know anybody else and couldn’t place faces with names. The workplace improved once we all started coming in on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I’ve found that I have more mutually beneficial interactions with my colleagues face-to-face rather than over Teams. You can’t replace human interaction!

Describe what you do (and how it supports the Army) in 30 seconds or less.

I currently serve as an APM performing network modernization for GENM-A. Our team plans, executes and manages multiple projects across the Continental United States; we modernize the Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router network, voice communication capabilities and the Army Enterprise Transport, formerly known as the Technical Control Facility. We are also going to start modernizing the Secure Internet Protocol Router (SIPR) network as part of a comprehensive modernization effort, and the first site to get that will be our very own Fort Belvoir — the project is underway. We are even supporting a Wi-Fi pilot program for the U.S. Army right here in our own backyard. 

Is there an upcoming project you’re looking forward to?

I am particularly excited about a comprehensive modernization contract project that we’re initiating. Currently, we have multiple contracts for deploying and integrating multiple capabilities as mentioned earlier, and it’s hard to manage and execute in the most efficient manner. We are working on a contract that will encompass all these projects and that can support any future efforts the Army might throw at us.

What is the best advice you received?

The best advice I’ve ever received was on the importance of work-life balance. At work, you’ve got to give 100%, but you also must find balance — especially in the military. Being in the military is very demanding, especially when you’re in a company command position. It is a 24-hour, 7 days a week profession. It is easy to become overwhelmed, which is why I’ve put a lot of emphasis on establishing work-life balance, and I hope I’ve been successful at instilling it in those I’ve been honored to lead. IEN has been a healthy environment for establishing a positive work-life balance, which I am appreciative of.

How did you go about finding a mentor?

I believe that a mentor should always be someone who is going to give you the hard truth. They won’t sugarcoat things or always take your side. I also recommend someone who doesn’t think like you and will challenge you. My mentor is a retired Special Forces major who happened to support the unit I belonged to. We developed a good professional relationship, and his role in becoming my mentor occurred organically. To this day, I can call him and know that he will give me good advice.

I also have a female mentor, and that’s truly important in the military, especially for younger female Soldiers and officers. Every decision a female Soldier makes in her personal life could affect her professional life. For example, when I became pregnant with my first child, I was concerned that it would be a bad move for my career. That is a concern our male counterparts don’t usually worry about, but we do. 

Do you have any advice for female Soldiers in the military who are looking to keep growing in their career and achieving leadership positions?

That’s a hard question because every branch of the Army is so different and, on top of that, it is unit dependent. I’ve been very fortunate that the units I’ve belonged to in the past have been very supportive of female Soldiers, including those in leadership positions. Females should take advantage of the education opportunities available to them and volunteer for positions of greater responsibility so that senior leaders know they are willing and capable to take on a challenge. When taking on difficult tasks, it’s important to learn and grow from them, proving potential for advancement; complacency is not an option. I must also add though, that everything works out for the best. I did not pursue an opportunity to be an executive officer at my last duty station because it was important to me to be present during my child’s first year of life. That did not in any way affect my career negatively. Again, work-life balance!

How would your friends describe you in three words?

They’d describe me as sassy, independent and caring. If I can add a fourth, then stubborn. I can definitely be stubborn!

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

I’m a mother of a two-year-old toddler, so I don’t have too much free time. When I am able to get away, I like to craft using my Cricut — a super-cool crafting machine for those of you who don’t know. It’s important to find activities that make you feel good, to let out some stress and relax in a healthy manner.

If you could thank one person for the role they played in your life, who would it be and why?

It may sound cliché but my mother. She immigrated to this country back in 1994, and we were separated for a couple of years before we were reunited. Now that I’m a mother, I understand how hard it must have been for her to leave me behind. My life would be very different if not for her sacrifice. That woman is the epitome of strength.