We recently connected with Theresa Carpenter and have shared our conversation below.
Theresa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?
I believe we all must learn how to navigate challenging relationships. I grew up in an environment that I now understand as “toxic” so when entering the workforce, I was not prepared to handle particular challenges. For example, in my enlisted career, I faced a supervisor who was demeaning towards women. At the time, I felt that I had to tolerate sexist comments to get along with the team. Post Me Too, and as an officer having climbed up through the enlisted ranks, I no longer face these issues. However, we all must work with people we do not align with. I have found when that happens, it’s best to be as transparent as possible and to consult mentors at the earliest sign of the interactions going in a negative direction. This has helped me ensure I am always respectful and kind. I believe everyone will face this at some point in their careers. I am fortunate now to have people who can help me with this circumstance.
Theresa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Sure here is my bio:
Theresa Carpenter is an active-duty Navy Commander with 10 years of enlisted time and where she has served for 27 years. Her passions include helping people succeed, protecting animals, moving past traumatic experiences, speaking up for positive change, and the professional development of the craft of public relations. As a reflective writer, she discusses the human experience for her blog, Theresa’s Tapestries. She has published in several media outlets and trade press, notably the War Horse and the Public Relations Society of America. Tapping into her love of storytelling through the visual medium, she shares her life journey and the stories of others in a raw, vulnerable, and always honest format. Her podcast S.O.S (Stories of Service), which she started in April 2020 and now has more than 100 episodes, features ordinary people from all walks of life who show up in service to their respective communities and are beacons of change. She is a co-author of the book Complicated Alliances, an anthology that tells the stories and struggles of women who serve in the military and those married to one who serves. She lives in the United Kingdom and is the Chief Public Affairs Officer for NATO’s Allied Maritime Command.
To answer your other questions, I am most proud of my ability to bring stories to the public that inspire others. I believe in authentic and transparent conversations that raise awareness on societal issues. Through these conversations, we solve problems, and help people feel included as they are part of the change.
Any advice for managing a team?
You must bring your team in when a problem exists and use the team’s collective to solve it together. This ensures buy-in on the task at hand. It would be best to take time from “tasking” to asking. Ask about how somebody’s family members are doing. Ask if things are okay in the office or if people feel overwhelmed. It’s an art to switch from getting things done to deepening into the more human sides. As a leader, I know my people must feel inspired to get work done. They are not machines. They are beings with families, hopes, and dreams. We all want to work on a team where we are seen, heard and valed, so I do my best to maintain a team where everyone feels they have a role in fixing problems and gaining the satisfaction from doing so.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Building a brand on social media through my platforms has been the most rewarding “side hustle” of my life. It is the place where I can be completely myself and share stories that I hope inspire others. I believe we all have a story to share, and I am so blessed that my work online has resonated with so many. I intend to do this full-time with my life once I retire from the Navy. I wrote an article and produced a video on how I grow my brand:
https://www.theresatapestries.com/blog/want-to-speak-up-in-the-military-and-still-be-promoted
This is where I share how I made it to Commander in the Navy while still maintaining an online presence. In the article, I give several tips for telling a story. Once I retire, I hope to deepen my storytelling and continue to bring guests on my show who inspire others to make positive changes in the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theresatapestries.com/
- Instagram: https://beacons.ai/theresacarpenter
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theresalouisecarpenter
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresacarpenter1/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tdonnelly76
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheresaCarpenter76
Image Credits
I own the images