Interview #2 with Cynthia Colas

A YOUNG LEADER

Cynthia Colas grew up with a single mother and watched her endure many hardships. She knew from a young age, she wanted to be a strong leader, just like her mom.

In college and her early education Cynthia felt a calling to get into local government and groups. She wanted to refine her abilities to speak confidently and professionally about what matters to her. She figured what not a better place to learn all of this than the world of politics.

POLITICS IS POLITICS…

Cynthia’s political involvement as a Legislative Intern with both the Florida House of Representatives and the United States Democratic Caucus was an incredible experience. She discovered her innate talent and passion for project management.

For Cynthia, project management was an opportunity to build something from scratch and see it to finish. She was involved in all aspects of these political projects from execution to delegation. At the end of her political run she found herself asking the question…

“How can I become the best project manager?”

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

She started diving into doing her own research about project management. She sought out certifications like SCRUM Master (CSM), SAFe Agilist, and PRINCE2. She studied and took these certifications online on her own time and discipline.

Managing your own time and challenging yourself to achieve online certifications that are relevant to your industry is a great way to distinguish yourself from competition and prove your credibility, work ethic, and experience.

AMAZON AND TESLA

It is unsurprising that a woman like Cynthia landed two impressive internships: one with Amazon and one with Tesla as Project Manager Intern. 

She described to me working at TESLA as being a fast-paced and innovative setting. The company was lean. Lean on resources, lean on time, lean on money. Cynthia worked as an intern but took it upon herself to work as if she had a full time job there going above and beyond the scope of what was expected.

“I was an intern, but no one could tell me apart from those who worked full-time.”

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

If you have an interest in project management this section is imperative to be read. If you don’t scroll on…

Cynthia is an expert in project management and helped to explain some of the basic concepts that should be understood if you are considering working with project management. Always understand exactly what the project scope is and how to communicate it with your team. Is the project waterfall, is it agile, or is it “wagile?” (betcha didn’t guess that it’s a mix between both!?)

Clear communication with your team is imperative for success.

 “Do it the right way in the beginning. Have an extremely clear definition of DONE.”

 Proper planning and thoughtfulness in the beginning goes a long way. Make a mistake early on and it can cost you three times as much: go back, demolish your mistake, build new form work, pour it for a second time, and let it set.

TRIGGERS AND OBSTACLES

Cynthia quite quickly had to mature working in corporate environments like this. Work was not always easy and she didn’t always receive the respect that she deserved. Cynthia gracefully shared with me a story of when a co-worker had the audacity to accuse Cynthia of having a poor vocabulary and furthermore questioning her level of authority and intelligence because of it.

With her experience in politics and her resilient character, Cynthia has learned how to defend herself in a professional manner and speak out against injustices like this. Talking with Cynthia it is clear that she is a remarkable young woman who has met the obstacles in her life with “bring it on.”

CYNTHIA’S ADVICE

 In wrapping up our conversation I ask Cynthia for any advice she can give to ambitious students like myself with an interest in project management. Cynthia believes volunteering is one great way to open doors for yourself. You are introduced to an entire community, learn real world skills, and can borrow credibility too. She is a big advocate for continuing education whether it be an MBA or other Master’s program. Cynthia, and many other ambitious professionals that I have spoken to, believe to always be learning something new and to always  be challenging yourself.

 “Invest in yourself. Keep learning. Work hard. Be authentic.”

Be prepared as a woman working in a male-dominated field to face criticism and ridicule. You must build a strong backbone and hold you ground, or, as Cynthia fiercely puts it:

 “I’m here for the check!” 

I’m so grateful to have connected with Cynthia and hope to carry forward the strength and leadership from her stories into a future on my own.

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