Don’t Just Check Every Box. How to Break the Mold Instead. | Making Maverick Moves #15

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Real stories, practical leadership tips, and a wake-up call to unleash your maverick mindset.

Timestamps

00:00 – Meet Gina: Army vet, FBI agent, and fearless leader

00:39 – Why men apply before they’re ready—and women often don’t

01:19 – Credentials aren’t everything—vision is

02:03 – Your differences aren’t weaknesses—they’re your edge

02:47 – Turn “gaps” into growth: how to frame your story 

03:24 – Build your leadership narrative, not just a resume

04:45 – Speak up, ask bold questions, and challenge the status quo 

06:07 – Build a support squad and lift others as you lead

06:45 – Create a space where innovation and risks thrive 

08:06 – Stop checking boxes—lead with courage and authenticity 

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#Leadership #WomenInLeadership #MaverickMoves #GinaOsborne #FBI #BreakTheMold #CareerGrowth #Authenticity #LeadershipTips

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
My name is Gina Osborne and I'm an Armyveteran.

(00:03):
I spent six years during the end of theCold War as a counterintelligence agent.
I was appointed as an FBI agent,and during my 22 year career,
worked everythingfrom Asian organized crime to terrorism.
I became the assistant special agentin charge of cyber and computer forensics.
And then I came out of retirementand spent two years

(00:26):
as the safety and security officerat la metro.
Now I'm here to helpyou make your maverick move.
Don't just check every box.
Break the mold instead.
As a woman working in male dominated
arenas, the pressure to prove yourselfcan be relentless.

(00:47):
Early in my career as assistant specialagent in charge of the FBI's largest
cyber and computer forensics programs,I saw it firsthand.
When I asked my male colleaguesif they'd throw their hat in the promotion
ring, they replied with a resounding,absolutely!
Even if they didn't check every box.

(01:08):
But when I posed the same questionto the wildly talented
women on my team,their answers were hesitant.
Tentative. If they didn't meet
all the qualifications,they were reluctant to apply.
It struck me then,
meeting every single criterionisn't the sign of readiness.

(01:29):
Leadership is.
I'd never been a tech wizard, and that wasapparent even as I lead our cyber team.
Later in my career at la metro,I stepped into the chief safety
and security officer rolewith zero transportation background.
Yet both the FBIand the Metro CEO bet on me

(01:50):
because I led with vision, courage,and the willingness
to tackle the unknown headon what we often consider
a gap can actually be the sparkthat sets us apart.
In my journey, I discoveredthat being different isn't a liability.
It's your most powerful asset.

(02:11):
It fuels creativityby forcing you to ask fresh questions.
It builds resilience as you learnto navigate uncharted territory,
and it deepens empathywhen you lean on collaboration
over solo expertise.
Maverick leadersdon't wait or shrink to fit the mold.

(02:32):
They leverage everything that makes themunique.
Here's how you can own your differenceand lead with full force.
Reframe weaknesses as signature strengths.
In many cases,the very thing that gives you pause,
feeling that you don't checkevery box on the job description

(02:52):
can becomeyour greatest leadership advantage.
When you step forward without perfectcredentials, you signal a growth mindset.
You're not definedby past accomplishments,
but by your willingnessto learn and adapt.
Rather than hiding your gaps. Own them.
Frame them as evidence that you'llapproach the role with fresh eyes.

(03:15):
Ask the tough questionsand build expertise on the fly.
That confidence and your capacity to grow
is far more compellingto decision makers than a flawless resumé.
Equally important is the diverse skill setyou've amassed along the way.
Every job assignmenttaught you something priceless.

(03:37):
How to build consensus.How to manage risk.
How to translatecomplex data into clear action.
Those are your superpowers.
When you sit down to craft yourapplication or prepare for an interview.
Don't just list duties and dates.
Instead, weave a story about how each

(03:57):
experience sharpenedyour emotional intelligence,
honed your collaborative instinct,and expanded your strategic vision
by reclaiming
your nontraditional backgroundas the source of your unique perspective.
You transformwhat once felt like shortcomings
into the very strengthsthat make you an indispensable leader.

(04:20):
Championyour voice even when you're the only one.
One of the most powerful ways to ownyour difference is
to have the courageto use your voice and presence boldly.
That means speaking up early and often.
Don't wait for the perfect momentor a formal invitation when you share

(04:41):
your observations, even, and especiallyif they challenge the status quo.
You demonstrate intellectual courageand spark
conversations that move the team forward.
Equally important is learningto ask the hard questions.
Simple yet from evocative inquirieslike why do we do it this way?

(05:02):
Can expose outdated assumptionsand open the door
to game changing innovations.
When you find yourself the only womanor the outsider in the room.
Lean into that vantage pointinstead of shrinking from it.
Position yourself at the edge of the tableso you're seen and heard,

(05:23):
and take charge of the agendawhenever you can.
That outsiderperspective is your secret weapon.
It's easier to spot the unseenpaths forward when you're looking in
from the edge.
By owning every corner of the room,both literally and figuratively,
you make it clearthat you not only belong,

(05:45):
but that you lead with the unique insightonly you can bring.
Building a coalition of difference beginswith finding your allies,
mentors, and peerswho appreciate diverse approaches,
whether they're male or female,veterans or new comers.
These are the peoplewho will challenge you.

(06:07):
Endorse you and open doorsyou didn't even know existed.
As you rise,make it your mission to lift as you climb.
Sponsor the next generation of mavericksby inviting them into high
visibility projects.
Coaching them on how to make their voicesheard and sharing
the hard won lessonsthat only experience can teach.

(06:30):
In doing so, younot only strengthen their journey,
you fortify your own network of trustand mutual support.
A living demonstrationthat when you widen the path for others,
you pave a broader trail for yourself.
Equally critical is creating safe spaceswhere unconventional ideas
aren't just tolerated, they're celebrated.

(06:53):
Host brainstorming sessions freefrom judgment, where the unpolished, out
there suggestions get the same airtimeas the tried and true.
Encourage your team to take riskswithout fear of ridicule.
Champion small experiments and publicize
their learnings, successes,and failures alike.

(07:14):
By cultivating an environmentwhere innovation thrives,
you reinforce the messagethat being different isn't a barrier,
but the bedrock of progress.
This is the essenceof a maverick community,
a self-reinforcing circle of supportand creativity
that propels everyone forward.

(07:35):
Don't conform to fit the status quo.
Challengethe status quo to make space for you.
Don't pretend to be someone you're not.
Innovate from who you inherently are.
When you own your difference,you become the leader
who spots opportunities others overlook.
You force new pathswhere none existed before

(07:58):
you create room for those who will follow.
Now is your momentto step into your unique power.
Stop waiting to check every boxand start checking in
with your vision,your instincts and your courage.
Lead in a way only you can.
And in doing so, you'll widen the pathfor all the Mavericks who come after you.

(08:19):
As Albert Einstein oncesaid, they who attempt
the absurd can achieve the impossible.
I'm Gina Osborne, and this is makingmaverick moves declassified.
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Become a paid subscriberand join our exclusive chat,

(08:41):
where you can share your Maverick movesand get input from others
in our communityand cheer each other on as leaders.
And if you want more insightson how to live and lead, boldly
tune in to the Making Maverick Movespodcast out on YouTube,
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or whereveryou get your favorite podcasts.

(09:03):
Making Maverick Moves with Gina
Osborne is producedand edited by Zille Media.
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Coms making maverick moves.
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