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case during the transition process. You have to be involved and active in every step of the process and you cannot afford to take no for an answer. Tiye also said “You wouldn’t tell yourself no when trying to achieve a goal, so why would you let anyone else?” No phone calls Although it isn’t always possible, Tiye said she had more success getting the answer she wanted or needed when she had the conversation face to face. She even went as far as driving three hours to discuss her school application in person rather than on the phone. “It is so much easier for a person to say no on the phone than it is when you are looking the other person in the eyes,” says Tiye. Get organized This is one place where I got the privilege to see Tiye in action with her personal transition folder. It was immaculately organized and well put together. There were tabs for each part of her transition. The financial section had her credit report,her last several pay stubs, a list of all of her bills, and the budget she put together with her bank. Every meeting and every conversation was documented in that folder, as well. Tiye said, “I wasn’t always this organized. I had to become this way in order to be successful during this transition.” Negotiate everything you can “I was able to rent my apartment for only 30% of the standard price, because I went into the office, built a relationship, shared my story, and negotiated with them.”That is a powerful statement. Most people are willing to help others if they know the need and if they are able. Tiye built the relationship and once she shared her story, the leasing company was able and willing to help her because they knew the whole story. She wasn’t just another applicant in their eyes. Things fall apart – have a plan Tiye’s original housing plan fell apart and she had to create a new one.This is not uncommon and it usually happens to at least one part of a master plan that includes so many moving pieces. However, Tiye was able to recover because she started the process early. She had additional time to create and execute a new plan, and was able to secure housing within 30 days and prior to her last day in the Army. It pays to have a backup plan, especially if

you have the time to execute it. Stay humble

“You have to invest in yourself and you have to be fully invested in your goals. This includes asking for help and thinking nothing is beneath you,” explains Tiye. Staying humble after a successful military career isn’t the easiest thing in the world for many service members. However, staying humble and asking for help has opened several doors for Tiye during her transition, even doors she didn’t know existed.

be stressful and you may have to overcome some long-standing fears. You are taking a leap of faith into the unknown and things will not always be under your control. How- ever, by tailoring Tiye’s proven suggestions, your transition can be smoother with a better chance of success. Nick Ripplinger is the #1 Best Selling author of Front Line Leadership – Applying Military Strategies to Everyday Business, and the founder of Front Line Leadership LLC, a leadership training and development company. Nick has been recognized as a Veteran of Influence by the Ohio State Assembly and the Dayton Business Journal and has received several other military and civilian awards for his work. Nick can be reached at nick@nickripplinger.com , or by visiting his website www.flleadership.com.

Find a way to give back “The world is a big place and no matter what you have going on in life, you still have to find a way to give back,” says Tiye. She also suggested that in order to fully give back, you have to find a project that is near and dear to your heart. Tiye did just that with an organization called Final Salute that provides resources and housing to homeless women veterans. Tiye used her natural resources to compete in the Ms. Veteran American as a fundraiser for Final Salute. She won the “You Wore it Best”award for the dress competition and finished the competition as the first runner up. Transition, no matter what shape or form it is, and no matter whether it’s personal or pro- fessional, can be a very difficult time. It can

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