#WomensMonth | Operational excellence has no gender

This required credibility-building of a particular kind. Early in her career she had to work harder to establish her voice and demonstrate that she belonged at the decision-making table. She did it the same way she has always done things: through competence, consistency and a willingness to understand every aspect of the operation, from field execution to financial controls to process design.

Today she leads a team of seven women in key operational and leadership roles. She describes it with undisguised pride: proof, she says, that operational excellence has no gender. Those women did not arrive there by accident. Scott is intentional about creating opportunities, about lifting people as she grows; a principle she learned from the remarkable women she watched earlier in her career.

She is also honest about what the role costs. Leadership can feel isolating. Difficult decisions do not always land well immediately. Sustained national operations demand resilience that has to be deliberately replenished. Her approach: structure, strong teams, reliable processes and the wisdom to protect time for the personal relationships that keep her grounded. Leadership is a marathon, she says.