Mission Area
August 18, 2020
Maj. Nicole Meruvia is a confident leader who learned a lot of lessons in the school of hard knocks. As the assistant product manager for two programs—Mission Planning and Threat Emulation—Meruvia helped Defensive Cyber Operations award a Federal Acquisition Regulation-based contract within 90 days under an Agile 874 software-development-program pilot.
Meruvia started her distinguished career in the Army National Guard as an enlisted Solider until branching Signal as an officer. When she graduated from an accelerated officer candidate school in Fort McLennan, Ala., she received the highest physical fitness score in the state! Before entering active duty with the Army National Guard Bureau as a 51A, she worked for a government contractor as a senior business process analyst where she co-wrote eight proposals and supported projects for a civilian agency. Meruvia, today’s #PEOEISTeammateTuesday, answered eight questions about her career and life.
Why have you been so successful in your career?
I try to give praise at every opportunity. Life is short. Don’t let an opportunity pass you by to compliment someone on a job well done or praise their level of effort. If you are genuine, those individuals will go out of their way to help you succeed. Trust is also very important. I gain a leader’s trust by showing them that I am not afraid to make mistakes or talk openly and honestly about it each and every time. Trust is more important than trying to be perfect. No one is perfect.
What challenges have you overcome in your career?
My mother passed away from cancer in 2019. After I learned that she wasn’t going to beat it, I experienced anticipatory grief and anxiety for the first time in my life. It progressed to a point where I struggled to have a basic conversation with my vendor during a phone call. After that phone call, I told Lt. Col. Leilani Tydingco-Amarante, my boss, that I didn’t know what was going on, but I needed to go home and figure it out. She was very supportive. I took a day off and was able to return to work without any issues. If you are struggling with something, don’t wait to get help or take a break. Do something about it. Everybody experiences struggles at some point in their life. I want to share my experience because it might help somebody else.
What does a good leader do?
They build the people up and give them the tools they need to succeed. They also aren’t afraid to tell someone in private when they expect more. I have a lot of admiration for my previous boss, Col. Bennie Morris, because he told me he expected more from me after I worked for him for one year. I admired him more for having the guts to tell me. The next two years—when my reviews were extremely favorable—meant even more to me because I knew if he had something constructive to say, he would say it. Being honest goes both ways.
Describe the PEO EIS culture.
The PEO EIS culture is supportive. Lt. Col. Tydingco-Amarante always has my back and gets the same support from her leadership. It’s good to know your chain of command is always behind you and the work you do.
Describe your leadership style.
I am a servant leader. I believe it's the most effective form of leadership because you can't achieve anything alone. Everything requires a team. And if you make sure your team has all the tools and support they need, you will succeed.
Others describe you as professional, respectful and confident. Where does your confidence come from?
My mother raised me to believe that I was the prettiest and smartest person on the planet. Ha! It wasn’t until I was in first grade that I realized this was not true. But that confidence stayed with me. My mother was also really good at helping me set goals. She told me that I can be whatever I want to be and that there are no barriers to achieving my goals.
What advice do you want to share with PEO EIS employees?
Soldiers, civilians and contractors are all essential to accomplishing our mission. Don’t treat contractors as an “us versus them” resource, but as teammates. Give contractors every opportunity to meet or exceed their contractual requirements. Be an advocate for their success! I was a government contractor for seven years. At PEO EIS, I always ask myself, “Am I doing everything I can to set up my vendor for success?”
What was your proudest moment?
I never had family present for a military promotion ceremony until 2019 when I was promoted to major. Eleven family members flew in from out of town to witness the event. My mother was unable to travel to Fort Belvoir but watched it on Facebook Live. Being able to share that moment with my family made the ceremony very special.