Natoshia Clinton is an HR Business Partner at Hover and Cornell Executive Coach. After time as an AG Officer and a Cornell Leadership Program Officer/Instructor/Leadership Coaching. She is a graduate of West Point and Cornell University. She is also a mother of two, sharing the challenges of balancing family life. The key tenants she shared with us are Introspection, Mentorship, Collaboration, Discipline, and Humility.

"Take inventory of the things you enjoy. I enjoy connecting with people" "Is it aligned with who I want to be in the world" "If there was a problem to be solved, what problem would you ask me to solve?"

"Lean heavy into unpacking who I am and who I want to be in the world"

"Be grateful for the lessons you had to learn, the experiences you had to go through. Be in gratitude for the leaders modeling the behaviors you want to emulate”

"I used to view it [Black, female West Pointer] as a hindrance, but now I embrace my unique lens and as a superpower."

  • Military brat settled in Brooklyn, NY, before coming to West Point.
  • Mentors like LTG (R) Linnington recommend she come back to West Point Admissions.
  • MBA at Cornell led to a great deal of self-discovery, both personally and professionally
  • Business functions like Human Resources, Marketing, Finance, Banking, etc.
  • Then a mentor recommended returning to Cornell to help MBAs figure out who they want to be as leaders.
  • Becoming an executive Coach, "Learning how to unpack all the magic inside her."
  • Her manager was the type of mentor that knew what she was capable of, the ability to create and co-design an elective, "Leading across differences."
  • COVID and Broader societal awareness of racial injustice pushed her to make a career change
  • She found COVID that she liked a less stressful life, so when the "Return to the office" came. She decided to make a change.
  • She pursued a transition path through Breakline; she optimized for culture versus chasing the brand.
  • "What kind of work excites you? What gets you up in the morning?"
  • In what areas do I like doing things?
  • "A focus on her as a person, holistically."
  • It is hard to uncouple the things I do (programming) versus passion/enjoyment.
  • Have friends outside of the military, then you'll start to broaden your horizon.
  • There are opportunities outside of the military and government.
  • Breakline is an easy and fast pass, sales, account management, customer-facing, "invitation to some custom tables,"
  • "Be Comfortable taking a walk in your career exploration after the military."
  • The Alchemist "The Treasure is inside of you."
  • Adam Grant's podcast
  • Brene Brown
  • Oprah (Fairy God-mother) – Super Soul Sunday: Interviews with influential leaders
  • Oprah's Journal
  • "Lean heavily into unpacking who I am and who I want to be in the world."
  • Who am I in the world versus who someone else tells me I should be
  • "Be grateful for the lessons you had to learn, the experiences you had to go through. Be in gratitude for the leaders modeling the behaviors you want to emulate
  • Humility "Being more receptive to feedback in the military, especially" taking and processing the feedback as a young leader.
  • Being disciplined and taking time to transition (12+ months) well
  • Do you have transferrable skills? Is the graduate school required? Writing my resume?
  • Finding an assignment where you have the headspace to think? Balancing the requirements
  • Identity: There are only 300 or so Black female West Pointers worldwide. "It is the icing."
  • "I used to view it [Black, female West Pointer] as a hindrance, but now I embrace my unique lens and as a superpower."
  • Now I stand proudly in my skin, so perhaps I bring another 1 or 2 behind me.

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