The other hat Viscardy wears is that of Deputy Head of Executive Management. Viscardy supports the Head of Executive Management in ensuring that tasks are coordinated, communicated and achieved on time, following the guidelines and expectations of senior leadership.
Viscardy is known for her work ethic, her willingness to champion others and her unique style of leadership which centres around kindness and enabling a safe, creative space for people around her. We sat down with Viscardy to ask her some questions.
What drew you to a career in NATO?
NATO has been in my life since I was young. My father worked for the Belgian Delegation as a Gendarme performing both military and police tasks, and he was incredibly proud of being a part of this organization. He instilled his pride and passion in me, and I grew up understanding that we were part of something that protects people. Our house was also in front of the old NATO headquarters in Brussels, and I have fond memories of my time there as a child. At university, I studied Political Science and International and Strategic Studies which further reinforced my interest in the Alliance and solidified my goal of working for NATO.
I joined the Agency shortly after graduating as an Assistant to the Chief of the Information Systems Branch. Throughout the years, I have learned that when you can do the little things, you can do the big things. This experience also gave me a greater respect and appreciation for the support staff because I understand their daily challenges. I think people who begin in a leadership capacity can often forget that those helping them also deserve respect, attention and the tools required to work effectively.
What do you think are the benefits of a diverse, inclusive and equitable workforce?
Diversity is everything! Bringing in people from various backgrounds, ages, identities and nationalities is the only way to make any organization successful. It challenges the status quo, makes people think outside the box and gives space for better ways of doing things. It is also essential to have teams that represent the society we live in.
Today, there are more women graduating from university than men, and though these women are graduating from a growing list of specialties, we still don't see enough women represented in top leadership positions. I would argue that some of the struggles large organizations face in adapting to change, growing their business or integrating a cultural shift, is due to a lack of diversity at the top. I have experience leading different teams and know that starting small is very important. I am proud that my team is one of the most diverse in the Agency and it shows in the products we develop and ideas we bring forward.
What do you think should be done to encourage gender diversity within the Agency and in high-end leadership roles?
Well, this may be an unpopular opinion, but businesses need to have diversity as a requirement. Because just wishing it into being isn't working. At the moment, the industry quota for leadership positions that need to be filled by the under-represented sex is 40%. This may be controversial to some, but NATO should also consider applying this practice until we have enough diversity at the top to make this measure obsolete. And it's not just women, its people of colour, people of different orientations — we should strive to have diversity in all regards. This way, it is also clear to people looking to apply to NATO that they don't need to fit into one specific profile to work here.
What is a female leadership or empowerment story you find to be especially inspiring? What aspects of that story do you wish to emulate?
I am a huge fan of Jacinda Ardern who, until recently, served as Prime Minister of New Zealand. I have rarely seen Heads of State or Government use kindness and empathy at the core of their leadership practice. She managed to demonstrate that one can lead with the heart while raising a family and bringing significant changes to the country. I wish more leaders had the courage to bet on kindness over assertiveness and arrogance. This is the leadership style I try to emulate and if, during my time at the Agency, I can bring in a bit of kindness and empathy and show that this method produces results, this will be the biggest success of my career.
Are you who you wanted to be when you grew up? If yes, who empowered you to be this person?
Yes, I am who I want to be. I've had my dreams come true: I work and live in the US and I work for NATO. As for who helped me, my piano teacher growing up was like a grandma to me. She pushed and encouraged me in the safest space possible. I only hope to inspire others the way she inspired and nurtured me. I want to be an advocate for other women in the Agency. I want to ensure that they have the opportunity to be who they want to be and that they have the same possibilities for success as everyone else. That is what feminism is to me and it comes with understanding that not everyone wants to lead. I think sometimes we are the victims of our own excitement to bring women forward, when we should be supporting them in their choices.
