Tyler Cohen Wood, Cyber Branch Chief, Defense Intelligence Agency – Interview

Cohen Wood, Cyber Branch Chief, Defense Intelligence Agency – Interview

Invisible Mentor: Tyler Cohen Wood
Company Name: Senior Officer & Cyber Branch Chief, Defense Intelligence Agency

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Part One: Introduction

Avil Beckford: In a couple of sentences, tell me a little bit about yourself.

Tyler Cohen Wood: I am definitely driven; very hard worker and I care very much about the topic that I talk about in my book, in particular, people teaching themselves how to protect their privacy, protect themselves, and their children. But I also have a fun side too. I am addicted to reality television and I love horseback riding.

Avil Beckford: What’s a typical day like for you?

Tyler Cohen Wood: Well these days a typical day is pretty busy. I get to work usually about 6 [AM]. There is always a bunch of meetings or there are fires to put out, and then I come home and work on stuff to promote my book or work on writing blogs. Then usually I will relax by watching some reality television or doing some horseback riding lessons.

Avil Beckford: Tell me about your big break and who gave you.

Tyler Cohen Wood: I don’t know if there was really one big break. I would say that everything I have achieved, I have really had to work hard for. But I guess in terms of my career, getting into my first law enforcement and federal position, I felt that there was a lot that I needed to learn, and the manager that I had, that interviewed me, believed so strongly in me that they gave me the position, and were able to teach me things that I needed to know to succeed in that position.

Part Two: Career

Avil Beckford: How did mentors influence your life?

Tyler Cohen Wood: Mentors have been very influential in my life. I have leaned very heavily on various people, from various walks of life for the things in my career. Right now I have two different careers; I have a career as an intelligence officer for the Defence Intelligence Agency, and then I also have this new career as a public speaker and an author. I have really leaned on mentors in both of those careers to get to where I am, and I am still waiting on them everyday.

Avil Beckford: What’s one core message you received from your mentors?

Tyler Cohen Wood: The core message is patience; work hard, make sure you are always learning something. I think one of the best pieces of advice that I have ever been given by a mentor was learn to say what you need to say in the amount of time it would take to go up one floor in an elevator because sometimes that’s all you have.

Avil Beckford: An invisible mentor is a unique leader you can learn from by observing them from a distance. In that capacity, what is one piece of advice that you would give to others?

Tyler Cohen Wood: Work as hard as you can. Never, ever do anything that is going to break people’s trust in you. That’s one of the most important things you can have. Also, really have patience. If you don’t succeed the first time, keep trying.

Avil Beckford: What big steps did you take to succeed in your field? What is one step or action you have consistently taken that has contributed the most to your success?

Tyler Cohen Wood: I have taken a lot of risks. You have to be unafraid to take those risks. If you have your perfect dream job across the country, sometimes you have to take that leap and give up what you know for something that may not be something that you do know, if it’s really what your dream is. In terms of the steps that I have taken, I am very driven and if there is something that I want, I will continue to work at it until I get it, even if I fail. One thing that mentors have taught me, and one thing that has helped me, is that I rely on advice from others, but I do not rely on anyone to do things for me. I take actions for myself. I don’t really expect anything from anybody. If I want to advance my career, people can give me advice, but I have to do the hard work myself to get there.

Part Three: Life

Avil Beckford: Describe one of your biggest failures. What lessons did you learn, and how did it contribute to a greater success?

Tyler Cohen Wood: I think one of my biggest failures was a job I really wanted, very, very badly, and I kind of romanticized it in my head to be the perfect job, and I prepared for the interview, and I ended up not getting the job. What ended up happening was that the next job turned out to be the dream job that did change my life. If I had gotten that job, I would not have found the job that I really wanted. Don’t look at failures as the end; look at it as just one step close to the right thing.

Avil Beckford: What’s one of the toughest decisions you’ve had to make and how did it impact your life?

Tyler Cohen Wood: I think one of the toughest decisions that I have made was about 11 years ago, leaving my home in San Francisco to come to Washington D.C. where I didn’t know anyone at all for a job that I didn’t know if it was going to work out or not. It was definitely a hard decision. It impacted my life for the better. It turns out it was the right choice and I really love this area. Again, sometimes you just have to take those risks.

Avil Beckford: What are three events that helped to shape your life?

Tyler Cohen Wood:

1. I would have to say meeting my husband. You know, he has been very encouraging, very helpful. A lot of times when you are trying to achieve your dreams, you are going to have setbacks and failures along the way, and he is really always there to help pick me back up.
2. I would also say that doing something that you are afraid of. I am an older person and I reintroduced horseback riding into my life. It’s kind of scary jumping over 3-foot fences on a large animal, but doing things that you are scared of and succeeding in them – that is an event that has helped to shape my life.
3. And again, just having successes and having good mentors along the way that can give you good advice. If you take that advice and it works out, that really shapes your life.

Avil Beckford: What’s an accomplishment that you are proudest of?

Tyler Cohen Wood: My book. Catching the Catfishers: Disarm the Online Pretenders, Predators, and Perpetrators Who Are Out to Ruin Your Life is my recent book. I am very proud of that accomplishment. I saw that there was a huge need for a book that teaches people how to manage their online image, how to protect their privacy and how to protect themselves and their children from deception in the online domain, and explain technical things in a way that people can understand. I know that my book does that.

Avil Beckford: What are five life lessons that you have learned so far?

Tyler Cohen Wood:

1. You can have friends, you can have mentors that help you along the way, but all the heavy lifting is going to be something that you have to do yourself.
2. Don’t work so hard that you burn yourself out. Make sure that you take breaks. Take vacations.
3. Have something aside from work in your life that you are passionate about, whether it’s cooking, whether it’s a sport – that really helps to balance your life.
4. Also, friends and family are some of the important things that you can have.
5. Exercise. May sure your physical health is just as good as your mental health.

Avil Beckford: If trusted friends could introduce you to five people (living or dead) that you’ve always wanted to meet, who would you choose? And what would you say to them?

Tyler Cohen Wood: That an interesting question.

1. Number one on my list would have to be Oprah [Winfrey]. I don’t know if I have a specific question that I would ask her, but I would just love to pick her brain for hours.
2. I would also like to meet Hillary Clinton. Again, pick her brain for hours.
3. Then a lot of historical figures that helped shaped our history and past history, just because I have always been curious. The things that we read in history books, I would like to hear things from their perspective. Sorry I think that’s just three.

Avil Beckford: You didn’t give a name, and specific one.

Tyler Cohen Wood: Well I am really interested in Roman History, so maybe some of the Roman leaders.

Avil Beckford: Which one book had a profound impact on your life? What was it about this book that impacted you so deeply?

Tyler Cohen Wood: I would say, and I know this is going to sound absolutely silly as it’s not the most intelligent book in the world, but I would say the Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-7). The reason that had such a big impact was that, it showed me that you can write something that you love and it can have such a huge impact on readers. What that book did was, it really taught the younger generation, and it really taught people how to read again. I would say that is my favourite book, that series.

Avil Beckford: You are one of the 10 finalists on the reality show, So, How Would You Spend Your Time? You are going to be on deserted island for two years, what are 5 books that you will take with you, and besides reading, how will you spend the time on the island?

Tyler Cohen Wood: Five books that I would want to bring … Again the Harry Potter Series. Can I get magazine subscriptions?

Avil Beckford: You can bring anything you want.

Tyler Cohen Wood: I work very, very hard. I love the tabloids, love Oprah’s magazine, I love Marie Claire. I love reading things that kind of grow your brain a little bit, but they are fluff too. I would get lots, and lots of magazine subscriptions.

Avil Beckford: Complete the following, I am happy when…..

Tyler Cohen Wood: I am happy when I am doing well, my personal and work-life are in balance, and when I am eating great food with my husband, or when I’m on a horse on a beautiful day.

3 Key Takeaways

1. Work hard and make sure you are always learning something new.
2. People can give you advice, but you have to do the hard work yourself to get where you need to be.
3. Don’t look at failures as the end; look at it as just one step close to the right thing.

What to do Next – 3 Ways to Apply this Information

1. Buy and read Catching the Catfishers: Disarm the Online Pretenders, Predators, and Perpetrators Who Are Out to Ruin Your Life to learn how to manage your online image, protect your privacy and protect yourself and your children from deception in the online domain.
2. Do something that’s fun for you!
3. Make time for family and friends.

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Author Bio: Avil Beckford, an expert interviewer, entrepreneur and published author is passionate about books and professional development, and that's why she founded The Invisible Mentor and the Virtual Literary World Tour to give you your ideal mentors virtually in the palm of your hands by offering book reviews and book summaries, biographies of wise people and interviews of successful people. Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.

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