The Empowered Everyday Award recognizes leaders who approach challenges with positivity and perseverance, helping others overcome obstacles along the way. Through a coaching style of leadership, they share their knowledge generously, encourage growth, and push others to become the best version of themselves. They understand that true success is collective, making themselves available to support others and remove barriers so everyone can thrive.

This year’s Empowered Everyday Award recipient, Darryl Pineda, Supervisor, Records Management and Digital Processes, truly embodies these qualities. To celebrate his achievement, we sat down with Darryl to learn more about his leadership philosophy, how he empowers others every day, and the strategies he uses to help his team succeed.

You’ve been selected in the category “Empowered Everyday.” Congratulations! Could you tell us what being empowered everyday means to you?

To me, this means sharing my knowledge base with anyone who needs support, whether this is with fellow team members, clients I might contact, or external agencies that we work with. I’ve always felt that my success can be measured by the success of my team and by sharing the tools and knowledge we collectively become a stronger unit. I’m a big believer in talking things out together to come up with solutions and that if I don’t have the answers, I can at least guide you in the right direction. Good collaboration allows everyone involved an opportunity to learn. In the end, I want everyone to leave a conversation with me with a new piece of information that they can use to empower themselves going forward.

What motivates you to do the work that you do?

My team members and their various successes are my biggest motivation. Working mainly with 2 different teams (as a supervisor for our Records Management team and as support for our Applications team) I just want to see everyone reach their goals and full potential. This recognition is a result of everyone else’s success, and I’m driven to help everyone be successful together.

Could you tell us about an achievement, inside or outside of work, that you’re proud of?

At work, I think my journey, the route to how I got to where I am today is something I’m very proud of. Many might not know this, but I started out as a temporary holiday worker for the Records Management department many years ago and through learning, hard work, and building relationships I find myself in the position I am in today. Personally, something that I do which is also very important to me is fundraising for Movember. I’ve been doing this for 15 years and it all started a few years after I started working for VHA. Over those 15 years I’ve helped to raise just under $23,000 and I don’t intend to stop anytime soon.

When you look back on your journey at VHA so far, is there a moment or situation that stands out where you learned something that changed your perspective? This can be anything- big or small!

Working in the Records Management department, you generally work behind the scenes but there are a lot of times that I have spoken with clients and tried to help them with documentation requests, clarifying how to obtain more services, directing them to certain people or for other general questions. When I speak to them, they sometimes talk about their service, and you realize how much of a difference VHA has made to them in their life and how much you are helping them. This makes you appreciate everything that you do as each part of the organization contributes to improving the lives of those we work with.

There’s no doubt that a huge part of being a leader is teamwork. Do you have any advice on how to build that connection and trust?

For me, I think it’s just letting the team see who I am through my words and my actions. Trust is a very hard thing to build but very easy to break so always be open, honest, understanding and supportive. Working collaboratively is also great as everyone feels like they are contributing to finding the solution which, when found, can be celebrated together as well. Also, don’t be afraid to be social! Ask how people are doing, go out for lunch together occasionally, share some treats – we’re human after all and are always looking to make a connection. A simple concept, be a good person to others and good things will come back to you.