Career Corner: Learning to lead people
This week, I continue my interview with federal executive John Marshall as part of my special series on Leaders in Government.
This executive interview series has a dual purpose: To introduce successful executives and their accomplishments and to provide you with ideas for writing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) statements on Senior Executive Service applications, which you have to do well if you want to advance as a federal executive.
The five ECQs are:
- Leading Change
- Leading People
- Results-Driven
- Business Acumen
- Building Coalitions/Communication
Last week we learned about one of John's innovative information technology projects. The project was a great example of Leading Change, one of the ECQs. This week, we'll learn how he has succeeded in Leading People.
I hope you get some ideas for writing about Leading People for your next Senior Executive Service application.
 John Marshall |
John Marshall of Waldorf, Md., is a supervisory computer specialist. He was recently promoted to head of the Enterprise Systems Department at the Office of Naval Intelligence. With more than 20 years of information systems experience in the intelligence community, he has overseen major computer initiatives both in mainframe and client-server environments.
Q: What do you look forward to every day?
A: I get excitement out of motivating and energizing people to be excited about what they do. I am energized to make them feel wanted and worthwhile, being part of the project, where everyone contributes. Early on in the project I supervised a staff of 35 computer specialists. Now since I just received a promotion, I'm a program manager of 175 contractors as well as 35 military and civil service personnel.
Q: How do you motivate them?
A: I praise them for good work efforts; I get them training; talk to them, listen to them, easily speak with them. I am the only supervisor in our directorate who has been given a recognition award by my own employees. [The award read]: "As a supervisor he deals with different personalities, contractors, managers, employees, but John keeps the customer happy. We want to recognize John as a hard working, dedicated supervisor who is always fair and supportive. Thanks John, for being an encouraging individual with a positive attitude."
Q: How do you get your employees to buy in to all of your projects?
A: Involving them, making them part of the team. I'm not a meeting person. I get with my division officers and key contractors and I meet for 15 to 30 minutes at 7:30 every morning in the cafeteria. With coffee and notebooks, we talk about our plans for the day. Then I hold a monthly meeting, first Thursday of every month, 15 minutes to 1 hour. I review everything the director has conveyed and any issues they have in an open forum meeting. At that time I reward people for good work.
I do give out monetary awards and I give letters of appreciation - not only to my own employees, but also people outside who help us get the job done. I have latitude to reward other department employees who support us.
Q: Who are your customers?
A: Anyone who uses our information technology. The fleet and about 2,000 employees in the building.
Q: What is your most important personal quality that helps you manage your job?
A: I hold people accountable and they know what I expect of them. I'm demanding, but fair.
Q: What career advice do you have for someone who would like to be a government leader?
A: Find a mentor who can nurture and advise you during your career. Never stop learning. Be willing to take risks.
Q: What are your favorite leadership books?
A: Zapp! : The Lightning of Empowerment: How to Improve Quality, Productivity, and Employee Satisfaction, William. C. Byham, with Jeff Cox (Fawcett Books, 1998) and Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, Robert Fisher and William Ury (Houghton Mifflin Co., 1992)
If you are a successful federal executive who has outstanding accomplishments to share with others, write me at resume@ari.net. I would like to interview you "on-air."
Feedback from Readers
"I am very pleased to see you pursue the story line you have started on what it takes to reach the top in government. I am 29 years into a very exciting career, and am concerned with what I perceive to be a lack of interest in young folks in coming into public service in executive branch careers. I believe that our problems recruiting are at least partially the result of a lack of recognition of the scope and value of career executives' contributions. Thanks for helping tell the story."
- Harold Gracey, chief information officer, Department of Veterans Affairs.
"Enjoyed immensely reading your series of three articles on resume writing. I want to pass on to you a further technique that goes with part three of your series.
- I download the "Duties and Responsibilities" section with all details as posted, to a floppy disk from the Net.
- I read it carefully and highlight (using MS Word) in color the important parts (KSA, etc.) - just like you mentioned in your articles.
- I copy and paste the highlighted words to a new file (14 or 16 pts., like you stated), and edit it to be incorporated later into the resume.
- I incorporate all bulleted items into the resume as needed.
- Seenu Sarma
Kathryn Kraemer Troutman has been the president of The Resume Place, Inc. for 27 years. Kathryn helps people get promoted and change jobs. She is the pioneer designer of the new "federal resume." She wrote and published the first book on federal resume writing and is a popular resume writing workshop leader in government.
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The Resume Place is a full-service job search center specializing in writing, editing and designing custom personal marketing materials, including various resume formats: Federal (including KSAs and ECQs), Resumix, Private Industry, Career Change, Marketing, and Executive Portfolios. President Kathryn Troutman has written four books on resume writing, is an expert resume-writing trainer, and is webmaster for the popular Web site: www.resume-place.com.
What it takes to get to the top
(Feb. 23)
Resume writing, part three
(Feb. 16)
Resume writing, part two
(Feb. 9)
Get cracking on your resume
(Feb. 2)
Are you a star?
(Jan. 26)
Your brag sheet
(Jan. 19)
It's time for a to-do list
(Jan. 12)
To market, to market
(Jan. 5)
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