Government Executive - Authors - Lynnie Martin

How I Lead: I See Opportunities Everywhere

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 10:00:00 -0500

Jeff Bardwell, executive strategic communications liaison at the Homeland Security Department’s Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, juggles many roles. He manages the office’s internal and external communications; advises senior leaders on industry, public and legislative affairs; and serves as liaison between government and industry on DHS’ annual $16.5 billion acquisition portfolio.

How did you get to where you are today?

Extrinsically, I have had the support of many people. Intrinsically, I have passion for my work. My favorite quote, by E.M. Forster, is “one person with passion is better than 40 people merely interested.” I started out doing operational procurement–contracts–which no one thinks is a sexy job at DHS, but it is extremely important to our mission. I approached the job with passionate interest, gave it my all, and excelled. From this experience I developed business skills and a positive reputation that got me recruited by the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer to do strategic communications related to procurement.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

I play rugby. There is something cathartic about knocking over other adult men and being knocked over by them in turn. It’s humbling really. Playing rugby motivates me to stay in shape, though I’m not sure how healthy it really is, given the occasional injuries I sustain. Recently, I had an epic black eye that got a lot of attention at work.

What is the best mistake you've ever made?

I remember walking into my new office environment when I started with DHS. I feared growing into a curmudgeonly old bureaucrat in there, counting the days until retirement. I wondered if I was making a mistake. But it turned out that my work was so interesting and challenging that I quickly dismissed such a notion.

What strengths do you bring your organization?

I am fortunate to be a participant in DHS NextGen, a leadership development program. Through this program I recently had the opportunity to take the Strengths Finder Assessment. The findings suggest, in short, that I relate to people well, I consider many variables when making decisions, I have vision, I want to succeed and I like to turn thoughts into action. It’s not me saying that, it’s science! With this awareness, I have been able to leverage my strengths to make significant improvements in the communications processes of my office. These improvements directly and indirectly improve our relationships with our workforce, our components, Congress, oversight agencies, department leaders and other stakeholders.

What is your strategy for interactions with your supervisor?

I remain conscious of my role as a subordinate. In no way does that suggest I am overly deferential or overly formal. It suggests that I feel a duty to give my input, sometimes in a spirited manner. But when it is time to make a decision, I let the person who is accountable make the decision. If it is a lawful and ethical decision, I support it, even if I disagree. I believe that it is just as important for me to support my supervisors as it is for them to support me.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

I am most proud of finishing graduate school. I got lucky with budget timing and DHS paid for my graduate program while I worked. I made a lot of sacrifices while studying. For four years it felt like I did little besides work and school. But I knew it would be worth it, and it has been. I now have the well‑rounded education I need to move forward in my career.

What is your latest goal or ambition?

I want to join the Senior Executive Service. The Partnership for Public Service recently produced an interesting report that, among other things, suggested that there should be two tracks for senior leadership: one for technical experts and one for generalist leaders. Senior executives with these different skill sets would be identified and would be aligned in a complementary manner. I think there is something to this idea. I’m more of a generalist leader naturally, though I highly value technical skills and personally work to sharpen them.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

I have learned that there are two kinds of people: those to whom opportunities happen and those who happen to opportunities. I prefer to happen to my opportunities. I always advise junior staff that they can distinguish themselves by keeping an eye out for opportunities, preparing for them, making their interest known and following through. The best opportunities rarely fall into your lap. I see opportunities everywhere. I wish I could transfer that proclivity to people who think they are in a rut.

Tell me something your co-workers do not know about you.

I started my education at community college while working full time in a blue-collar job. I never thought I would be where I am, and I do not take it for granted that I am here.

What was the biggest career risk you took?

Long ago, I decided to leave a job that paid well but had a very limited future in order to finish my undergraduate degree, with hopes of one day obtaining a more fulfilling job with growth potential. In retrospect, it was among the best decisions that I have ever made, but at the time I had no guarantee that it would pay off. Indeed, for many people it does not pay off. It sounds cliché, but I learned that nothing worth having comes easy, or without risk.

What motivates you?

I am motivated by opportunities to excel in public service, especially on occasions when my work directly or indirectly supports our workforce.

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How I Lead: Set Clear Goals and Ask Employees What They Need to Achieve Them

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 16:00:00 -0500

Cecilia Moore is a supervisory environmental scientist in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Division in Chicago. An EPA employee for the past 20 years, she is an aspiring Senior Executive Service candidate and takes pride in the agency’s mission to protect human health and the environment.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

Take a walk. Leaders understand the political savvy component of their career success and the necessity to take a walk to get to know the employees in their environment. It is not enough to do an exceptional job if senior managers do not know you exist. Be aggressive about your career and do not expect someone else to give you a promotion simply based on how hard you work in your own corner of the world. Also, show the world that your quality of work sets you apart from everyone else.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

I look for integrity, consistent work record, the ability to work independently and on a team, innovative thinking, eagerness to learn and honesty.

What is a good book you have read recently?

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

I exercise, spend time with my family, bake, and shop.

Describe your average day in 10 words or less.

Every day is an adventure that I want to explore.

What strengths do you bring your organization?

I bring the ability to remain calm in the midst of competing priorities, dedication, loyalty, commitment to accomplishing targets in a manner of excellence, and aptitude in fostering an inclusive work environment.

What is your weakness and how do you compensate for it?

I have a tendency to become so focused on workplace fires that I have to remind myself to take a walk or come out of my workstation. Engaging staff and managers is equally important in ensuring the work products from my group align with the agency’s goals.

What is your strategy for interactions with your branch chief?

My strategy is to have open, honest and frequent communication with my branch chief to build a rapport of trust and loyalty. If I am not sure of the direction my branch chief or senior management want me to take, I ask. If I have competing priorities, I ask which goal is most important to the program, and then I proceed based on that direction. I want my branch chief to know I am dependable.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my group’s commitment to contract management excellence, particularly in the area of small business contracting. For the last five years, we have consistently exceeded agency SB goals. We are not only doing our part to protect human health and the environment, but we are supporting the SB community.

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

Set clear goals
Involve staff for buy-in and quality performance
Ask staff what training/resources they need to accomplish goals
Create an implementation plan with staff
Set up monitoring to ensure the desired results/goals are being achieved
Refine the process based on the monitoring of results

What is your latest goal or ambition?

In January 2015, I am graduating with my master's of business administration with a concentration in management. After several years of indecision and doubt regarding how I could return to school with a family and a full-time supervisory job, I decided to just do it. I enrolled in North Central University, an online university in October 2013 and will soon complete my degree. I am proud of my diligence and thoroughly enjoy the business aspect this degree allows me to apply to my daily work.

What motivates you?

God, because he is the source of everything I need to succeed in every area of my life. My family, specifically my children, because I want to live my life in a manner that teaches them by example the principles of hard work and dedicated service.

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How I Lead: Valuing Each Person’s Input

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Wed, 24 Dec 2014 10:00:00 -0500

Tim Cannon is a senior financial adviser at the Office of Personnel Management, where he works in the chief information officer’s Financial and Program Management Office. Reporting to the director of Enterprise Human Resource Integration, Cannon focuses on leading change, building partnerships and improving the quality of operations.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

Stay on the course and do not take all negative feedback to heart.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

Opportunities are everywhere; it takes a keen ability to see them.
Change is a critical success factor; be proactive and be prepared.
A confident attitude is the difference between moving forward and staying stagnant.
Always refresh your thinking and apply your knowledge religiously.

What strengths do you bring your organization?

Leadership, innovation, integrity and diversity. Award-winning success in several program initiatives and project development, which include the U.S. Army of Corps of Engineers’ American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a $9 billion program impacting communities around the United States, and the Defense Information Systems Agency Base Realignment and Closure Project supporting the construction of a 1 million-square-foot facility at Fort Meade, Maryland.

What is your strategy for interactions with your supervisor?

Establish open communication and use effective communication strategies.
Build a productive working relationship with him or her.
Practice common courtesy and respect his or her time.
Keep him or her informed, follow up and provide feedback/recommendations.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

Receiving a Master of Science degree in government information leadership with a concentration in chief financial officer leadership from the National Defense University.

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

Valuing each person’s input as an asset.
Providing all with adequate resources to accomplish the new idea or mission.
Communicating clear expectations at all horizontal and vertical levels.
Fostering partnerships with employees to progress succession, fulfillment and balance.
Creating an encouraging environment for engagement, better communication, conflict resolution and successful outcomes.

What is your latest goal or ambition?

My latest professional goal is to complete the project management professional exam

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

Take advantage of career counseling, mentoring and coaching opportunities. Everyone needs a career counselor, mentor and/or coach to provide a beneficial and valuable succession plan, as well as sound advice. I am honored at OPM to have a career counselor, mentor and coach.

Tell me something your co-workers do not know about you.

I listen to contemporary musical artists.

What was the biggest career risk you took?

Relocating from Texas to Ohio for my first federal government position. This career opportunity provided valuable experience working in the federal government as a financial systems analyst. However, the move required being away from family and friends, and being on my own for the first time. Overall, the opportunity turned out to be a positive experience from which I learned a good deal.

What motivates you?

Making a difference in the lives I come in contact with each and every day.

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How I Lead: Preparing Employees for the Next Level

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 09:00:00 -0500

As a chief administrative law judge for the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review in Atlanta, McArthur Allen hears cases about disability, retirement and survivor benefits. In addition to holding hearings several days per week, Allen oversees administrative and program issues for the Atlanta (North) Hearing Office. The office has 70 employees, including 11 administrative law judges, five managers and numerous attorneys, paralegals and support staff. He encourages young leaders to explore the many opportunities government service has to offer.

What motivates you?

Challenges, big or small, motivate me. I thrive on the opportunity to tackle challenging situations, develop innovative solutions, and implement actions that produce positive organizational results. I get the opportunity to interface with a variety of diverse and creative individuals, whom I influence in overcoming challenges. I also grow from each challenging experience, both personally and professionally.

How did you get to where you are today?

Prayer, patience and perseverance. As a young attorney, I accepted some of the most challenging cases, often with very little pay. Nonetheless, I litigated for my clients as if they were multimillionaires. I quickly earned a reputation for being a vigorous advocate for my clientele and a successful law practice ensued. Ultimately, my desire to help others led me to government service and I accepted a position at the Department of Defense. All of this prepared me for my quest to become an administrative law judge.

What strengths do you bring to your organization?

I’m a people person. I am keenly invested in our office’s workforce and strive daily to ensure that they are well-prepared and positioned for the next level of professional attainment. By improving the agency’s talent base, I am helping to promote efficiency, good customer service and a workforce that embraces the agency’s vision.

What is the best leadership lesson you have learned?

Without dedicated employees who confidently follow my lead, I am like a ship without a sail.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

I live by the acronym TEAM, Together Each Achieves More. I try to instill this message daily. I depend on the efforts and energy of each employee to accomplish the agency’s mission. People are more effective if they have a leader who understands their potential and value, and I try to recognize and appreciate my employees every day.

What is a good book you have read recently?

I love reading books about leadership, perseverance and success in the face of adversity. I am reading One Nation by Dr. Ben Carson. Also, I am fortunate enough to work for an agency that offers its employees audiobooks through a free exchange program. I am currently listening to 100 Ways to Motivate Others by Steve Chandler.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

I look for leadership qualities because the one asset that will appreciate in any organization, and ensure its growth potential and success, is the right people. I look for energetic individuals who are talented and eager to roll up their sleeves to tackle a diverse array of circumstances.

Tell me something your co-workers do not know about you.

Despite my tendency to work long hours, I am an avid hunter and angler.

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

Human nature makes us all somewhat resistant to change. We get in a comfort zone that becomes difficult to penetrate and often ask, “What’s in it for me?” when new ideas are introduced. I challenge those that I lead, as well as myself, to step outside the comfort zone and ask, “What is in it for those we serve?”

What is your latest goal or ambition?

Continue to improve myself, those in my circle of influence, and the organization. I remain ready to embrace new ideas and changing technology. When people become stagnant in their quest for improvement, they lose their will to succeed.

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How I Lead: Supporting the Professional Growth of Others

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 09:00:00 -0400

During the last seven years, Miguel Joey Aviles has supported the Department of Defense to implement high visibility employment initiatives and development programs with the mission of optimizing a highly capable and diverse workforce. He is the deputy program manager of the Defense Civilian Emerging Leader Program, designed to develop the next generation of innovative leaders. Miguel also volunteers as a chief learning officer for Young Government Leaders, a nonprofit organization providing an authentic voice for aspiring government leaders.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

Don’t be afraid to take the first step. I am originally from the island of Puerto Rico, and while I was attending school, I applied to an internship program through the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ Hispanic National Internship Program. After patiently waiting, I received an email informing applicants that 95 percent of the vacancies were already filled. Immediately after reading the email, I called my old manager to secure a job for the summer as restroom cleaner at the retirement home where I used to work. Soon after, I received a call from HACU notifying me that a manager from the Forest Service selected me for a summer internship. To be honest, the only word I understood was “selected,” because at that time my English was not very good. That was the moment of truth, when you have only two options: either face the challenge in front of you or run away. I did not know how to speak the language, nor did I have the money to travel. The first leadership lesson I learned was to not be afraid to take the first step toward your goals. The second leadership lesson was about confronting challenges. The 10 weeks I spent in D.C. taught me that every challenge holds your next promotion—face it. Every challenge contains a hidden treasure—find it. Every challenge has the power to make you a leader—embrace it.

How did you get to where you are today?

After successfully completing my first internship program, I returned to the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez to complete my last two years. At the time, the Department of Defense had a job opening through the Student Training and Academic Recruitment Program. I decided to apply, and everything else is history. I was hired into the federal government through the now extinct, Student Career Experience Program. For a year and a half I served as a recruiter student trainee GS-4. My job was to promote DOD as the employer of choice. I had a radio program, participated in several career fairs and assisted my peers in developing their first federal resumes and applying to federal jobs through USAJOBS. After graduation, the Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service offered me a full-time job as a human resources specialist in recruitment, with the responsibility of managing the STAR Program. I worked at the Recruitment Assistance Division for over six years, and graduated from the Defense Civilian Emerging Leader Program. I recently accepted a career broadening experience in the Leadership, Learning and Development Division as the deputy program manager.

What strengths do you bring to your organization?

Diversity—the perspective of a bilingual Hispanic mixed with the standpoints of a millennial.

What is your weakness and how do you compensate for it?

As an emerging leader in the federal government, there are many areas I am still working on. For example, strategic thinking, conflict management, team building and problem solving are huge areas for growth. I believe training, developmental assignments and a good attitude are helping me acquire skills in those areas. I am also lucky to have great leaders and mentors who are always willing to provide their knowledge and guidance. At the beginning of my career, language barriers were very challenging at times. However, when communication turned into a wall, I dissipated it with a dose of genuine charisma.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of?

My most recent accomplishment was winning the Human Resource Leadership Award in the Washington, D.C., greater area for Excellence in Mentoring. The HRLAs were established in 2001 to honor HR executives for outstanding contributions to their organization and to the field of human resource management through organizational leadership, risk-taking, innovation, vision, mentoring, community service and ethics. The Mentoring Award recognizes an individual who demonstrates leadership, dedication and support to the professional growth and development of others, and I am honored to have received it.

Why did you win this award?

Very early in my life, I had to face many challenges and mentors played a vital role in my development. Those obstacles sparked my passion for mentoring. Today I am designing and will manage the development and maintenance of the first Department of Defense Mentoring Resource Portal as well as manage the Senior Executive Association & Young Government Leaders Mentoring Program.

The SEA & YGL Mentoring Program is a blend of formal and informal mentoring that provides a low-cost strategy to develop emerging leaders in the federal government by connecting successful senior executives at the pinnacle of their careers with high potential emerging leaders. The program combines networking events with learning and development initiatives and a community of practice providing the right tools to nurture business connections and turn them into successful mentoring relationships. I participated as a mentee during the pilot program and upon completion was selected as the first YGL chief learning officer. The first initiative I had to manage was the Mentoring Program, which we grew from 25 mentee applications to 150 spanning 33 federal agencies and resulting in the selection of 64 mentees.

Why do you think mentoring is important?

When I was 13 years old, my mom and I faced the most tumultuous experience of our lives. We were homeless. We lost our home, car, money, everything. Life as I knew it, changed in its entirety. On my 14 ^th birthday, my eighth-grade teacher had a surprise for me. Ms. Eduarda gave me a box of Jordan Almonds. Yes, a box of almonds. But what she said next carried a lot of power: “Miguel your personality, talents and gifts are many, just as the different colorful almonds in this box. Your life will be memorable and the world needs your leadership and contributions.” The actions of one propelled me to sturdily take ownership of my life, embrace my talents and go forward with confidence. Mentors do that through their guidance and support. In the workplace, mentoring has the potential to improve employee retention, engagement, recruitment, support diversity efforts, succession planning and knowledge management, among other important initiatives.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

I learned that your people IQ will make or break you. Your ability to empathize, connect and influence people will help you achieve great things.

Tell me something your co-workers do not know about you.

As a preacher’s kid, I spent several years as a youth pastor when I was living in Puerto Rico.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

I really enjoy reading a good book in relaxing scenery. We recently built a deck on our house, so after work, I love to sit with my wife and enjoy the sunsets. Our schedules are usually pretty hectic, so when we do have the time, we like to take a step back to enjoy the precious things in life.

What is a good book you've read recently?

The Magic of Thinking Big is a great book to approach your career, life and goals with the correct mind-set.

What motivates you?

What really motivates me is helping others achieve their goals. More specifically, I truly enjoy helping emerging leaders to achieve their potential. I feel very passionately about the mission of the Defense Civilian Emerging Leader Program, which is to develop the next generation of leaders in the Department of Defense.

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How I Lead: Addressing the Root Cause of Problems, Not Just the Symptoms

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 16:00:00 -0400

Laura Herrin oversees the teams that provide virtually every tool and safety equipment for ship repair at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia and Kings Bay in Georgia. As a resource manager, she is responsible for hiring, promotions and performance appraisals, along with determining where in the organization each employee is best suited.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

To delegate jobs to the correct level and stop doing my people’s work for them.

How did you get to where you are today?

By addressing issues head on and making sure problems are corrected at the root cause, and not just addressing the symptoms.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

Every person in our organization has a role to play in the success or failure of our shipyard’s mission. What my team does is vital to our mission of fixing ships; without them we would not achieve that goal.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

I feel a positive attitude and willingness to learn is far more important than getting someone who knows everything. My processes and tools can be taught, but attitude, work ethic and integrity is built in.

What strengths do you bring your organization?

I bring passion for my job and the importance of what my team does to work every day. I express to my team that we might be that one drop of water in the ocean, but we are just as important as the waves.

What is your weakness and how do you compensate for it?

My weakness is that I hate to concede when I am told my people did something wrong. I spend so much time building them up and ensuring they know how critical their work is that I cannot believe they would allow complacency to sneak up on them.

What is your strategy for interactions with your supervisor?

My strategy for interaction with my supervisor is to have two-way conversations. To listen to him, but to ensure I am heard as well. We have monthly meetings with all my employees, and I engage my supervisors prior to the meetings so there are clear expectations of what I expect from them and their team.

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

When new ideas are being implemented I hold interactive group meetings to ensure the plan is communicated to all levels. I explain, not only the “what” and “where,” but also the “why.” I feel this is important to allow the group to understand the decision, and then use best practices to suggest alternative views that were not thought of at my level and above.

What is your latest goal or ambition and how do you plan to go about achieving it?

My current professional goal is to move into my supervisor’s job. The best way to do that is to learn his job, and then help him to move up to his next position to open his spot up for me. One of the greatest lessons I learned from my previous supervisor was he always told me to be a mentor someone behind you, so that you could be replaced to move on up and the organization will still be strong.

Tell me something your co-workers do not know about you.

I struggle meeting new people. I am so comfortable around them that they assume I am outgoing all the time, but I tend to clam up and get withdrawn around strangers. This is especially true in new surroundings.

What motivates you?

I am motivated by my desire to be successful and to be accepted for the things I do. I would rather my boss yell at me than to use the “D” word—that he is disappointed with me.

What was the biggest career risk you took?

Taking a job on a temporary basis and then not making it permanent. The worst part about that ordeal was that I had to train the person who got the job. I learned that work is just like life; it will not always be fair but you just have to deal with it and keep going.

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How I Lead: Read the Sign on Their Backs That Says 'Make Me Feel Important'

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 12:00:00 -0400

Lori Aquilino, former manager of the Federal Aviation Administration's San Francisco International Field Office , spent 20 years leading a virtual team of aircraft safety inspectors worldwide. She and her team at FAA created an award winning telework program to manage a global workforce. Aquilino, now retired, works as an aviation consultant.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

Everybody walks around with a sign on their back that says "Make me feel important!" If you treat people as if you see this sign on their back, you will always remember that people respond well to being treated as a valuable member of the team and not so well when they are considered just a tool to accomplish management’s plan.

How did you get to where you are today?

Persistence. I came into aviation at a time when it was not a common field for women. I learned that with persistence you will always get where you want to go -- it just may take a little time.

What leadership lessons did you try to convey to your team?

To work as a team. We can do so much as a team and so little as individuals. If we stay together, support each other, and work together as a team, no one can tear us apart.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

I always worked in a virtual environment, so I would look for employees who could work and produce in that environment. Not everyone is cut out for virtual work, so you have to find those that are self-starters and work well on their own.

What strengths do you bring your organization?

I brought management and organizational skills to my job with the FAA. I believe that when people become managers, they should be trained in organizational skills to lead their group forward. I have found that being systematic and helping my team stay organized helps everyone stay on path and maintain a high morale because it keeps expectations visible and attainable.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of?

I am proud of my office being awarded the national award for New Programs in Government for Telework by the Office of Personnel Management and the General Services Administration, at a time when it was not an accepted practice. We implemented a virtual environment with a fully automated reporting system that our inspectors developed for our office.

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

I let my employees come up with the idea and how to incorporate it into our daily working lives. If you want to have someone buy into an idea, have it be one of their ideas.

What is your latest goal or ambition?

I am now retired, so my latest goal is to stay involved and have fun. I work on several different business projects and stay involved in aviation consulting. I enjoyed my career as an FAA inspector and manager, and now enjoy having my own businesses in several areas to include aviation and automation.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

Don’t take things too personally. People say things, ask for things, or demand things that will make you wonder if they are kidding. I was taught a long time ago that every day is like taking the jelly beans out of the jar and separating them. Some days people want the yellow ones and some days they want green ones. I learned not to worry, and to go with the flow.

What was your biggest career risk?

Trying to join the FAA and federal service was my biggest career risk. When I joined the FAA there was a long-established hiring freeze and there had never been a woman hired as an air carrier maintenance inspector. I called an FAA manager every Tuesday for two years to see if there were any jobs coming out. Then, one day, the FAA put out bids for temporary jobs. I was selected for a temporary position, so I left my job at the airlines as an aircraft maintenance technician to join the FAA on a one-year temporary basis at minimal pay. Leaving a secure job for a temporary government job was a risk I am happy today that I took. I ended with a wonderful, long career and have always been happy they did finally hire me as a permanent employee. From this experience, I learned persistence. Just because something does not work the first or the 10th time, it does not mean it will not work all the time. I have learned to keep going for my dreams and they will come to fruition.

What motivates you?

A thank you or a pat on the back motivates me. I believe managers can inspire their employees by trying to appreciate their accomplishments. If a manager can take the time to make his or her employees feel special and excited for what they are doing, they will be happy to come to work each day, and they do a great job.

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How I Lead: Building Trust and Communication Between Teams

Lynnie Martin — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 09:00:00 -0400

Ken Sosne is director of regional grant operations at the Health and Human Services Department’s Administration for Children and Families. He has more than 20 years of service as a budget analyst, grants officer, administrative officer and resource manager at agencies including the Federal Public Defender’s Office and Immigration and Border Protection.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

One needs to be patient and watch how others command a room.

How did you get to where you are today?

I always was willing to work hard and forget about the hours I was putting in, and I dealt fairly with others.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

Fairness, keep your eye on the mission and always remember your oath of public service.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

I look for a strong educational background, a well-rounded portfolio and an individual with a sense of both self and leadership.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

I enjoy spending time with my wife, cooking and going out to our beach home that someday will be our retirement venue.

What is the best mistake you've ever made?

Being too forthright in a meeting and getting a strong rebuttal, thereby allowing me to learn to listen better.

Describe your average day in 10 words or less.

Overbooked, stressful, too many competing priorities, and rewarding at times.

What strengths do you bring your organization?

I have the ability to gain trust and bring my many years of experience to an organization to share a unique viewpoint and to enhance collaboration. I am able to facilitate communications between teams.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

I am most proud of utilizing my strong education background to support a public mission and the ability to hire the best and the brightest.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

I have learned that a strong education is important. Also, to place an emphasis on risk-taking and maintaining a strong support network of colleagues and family as you move up the ladder.

What was the biggest career risk you took?

Bidding for my GS-15 manager’s position and finding out that being a federal manager is very difficult but can be rewarding. It turned out positively in that I perform well under trial-by-fire and was able to utilize the training I gained from previous work opportunities. I learned that not everything is what it seems and you need to be resilient.

What motivates you?

The mission of my current agency, HHS, motivates me. I support the Head Start and Technical Assistance to Needy Families programs. I have been lucky to have had a good federal career. I am now looking forward to the rewards in a retirement phase, when I plan to stay involved with a new career teaching or helping nonprofits and social justice organizations.

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How I Lead: Behind the Scenes So Others Can Succeed

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 15:33:02 -0400

Cherlyn “Sunny” Hester is the workforce support and development program manager at the Air Force Technical Applications Center at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida. The center monitors nuclear treaties. Her federal career also includes positions as director of workforce support and development at the Food and Drug Administration and director of human capital at Health and Human Services Department.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

Balance. To be honest, I’m still working on this one—daily. I’ve always admired those few leaders I’ve met along the way that seemed to manage a healthy balance. The marketplace offers abundant advice on methods of ensuring work-life balance. In my experience, from the view of the organization, work takes priority. Yet, when I focus on home and family, I know my home life takes priority. Included in my balancing act are meeting the needs of the container, my body, which holds my mind and makes the long hours possible; and my soul or spirit, which gives me motivation, comfort and peace.

How did you get to where you are today?

Perhaps an adage that works well here is, “Success is when preparation meets opportunity.” Earlier in my career, I was passed over for higher management positions because I had not finished my degree. Shortly after training our third manager, I knew it was time to go back to school. So, I took classes in the evening, swapped babysitting on weekends with family and friends, and several years later, completed my bachelor of science degree. Ten days after graduating, I began my weekend master’s program. Had I not prepared myself and been ready when the opportunities presented themselves, I would not have been qualified nor considered.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

Authenticity: Be who you are. We are not all cut out to be leaders. We often have this image of what a good leader should be, attributes that may or may not be an integral part of who we are. While I agree that we can develop positive and effective behaviors in ourselves and others, at the end of day, we are who we are. Leadership might be right for you if you are:

Interested in supporting staff members dealing with personal concerns.
Willing and able to shield and protect staff when needed.
Competent at safeguarding confidential information both up and down the chain of command.
Adept at balancing meeting the needs of the organization to accomplish the mission and demonstrating advocacy for employees.

Oftentimes, I see those anxious to take on a leadership role for the extra salary. I would hope that employees realize that the attributes that contribute to being the best on the team are different from the ones that make a great manager.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

Managers, in collaboration with human resources, have done a good job in formulating questions that gather information on a candidate’s work experience and technical proficiencies. Where most organizations, including the federal government, could use improvement is in hiring for organizational fit. This term does not mean assimilation into the organization as it currently exists, but ensuring we ask questions to determine whether we are bringing someone onboard who will clash regularly with others on the team or will add value. Does the potential candidate have the emotional intelligence to deal with some of the possible conflicts on the team or with the methodologies in how the work is done? Does the candidate have a perspective currently missing that will benefit the team?

What is a good book you have read recently?

Quiet. The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. She provides excellent insight into the world of introverts, which she refers to as the Quiet Revolution. A third of people today are introverts living in a world where the extrovert style rules the way meetings are held, schools teach and leaders are selected. I appreciate her insights into the values introverts bring, especially in the workplace, and how I may better support their creativity.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

I would not say home improvement projects are relaxing, yet for the last several years I seem to be engaged in several large scale do-it-yourself projects. I love to see old places refurbished and brought back to life again. Relaxing: I am a movie buff and enjoy seeing them on the big screen. Fun: time with family and friends.

What is the best mistake you have ever made?

Early on in my career, I accidently dialed an incorrect phone number at work and spoke with a senior manager from one of our affiliate organizations. I made light of the situation, exchanged a few pleasantries, and joked that there must be a reason that I was supposed to speak with him—he must have an open position for an up-and-coming future leader in the organization, so perhaps my fingers dialed the correct number. To my surprise he replied, “Actually, I do have an opening and here is the announcement information. I appreciate your positive attitude and would encourage you to apply.” I did, and eventually got the position.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of?

My greatest career accomplishment is watching those who I have had the privilege of supervising/managing in the past either move up the chain of command; grow into strong, effective leaders; or find the right fit for themselves in a new position. There are some leaders who enjoy the spotlight and thrive on public acknowledgement of their accomplishments, and while I do not shy away from podiums, I prefer to think of myself as the one behind the scenes helping make it happen for others.

What is your latest goal or ambition?

I’m learning American Sign Language. I have had the honor of working with a couple of colleagues who were from the hearing impaired and/or deaf community and felt frustrated when we could only use email to speak with each other. Yes, I know that many of us in the hearing community only use email to communicate, but that subject is a psychology class in itself.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

To remain curious. Often the presenting issue in situations is not the actual issue or problem. If I continue to ask questions, stay inquisitive to learn more, and not jump up my ladder of inference ( Chris Argyris ) or immediately move to problem-solving, I may gather enough information to find the actual source of the issue.

What was the biggest career risk you took?

I believe my biggest career risk was coming into the federal government. I am sure that sounds like an oxymoron to some, but I had the opportunity to earn more money outside of federal service when I accepted my first position 10 years ago. Of all the advice from family and friends when I made the decision, I appreciated the commentary, “You have always measured your success in comparison to your paycheck; maybe this is your opportunity to make a difference in the public sector.” Sometimes I have accepted less or taken a downgraded position to begin a new occupation or function within an organization. Sometimes, I have taken a lateral move to join an organization, group or team where I thought I could thrive. I believe my lesson learned is to let measuring success be more about stoking the flames of my passions in life.

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How I Lead: Mentoring Those Who Will Someday Take Charge

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Thu, 08 May 2014 09:00:00 -0400

Dora Quinlan is the business operations director at Fleet Readiness Center Southeast in Florida. The center is the largest tenant command at Naval Air Station Jacksonville and the largest industrial employer in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. The diverse and highly skilled workforce maintains some of the most sophisticated and complex aircraft in the military’s inventory. Quinlan is responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of the center’s long-range business strategy.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

Never forget where you came from and the people who helped you along the way. I started my career as a GS-3 clerk typist. I know what it takes to get from the bottom rung of the career ladder to the top. As a senior leader, I not only have to perform well at my daily duties, but I also have a responsibility to mentor those top performers who may someday lead in my place. I will never forget the challenges, roadblocks and awesome opportunities I have experienced during my 37-year civil service career. Job experience, integrity, confidence, teamwork, leadership, work life balance and a good sense of humor are some lessons and tools I have learned throughout my career, and it is my responsibility to pass on that knowledge.

What is your strategy for interactions with your supervisor?

When interacting with your supervisor, always be prepared. They are depending on you to know your job and contribute to the mission. If you are presenting a problem to your boss, you should also be prepared to offer alternative solutions. This is also an opportunity to demonstrate your ingenuity at attempting to resolve the issue, vice adding another problem for your boss to solve. Every interaction with your boss is an opportunity to display your talents.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of?

I received the first-ever Naval Air Systems Command Mentor of the Year Award. I am very passionate and proud of my work, especially in educating people about Fleet Readiness Center Southeast and its mission of delivering high quality products and services to the warfighting customer. I was proud to receive this award because it gives credence to the value of mentoring and raises the awareness of its importance.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

I learned that an effective leader not only cares about the business, but also about the well-being of employees. Employees want to know that management cares about them. Leaders need to recognize and reward the efforts of their top performers and publicly acknowledge their contributions. Make no mistake, employees are watching the way leaders conduct their daily business, pursue professional development, interact with the workforce, and balance work and family. You must lead by example.

How did you get to where you are today?

I set career and educational goals and worked tirelessly to achieve them. I was willing to take on any new assignment or challenge to demonstrate my willingness to be a team player and to lend my talents and expertise. I strongly recommend finding mentors and joining professional associations such as Young Government Leaders, the Federal Managers Association, etc. Throughout my career, many influential people took the time to serve as my mentor, for which I am grateful. I also joined various professional associations, such as the Federal Managers Association, that offered me numerous training and networking opportunities.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

I emphasize the importance of strong ethical judgment, honesty, integrity and respect. When I have to make decisions, I communicate directly with the workforce. This is especially important when making the tough and potentially unpopular decisions. While not everyone may agree with my decision, I clearly communicate the factors that led to it. I also continue to work on my professional development to demonstrate to my team that continuous learning will make you a stronger leader.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

Experience and education are important in any hiring decision. However, I also consider a person’s core values. Does the individual exhibit integrity, courage, confidence, teaming and commitment traits? It is important to understand each person's strengths and weaknesses, and place them in a position where they can succeed. I am a firm believer in the value of diversity in the workforce. Your job as a leader is to understand the value of each person's unique characteristics and utilize those differences to optimize their personal performance and that of the organization.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

I love outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, kayaking and fishing, which is one of the reasons I decided to relocate to sunny Florida. I also enjoy listening to music and dancing. Some relaxing activities include reading, massage, meditation and prayer. But most important, I love spending time with my family and friends.

What is the best mistake you've ever made?

Early in my career, I was too focused on a specific career path. By not considering other professional fields, I was limiting my career potential. When I participated in the NAVAIR Senior Executive Management Development Program, I was afforded the opportunity to work in other career fields, which opened my eyes to many possibilities. I strongly advise employees to consider job rotation opportunities to diversify their resume.

In high school, I would have been voted "Most likely to ______"

I actually used social media to ask some of my former high school classmates to fill in the blank. I jokingly said “be a rock band roadie” was already taken. Some examples of their responses were 1) best example of womanhood that you could find, 2) live life to the fullest, 3) be a great friend, mentor and leader and 4) be there for family and friends. I was humbled by their responses. I think most human beings tend to be too critical of themselves.

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

How you communicate and present a new idea is key. Delivering a clear message along with soliciting feedback from the team is also important. Once I have delivered my message, I listen. I cannot overemphasize the importance of listening to your employees. If you keep an open mind and seek to understand every employee’s point of view, you may find a different perspective to consider that you may have overlooked.

What was the biggest career risk you took?

My biggest career risk was leaving Naval Air Systems Command at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. NAVAIR is a headquarters command, and I made the decision to accept a job as a business financial manager at a field activity. Most people would view that career move as going backwards. The move to Jacksonville turned out to be a great decision for my family and me. I gained a greater awareness and understanding of the work performed at the industrial site. While working at NAVAIR, I felt confident that I understood the complexities of running all of the depot locations throughout the country, but of course my eyes were opened as to how decisions made at headquarters impacted field activities. I learned that decisions must be carefully evaluated and that all stakeholders must have input in the decision-making process.

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How I Lead: Listen, Breathe and Then Ask Questions

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 09:00:00 -0400

Melanie Keller is associate director for management at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, the largest center at the Food and Drug Administration. As the executive officer, she oversees administrative operations and a $1 billion annual budget. She also directs the human capital management of more than 4,500 employees and is leading recruitment strategies for nearly 800 vacancies at the center.

How did you get to where you are today?

I moved up the career ladder quite rapidly because of focus and determination. I started as a GS-5 secretary and am now in the Senior Executive Service. That didn’t happen by just putting in my time. Education and experience were essential. For 12 years I went to school part time and worked full time for the government to obtain my undergraduate degree and later my master’s in business administration. I kept a continual focus on my education. I also took opportunities that others didn’t want to in order to gain new and differing experiences. I volunteered to take minutes for an Intramural advisory board when I worked at the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute. Many of my co-workers considered the task to be beneath them, but I enjoyed learning new things and got to meet some world experts on cancer.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

I have many leadership philosophies, which my staff has termed “Melanie-isms.” I find myself repeating them during meetings or interactions. It’s funny how quickly they catch on, and now I hear my staff sharing them. One is “resolve issues at the lowest level.” So often, people come to me with issues, and nearly 10 times out of 10 it is one of my staff that can really solve their problem. I empower my staff to work directly with their customers, and I quickly connect customers to the right people within my organization so they can receive faster resolutions. Another philosophy is “when everyone is in charge, no one is in charge.” So often, unless a clear leader is appointed and they know they are the lead, projects and tasks can languish. When we have so many things to do, often with limited resources, we cannot afford to waste time with unclear roles.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

I look for many things, but one of the most important things is that a candidate is achievement-oriented. An employee with this mentality will often have a drive that will yield a higher output and then hold their staff to higher standards so the team can be high-performing. I have led stagnated teams, and I have led high-performing teams. The government gets such a better investment with a high-performing team.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

I really enjoy music. To relax I love to sing in my church choir, and about two years ago I started taking piano lessons. All of my life I always wanted to learn to play the piano. Then, finally, I affirmed to myself to make time for what’s important. I decided that I could either learn to play the piano now or wait until my eyesight started to go and arthritis started to creep in. I love to play and try to play every day. My husband and I have a 14-year-old daughter, and an 11-year-old son, so we are often hanging out on the sideline of her soccer games or attending one of his Boy Scout events. Supporting my kids and being there for them brings me so much joy.

What is your weakness and how do you compensate for it?

Having been raised in the Midwest, I grew up believing that everyone was good at their core, and therefore I tend to be really nice. I have learned that being a successful executive in the federal government means that you have to employ different leadership skills. Being nice is definitely in the toolbox, but being firm, direct and unwavering are also in the same toolkit. Different situations call for different skills.

What is your strategy for interactions with your supervisor?

My strategy in dealing with my supervisor is to handle things for her, so she doesn’t have to worry about anything in my purview. I am an extension of her, and in all interactions I ensure that I am representing her and protecting the interests of the center and agency. I keep her informed of those issues that will come her way, and if I have a problem, I come with a solution or options for her.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

The best leadership lesson that I have learned is that listening can be more important than talking. So often I see people in meetings formulating their thoughts or responses, and frequently cutting other people off or talking over them. I have found that I need to understand what someone is trying to convey and breathe for a minute, allow them to finish, and then ask clarifying questions. The more clarifying questions I have asked, the more information I have, and the more informed my own responses and decisions will be.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

I am very proud of attaining the Senior Executive Service at the age of 34. I worked so hard to navigate my career and continually learn new skills and leadership strategies. When I obtained my MBA, I was going to school and working full time, in addition to managing my family responsibilities. It was hard, and I was really tired most of the time. But completing my degree was so fulfilling, and attaining the SES was such a proud moment for me. Many people dismissed me or felt that I was too young to be in management positions. I didn’t let them impact my drive and ambition or dampen my spirits. It taught me that hard work and perseverance can help you achieve your goals.

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

In my experience, talking to folks individually is really important. I am also very honest and direct. I have learned how each of my employees prefers to interact, and I modify my approach based on his or her needs. Sometimes, it is important to get everyone in a room and listen, just listen. On several occasions, I have modified my view or path forward based on feedback. It is important to be flexible, especially when you can be, and it doesn’t cost you anything.

What is your latest goal or ambition and how do you plan to go about achieving it?

My latest ambition is to help my best friend start a nonprofit foundation for pregnancy loss and infertility. Pregnancy loss is something that much of our society is uncomfortable with and often people do not know what to say to a grieving mother. The nonprofit will provide resources and education around pregnancy loss and infertility to start changing the paradigm to embrace mothers that lose babies or women who struggle with infertility. I plan to support my friend and provide her with advice, guidance and moral support to get the organization up and running.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

The most important thing I have learned in my career is that it’s not the “what” it’s the “way.” When there is conflict or someone gets upset about something, it is so often not what they are saying, but rather their tone or how they came across. I have learned how to deliver messages in a manner that doesn’t threaten or come across as demanding or condescending.

What motivates you?

I am motivated my center’s mission, to promote and protect the health of Americans by ensuring that safe and effective drugs are on the market. Every day when I come into work, I know that what I am doing affects every American when they open their medicine cabinet. I am motivated by executives that I have the pleasure of working with at FDA. The dedication, the long hours and the commitment to improving public health are an everyday occurrence. I am very proud to work side-by-side with such talented and dedicated individuals; it makes me want to work harder.

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How I Lead: By Making Wrong Turns and the Right Choices

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 13:00:00 -0500

Jim Hearn is the director of regional business for the Army Corps of Engineers’ Northwestern Division in Portland, Ore. He oversees strategic planning, a $210 million operating budget, and a team of engineering and construction specialists. He also manages construction, environmental remediation, and interagency and international support programs for the division’s five districts.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

We can learn about leadership from observing good and bad leaders, by reading books on leadership or by learning about the lives of leaders. However, there is no substitute for actually leading. The act of making leadership decisions, assessing the results and learning from our experience is the best learning model. Many of us by choice or chance will find ourselves in a leadership position. Being ready to lead with energy, vision and the right leadership model for the situation is the key to a successful experience. But be adaptable when necessary.

How did you get to where you are today?

I’m not being facetious, but I got here by making many boneheaded mistakes and wrong turns, by blind luck, and much later than I want to admit, by planning, guile and persistence. I teach a class on career development, and my thesis is that most people do not plan their career -- it evolves with some being lucky and some not so lucky. This was my model for two-thirds of my career. I applied for jobs and promotions because they were available, not because I had it in my long-term strategy. I had no vision of being an SES until some co-workers cornered me and said that I would make a great SES. I would? So, I did a critical assessment on my abilities -- I call it a personal SWOT analysis [of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats] -- and formulated a plan to improve my strengths and mitigate my weak areas. I needed more project and program management experience, and I needed to attend a Senior Service College -- both of which I did. I had to overcome not being an engineer in an engineering world, so I learned everything I could about engineering in order to hold my own at an appropriate high level. I was ultimately successful and have found this the most rewarding time of my career.

What is a good book you've read recently?

I will talk about two books that complement each other. The first is Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk by Peter L. Bernstein. I work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and risk permeates everything we do: Risk to project schedules or budgets, risk to our dams or levees, risk to our other infrastructure, etc. Learning more about the nature of risk provided me good insight on risk and how it can be managed. The second book, Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, basically counters the first book I mentioned, stressing that risk sometimes comes from the unknown, and it cannot be managed. I find both books very interesting.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

I must be hyperactive because none of my hobbies involve being sedentary. I have been a competitive runner since elementary school and still love to run. I’ve taken up cycling and added swimming to my pursuits. I have completed a few triathlons and did not do badly for an old dog. I do have to force myself to pause and read. I travel frequently in my position, and flights are a good opportunity to catch up on reading. I really like to cook and eat at good restaurants; therefore, I have an active sports life to keep my weight in check.

Describe your average day in 10 words or less.

Provide good advice, make a few decisions and help others succeed.

What strengths do you bring to your organization?

I work in an engineering and construction world that is dominated by ISTJs [introversion, sensing, thinking, judgment] on the Myers Briggs Type Indicator survey. I am basically the opposite – ENTP [extroversion, intuition, thinking, perception]. I have to understand their profiles for communication and teaming purposes, but I enhance our problem-solving by using my profile to fill the gaps in theirs. I bring global understanding, vision and innovative thinking to our leadership team. I am curious by nature and always want to learn new things. I am basically a happy boy. I enjoy every day and use that energy and good karma to create an environment for people to feel safe, enjoy their work, and grow and develop in their careers.

What is your weakness, and how do you compensate for it?

As I stated above, I am an ENTP. The P trait describes a perceiver who is always looking for the best option and does not like being tied to a schedule. That is not a good trait in an ISTJ world. To compensate for this, I over-mitigate my traits. My day planner is color coded for added clarity and schedule focus and my desk is clear except for the task at hand, or I will jump from pile to pile without finishing any one of them.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

I can think of many events on which I look back fondly. I successfully managed the Dexheim, Germany Community and assisted all the family members after 95 percent of the soldiers deployed to Bosnia for a year. I enjoyed my tour in Afghanistan helping rebuild the country. Being selected to the Army War College as the oldest man in the class was a big thrill. But my greatest accomplishment and the one of which I am most proud is the opportunity I’ve had to coach and mentor numerous men and women to successful careers.

Tell me something your co-workers do not know about you.

In 1973, I ran with the bulls in Pamplona.

What motivates you?

I absolutely love what I do. I work with a great team, I belong to a great organization, and I get to solve DoD’s and the nation’s complex problems. It doesn’t get much better than that. My goal each day is to create an environment where others can succeed and grow. I want to delight customers and make life better for those we serve.

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How I Lead: By Not Trying Too Hard To Be Liked

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 13:00:00 -0500

Joshua Ederheimer is principal deputy director for the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services at the Justice Department.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

Too often, leaders try too hard to be well-liked. Leaders have to be willing and able to make decisions and implement strategies that invariably have an impact -- sometimes a negative impact -- on staff. Any change will have an effect on the status quo, and that causes tension. I have found it is important to communicate decisions, whether they are popular or not, and explain why the decision was made.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

First, that it is important to make decisions. Asking for an outcome is completely different from making a determination. I want my team members to be able to assess situations and not be afraid of the consequences which might come from their decisions. Second, I also want my team to make sure that I am aware of the decisions they make. Nobody likes to be blindsided. It is imperative that leaders are able to discern what decisions need to be clearly conveyed to executives and when to seek their input.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

While there are many skills I look for in a prospective candidate, a consistent challenge has been written communication skills. Perhaps because of electronic communication and social media, written communication has suffered. This skill is especially important in government, due to more intense levels of scrutiny and required documentation. For example, adherence to statutes and appropriations language; Government Accountability Office, inspector general and internal audits; and congressional oversight mandate comprehensive documentation. At all grade levels, I seek writing samples and ask questions about writing skills.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

I find that regular exercise is a terrific stress reliever, and helps me to keep healthy. I also enjoy following sports. I find that they are a terrific distraction.

What is the best mistake you've ever made?

I have made so many mistakes, it’s hard to keep track! The key is to be able to make a mistake, learn from it, and actually build from it. I have found that my failures seemed like failures at the time, but those experiences actually helped prepared me for future successes.

Describe your average day in 10 words or less.

Challenging, thrilling, satisfying and exhausting. I love my job.

What is your weakness and how do you compensate for it?

I am sometimes impatient and direct. These characteristics can put off staff. I have to check myself when I get frustrated with the pace of work, and when applicable, highlight the positive outcomes and praise/thank the staff.

What is your strategy for interactions with your supervisor?

I try to understand my supervisor and his preferences and priorities. By advancing my supervisor’s priorities -- while at the same time addressing his personal style preferences -- I am able to demonstrate my professionalism.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

As a federal employee who came into government at a high level with no federal experience, it was quite a challenge to learn the intricate budget process. Helping to develop a new, creative program, implementing it and informing stakeholders about it, made me extremely proud. Despite the fact that we are in a sequester year and this program was a new line item, it had several million dollars appropriated to it. This demonstrates the program’s significance and makes me feel like I am making a difference.

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

This is a concept I learned here in the federal government. “Socializing” an idea, whether it is mine or not, helps ensure that people have a stake in the outcome. It is critically important to hear diverse viewpoints on an idea.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

That one has to be a good follower. I think it's imperative to make sure I understand my supervisor's priorities, preferences and style, and change accordingly. I have also learned that when utilized properly, deft managing up can be very effective in advancing an agenda.

What motivates you?

I love to be able to accomplish a goal that others say is impossible to achieve.

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How I Lead: Empowering the Air Force’s Executive Team

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 09:06:44 -0500

Veronica E. Hinton is director of the Air Force Senior Executive Management Office. She is responsible for recruitment, reassignment, development, talent management and succession planning for senior civilian staff, which includes members of the Senior Executive Service and Defense Intelligence SES.

What is the best leadership lesson you have learned?

Lead by influence, not by position. I can get my team to do what I want by virtue of my authority, but I think that is the easy way out. Instead, I want people to perform because I inspire them and they are invested in the success of our mission and office, not because I said so.

How did you get to where you are today?

Outstanding supervisors and mentors who pushed me to tackle tasks or take jobs that I would have otherwise not been interested in doing. These opportunities turned out to be some of my best learning and growth experiences.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

There are three leadership points I find myself reiterating: First, I remind my subordinate supervisors to delegate and empower their employees, and I do the same with them. When I was a young supervisor, I tended to be very hands-on with my employees, taking a “directive” leadership approach. I eventually learned that it was ineffective, not only demotivating the team, who interpreted it as a lack of trust, but also I was running myself ragged trying to cover everything. As I matured and became more comfortable as a leader, I started focusing more on delegation and empowerment. I still make sure my subordinate supervisors and employees have the resources and tools needed to do their jobs, but I try to focus more of my energy on coaching, guiding, and providing clear expectations and goals.

Second, I routinely convey that being a leader is not easy and it is not static. You have to 1) be open to learning and improving yourself; 2) know and accept that you will make mistakes; 3) adapt leadership styles based on the situation and engagement; 4) constantly work on bettering relationships with your employees, your bosses, and your customers; and 5) know that your every move is watched, so be consistent, be fair, be transparent and model the behavior you expect of yourself and others.

Third, I remind my team to work through differences and not retreat behind them. It is easy to become entrenched in one’s position. Trying to understand different perspectives and positions in order to find common ground is challenging and takes time, but I believe ultimately yields stronger results with better relationships and stakeholder buy-in.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

Enthusiasm, commitment, flexibility and someone who is comfortable with ambiguity. I can teach the technical aspects of a job if someone has some technical proficiency, but it’s hard to teach flexibility, adaptability and passion.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

I show love for my home teams. During the summer, you’ll find me at Nationals Park after work and on the weekends. In the fall, Sundays are dedicated to the trek out to FedEx Field to watch the Redskins. Wizards and Caps games are sprinkled throughout the spring.

Describe your average day in 10 words or less.

Briefings, planning, teaching, impromptu meetings and tons of phone calls.

What strengths do you bring to your organization?

Our customers are the most senior leaders in the Air Force, and my job is to make sure my team is prepared to support them with top-notch customer service. Since it’s easy to get spun up in this line of business, I try to bring a calming and grounded leadership influence into an otherwise dynamic, high-touch, high visibility portfolio.

What is your strategy for interactions with your supervisor?

Get to him before he gets to me. That approach has served me well throughout my career. If my boss is blindsided or not up to date on my projects, then I have not done my job properly. I tell my employees, if I am thinking of their project and wondering about the status and have to ask them, then we are not in sync. I hold myself to that same standard in dealing with my supervisor.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of?

My assignment in Turkey from 2002 to 2004. I was reluctant to go, but it turned out to be one of the best jobs I’ve had. I was there during the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom when we had to evacuate family members and nonessential employees back to the United States. Since I was an essential employee, I had to stay and assist base leadership with human resources management activities. In preparation, I learned about and executed military command, control and operations. I earned the nickname “Combat Civilian” by my military peers, which I still consider one of my most cherished badges of honor. If I was not prodded to go to Turkey by one of my mentors, I would have missed an extraordinary learning opportunity.

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

The key word in that question is “involve.” That’s exactly what I strive to do. It takes time to provide context and solicit input and opinions, but it is a critical step if I’m going to get any kind of buy-in from my team. As I mentioned earlier, I want them to want to perform because they are personally motivated and invested in our vision, not because I am the boss. I can’t reach that level of trust and engagement if I do not take time to show them that I value their ideas and input.

Tell me something your co-workers do not know about you.

I hear people remark how calm, cool, and collected I am under pressure. I guess I fake it well. On the inside, I’m a bundle of nerves that I have to consciously try to quell. I had a mentor once remind me that as the subject matter expert, nine times out of 10, I will know more about the subject than the person to which I am talking. When I am feeling pressure, I remind myself to have confidence in my expertise and skills.

What motivates you?

The Air Force’s core values: integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do. My father was in the Air Force, I grew up an Air Force “brat,” and I started working for the Air Force fresh out of college. It’s all I’ve known, and those values have been instilled in me since I was a young girl. They motivate me to be my best or give it my all to get there, both professionally and personally.

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How I Lead: Bringing Openness to Clandestine Service

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 09:00:00 -0500

David A. Bray is executive director of the National Commission for Review of Research and Development Programs of the U.S. Intelligence Community.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

To distinguish between when you are managing versus when you are leading. Management occurs within the expectations of your organization, your direct reports, peers and supervisors. You are doing what they expect of you. In contrast, leadership occurs when you step outside of those existing expectations and strive for some vision, idea or objective not expected by others in your organization or in the public. You chose to lead because you believe it is where collectively you all need to go.

Each of us needs to choose intentionally when to lead versus when to manage. You cannot lead all the time or else you also are not meeting the expectations of your reports, peers or supervisors. You have to be selective about when to extend expectations. When leading, since you are stepping outside of those expectations, you will need to have strategies to address any potential friction which might occur.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

In either leading or managing, make sure to listen, reflect upon and incorporate the ideas of your teammates. Encourage open dialogue and discussion and embrace bottom-up solutions. Be open to alternative ideas and different perspectives that inform the team. There will be times when external or top-down direction may delineate some constraints on the efforts at hand. However, if you hire great people, identify the desired outputs and empower them, you'll get great results without the need to overly manage their work toward that output. Embrace creativity and recognize individuals who translate ideas into results.

Describe your average day in 10 words or less.

People. Plans. Technology. National. Challenges.

Unexpected. Assured. Disruptions. Respond. Advance.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

Regardless of age, we all underestimate how much we will shift and grow. The January 2013 issue of Science included an article entitled "The End of History Illusion," documenting this growth phenomenon. The article explains how scientists measured the personalities, values and preferences of more than 19,000 people ranging from 18 to 68 in age and asked them to report how much they had changed in the past decade as well as predict how much they would change in the next decade.

The scientists found that regardless of age of the participants, they all “believed they had changed a lot in the past but would change relatively little in the future" and all regarded “the present as a watershed moment at which they have finally become the person they will be for the rest of their lives.” Yet for each of us, in any part of our life, we continue to grow. Be open to and embrace change.

How did you get to where you are today?

By seeking a call to be of service -- wherever that might be. I started working at a Department of Energy facility where they accelerated electron beams up to four gigaelectron volts. Later, I worked for the Department of Defense and the Institute for Defense Analyses, obtaining a security clearance before I was 17. Then I joined a Microsoft southeastern partner firm consulting with Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit efforts with Yahoo! before signing up for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Program in 2000.

After responding to the events of 9/11, anthrax in 2001, SARS, ricin and other emergencies, I obtained a Ph.D. focused on bottoms-up organizations and disruptive events. Following post-docs, I volunteered to deploy to Afghanistan, served as [a science and technology] policy researcher, and became a senior National Intelligence Service executive at age 32 to help address the challenges of information sharing and information safeguarding following the events of WikiLeaks. Most recently came the call to serve with the National Commission for the Review of the [Research and Development] Programs of the U.S. Intelligence Community, which is where I find myself today.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

Drive. What motivates them to work? Results. Where have they achieved great results based on hard work? Creativity. Can I count on this individual to raise new ideas and new options to help us all adapt to changing situations?

What is a good book you've read recently?

How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton Christensen, James Allworth and Karen Dillon. One of the co-authors was a classmate of a friend. The book raises several questions worth revisiting at any stage in your family, work and personal life.

Tell me something your co-workers don't know about you.

Putting aside my logical side at work, in my personal life I’m a big science fiction fan and recently enjoyed Charles Stross' The Laundry Files series that juxtaposes an accurate, yet fictional, portrayal of government service against the hilariousness of a one-time IT consultant working for a British spy agency dealing with supernatural threats.

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

Encourage an always open-door policy. Ask for feedback and alternative opinions. Have regular team "syncs" in which everyone can raise a question, concern, new idea or insight. Lead by embracing bottom-up solutions and encourage open, creative dialogue. Encourage others to share different perspectives and possible alternatives you may have missed. Explain when an external constraint or top-down direction must be incorporated into the organization's larger efforts.

What would you do if you were president of the United States for a day?

Have a dialogue with the U.S. public about the inner workings of our government. Explain that the Founders intentionally designed features that we now perceive as government “problems.” The Founders did not plan for our government to collaborate, demonstrate agility or coordinate quickly. Having recently fought against the British, they instead wanted to reward behaviors that would prevent anyone more from having too much influence in government and becoming king-like. If you go back to The Federalist Papers No. 51, there are two wonderful quotes by James Madison: “If men were angels, no government would be necessary” and “ambition must be made to counteract ambition.”

Yet 21st century challenges require us think about how we can augment our government's original design to incorporate elements of collaboration, responsiveness and agility -- with the recognition that the original design incentives the Founders put in place will discourage such activities. Anyone choosing to perform public service in these times faces a difficult, uphill battle. Combine these internal challenges of transformation with the impact of 24/7 news and Internet media that reduces mainstream messages into to short sound bites and Twitter feeds that lack the nuance of large national challenges, and you have one challenging career.

I would ask the U.S. public to imagine what would happen if in 2008, instead of 1908, a young Ensign [Chester] Nimitz ran his destroyer, USS Decatur, into a sand bar in the Philippines. Had this event happened today, all the major news outlets would have had helicopter footage of the breaking news around the clock, including Twitter hashtags such as #FireNimitz. Pundits would press for a review of U.S. Navy procedures at all levels, including mass resignations or court martials. In contrast to our current day, back in 1908 Ensign Nimitz was found guilty of neglect of duty, issued a letter of reprimand and then returned to duty -- later to become Fleet Adm. Nimitz of the United States Navy during World War II.

What motivates you?

An important mission and a call to service, similar to the one that Rudyard Kipling made in his poem If, in which he talks of the ability “to fill the unforgiving minute, with 60 seconds’ worth of distance run.”

What is your latest goal or ambition, and how do you plan to go about achieving it?

Encourage the U.S. public to search for deeper, positive discussions beyond five minutes or 140 characters about the challenges internal to our shared government. Our rapidly changing world necessitates a redesign of what gets rewarded in government, and thus, what gets done to address the 21st century challenges facing our nation. This will require dedicated, though collective, commitment and focused action.

As for my plan, right now I'm serving in government as we can help transform a system more from within than from the outside. Better outreach and external conversations about our nation's 21st century challenges both need to occur as well. In my personal time, I encourage informal, unofficial, open-invitation brainstorm sessions on this topic with folks from all kinds of perspectives. I hope that by combining a diversity of viewpoints with recognition that this is our collectively shared nation -- instead of the unfortunate us-versus-them debate at the present -- ultimately will help advance productive discussions forward. I’d like to work with others to redesign what gets rewarded in government to address 21st century challenges facing our nation and world.

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How I Lead: Getting Results in a Culture That Makes New Initiatives Difficult

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 12:59:00 -0500

Shaun Khalfan is a senior business, policy and technical advisor for cybersecurity at the Navy Chief Information Office.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

The best leadership lesson I’ve learned is to listen. A leader should listen to all ideas and take the time to explain why a new one can or cannot be adopted.

What core characteristics do you value in the workplace?

The late Joseph Snow, who created the Department of Defense Executive Leadership Development program and served as a mentor, shared three traits that have resonated with me: cognizance, compassion and character. While we may not reflect those traits to a ‘C,’ they serve as a baseline for building teams and achieving goals.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

Nothing beats a long run along the GW Parkway or C&O Canal.

What is the best mistake you've ever made?

I’ve made the typical mistakes, such as being a first-time manager and irking your project team while trying to meet cost, scope and schedule. But I made my ‘best’ mistake very early in my career. I congratulated a pregnant woman who was not pregnant. While a lighthearted and potentially life-threatening example, I learned that we should always remain aware of our environment and understand our audience before speaking and making decisions.

Describe your average day in 10 words or less.

Working operational issues to achieve strategic cybersecurity goals.

What is your latest goal or ambition, and how do you plan to go about achieving it?

I am currently an MBA candidate in the World Executive MBA program at The George Washington University. We are working with a client in preparation for our next international consulting project.

What is a good book you've read recently?

Do school books count? I am late to the game, but recently enjoyed Steve Jobs’ autobiography. There are plenty of great leadership lessons.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

In government, technology is rarely the problem. The problem is a culture that makes new initiatives and improvements difficult to achieve.

Tell me something your co-workers do not know about you.

They don’t know that I used to be a fairly fast runner and have run the Boston Marathon twice.

What is your strategy for interactions with your supervisor?

Trust and communication.

What motivates you?

Doing an excellent job and delivering results in a secure, cost-efficient manner.

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How I Lead: Getting Others to Sing Along at HHS

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 09:03:00 -0500

James Egbert is a Human Resources Specialist in the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Positioned in the Office of the Secretary, Office of Human Resources, James helps to formulate and implement workforce programs and strategies to promote a positive, healthy, and innovative HHS workforce. Please feel free to contact James at James.Egbert@hhs.gov.

1. What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

One leadership lesson that comes to mind is that leadership is often about doing something that seems like the right thing to do even though you are not sure at the time that others will follow. You know it to be leadership when others do follow you. For instance, I remember one time at the opening of a large conference the recording of the national anthem ran into technical difficulties and for a long minute of uncomfortable silence the thousands of attendees waited for the recording to start---and then one lone voice started singing---“Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,” and then others joined. By the end of the anthem, everyone in the hall was singing. All because a leader in the group took the first step and sang the opening line. Even though his voice was perhaps not the best ever heard, to me and so many in the hall that day, he was the leader for that moment. This lesson has always stayed with me.

Leading is starting something in such a way that others can easily join in and sing along.

2. How did you get to where you are today?

When I started my working career, I really did not have it in mind to work for the US Department of Health and Human Services. But now after nearly 10 years at HHS it seems to make so much sense to do so. While at first I thought a career was mainly about skills, I now realize that in my case it is more about values. For me, being able to serve others (the HHS mission is about helping those least able to help themselves) is really important and has guided so many of my career decisions.

I remember asking myself at various steps along my career, “If I was to take this position or make this career move, would I be better positioned to help more people or to serve in a way that would help more people?”

This one question guided many of my career transitions and I am now glad it did.

3. What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

One lesson I convey to teams is that leadership is a capacity cultivated in individuals and teams. Given that many teams have a formal leader, the capacity for leadership starts with the setting of goals, alignment of talent, and the mustering of the will to accomplish the goals.

The formal leader demonstrates how communications are to flow in the team through his or her orientation and habits with regard to sense of self and service.

When leaders operate from an orientation that leadership is a capacity that resides in him orher (deemed by position), and directs the flow of communication to be primarily between the leader and members, the resulting capacity is the sum of individual effort.

When leaders operate from a belief that leadership is more a collective capacity that emerges from the thoughtful interchange of ideas, concerns, and aspirations among all members of the team—in relation to each other including the leader—then what emerges is a collective leadership capacity. Teams practicing collective emergence leadership discover that the conversation shifts from separate debates between leader/member to a dialogue held among the whole team. This emergence from the whole results in a more stable eco-centric representation of reality and one that brings with it the seeds for new growth, discovery, and opportunity.

Holding the space for dialogue of the nature and texture outlined above is the central leadership challenge in the 21^st century. It starts with listening to our self, and others, about how we are called to serve.

4. What is a good book you've read recently?

There are so many great books on leadership and organizational performance. One that really sticks with me as a valuable insight into leadership and social transformation is the book Theory U: Leading from the Future as it Emerges by Dr. C. Otto Scharmer of MIT.

This book helped me to refine many of my ideas about leadership, social and organizational change, and service. One of the main points that I took away from the book is that we know a lot about what leaders do and how they do it but we know very little about the inner place from which they operate. This source of our influence can be a blind spot to us.

Theory U offers insights, techniques, and a language of social transformation that helps us explore the inner dimension of leadership from our current self to our ideal self by developing a deeper state of listening that allow us as individuals and groups to begin to operate more from the whole rather than separate parts.

By attending to the situation with such a collective intention, we begin to operate with a heightened level of energy and sense of future possibility—one that begins to function as an intentional vehicle for an emerging future.

This body of work is worthy of review by anyone interested in taking a deeper look into the dynamics of individual and social transformation and performance.

5. What strengths do you bring your organization?

I have found that for many people it can take a while to realize their strengths—particularly in some work settings where we must combine multiple skills with multitasks all while operating in quickly changing contexts.

Further, I find there is a tendency to discount our strengths because they come easy to us and we make the assumption that they come easy to others. So in the end, that which is natural to us (like for some folks straightening a picture on the wall—some cannot help themselves from making this adjustment—perhaps due in part to a strength for order) is taken as a trait perhaps too broadly applied to others and not to ourselves.

For instance, it took me a long time to fully realize my natural tendency to look for the connections among various parts of a system. This connecting of the dots seemed like the proper thing to do and I had trouble early on in not understanding when others did not see the same or even a connection at all. Now that I am better able to know my own strength in an area (such as systems thinking) I am better able to explain the connection I see and gain insights from others about how they do or do not see the connection. Often I am able to realize that I made a connection that really does not exist outside my own thinking and other times I gain insight into how to better illustrate the connection so others can help influence the system in ways called for in our human capital strategy.

6. What is your strategy for interactions with your supervisor?

My basic strategy in working with my supervisors over the years is to keep in mind three main points:

First, it is my job to report through my supervisor those things that a larger part of the organizational management structure needs to know about so they can respond appropriately. For instance, if there is a condition that exists that could escalate and disrupt our ability to meet our customer’s needs then I should share this information with my supervisor.

Second, I see my supervisor as someone often best positioned in the management structure who can help position my contributions and services to the organization. For example, I might ask my supervisor to inform higher levels of the organization about the rollout of a new product line or service that is offered from my program area.

Third, I see my supervisor as the person in the organization who can best help me with my own development and performance by allowing me the opportunity to openly explore vital work relationships, experiment in new processes, and learn from advances and mistakes.

All three of these strategies are important aspects of the employee/supervisor relationship; however there is one influencing element that really drives all of the above and that is the intention that is held in mind while performing the above. For me, that intention is to serve. Having a service orientation in performing all of these actions helps for the outcome to be collective, positive, and makes for the best chances of experiencing an enjoyable and rewarding work experience.

7. What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

Recently I was called upon to lead a departmental team formed to address an important HHS sustainability priority. A senior leader told that I was selected in large part because I have the ability to connect the dots and take a systems approach to my work—and this was a critical requirement for leading this particular team.

This appointment resonates as a significant career accomplishment for me in light of all the times in prior years that I struggled to explain a connection that I might have sensed at work. This appointment was not just a validation of past deeds, but one of identification of my strengths and an expression of belief the organization held about me in what I could do in the future.

I believe that having a sense of belonging is a strong need of mine and others. When we are validated by an individual or group that we also respect it is an outward expression that we belong, that we matter, and that we have purpose.

To lead is really to serve. I am proud to serve in this way and for such an important organizational priority.

8. How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

I have found that the best way to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea is to involve them in formulating the new idea as early as possible from the start of the idea.

To do this as both a leader and member of a group, I find it helpful to be clear upfront and during the project about the intention of the project. It helps to keep in mind that each person comes to the project with his or her own individual needs, views, and experiences as well. So taking time to ask about individual intentions is a good way to seek collective intention articulation.

It should be noted that this collective intention approach requires the leader to release some of the control about how things develop and trust that the group and process will best inform the outcome. Following clarifying intentions, I find it helpful to use appreciative inquiry type questions (showing value of prior statements and asking follow up probing questions) to help focus attention in the here and now about what steps are right in front of us to take to benefit the project.

Leadership in this case can take the form of helping keep the energy up and the attention focused on continued advancement in achieving the intended outcome.

9. What is your latest goal or ambition and how do you plan to go about achieving it?

Much of the work I do at my department is focused on helping improve the performance of the workforce. My ambition is to help increase awareness of the necessary positive workforce conditions that best support optimal organizational, team, and individual performance.

One tool that helps identify, refine, and evaluate how we are doing in providing these performance support conditions is the annual Employee Viewpoint Survey (EVS) administered to all departmental employees. The EVS questions ask employees to what degree positive conditions exist in their work environment and the satisfaction they experience with these workforce conditions. When the results from the survey are tallied and shared with employees and leadership, a second level of inquiry (focus groups, spot surveys, interviews, etc.) takes place to try to uncover the factors and forces at play that best support and detract from mustering the best possible working conditions. We use the data from the survey and the information from the follow-up inquiries to support performance development programs and practices.

Our goal is to create a positive, healthy, and innovative work environment for all HHS employees.

10. What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

One of the most important things I have learned in my career is that the best way to advance my career is to be of service in helping others advance their careers.

I have found long term career plans to be helpful in setting direction, but it is how I show up at work each day that has allowed me to gain respect and opportunities at work.

While some might subscribe to the scarcity principle (there are only so many perks or advancements and I need to rush in for mine before they are all gone). I have, for the most part, to always subscribed to the abundance principle (there is an unlimited amount of opportunity, advancement, and reward if one is open to how it is provided). My belief in the abundance principle has helped me to help others first, knowing that my reward will come in time. I have learned that when I find myself at a low point, it is time for me to move out of my own ego-view, and work to be of service to others. This is sometimes a hard thing for me to do, but it seems to always work and lift my spirits of collaboration and service. Mark Twain once said, “The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer someone else up.” I subscribe to this philosophy and have found much merit in it.

11. What was the biggest career risk you took? Did it turn out positively or negatively for you? What did you learn?

Soon after graduating from high school I joined the United States Air Force. It was a risk in that I did not know how it would turn out. While I had some uncles that served in WWII, I did not have any family that had served more recently.

Before I went to basic training I had a lot of people ask me if I was ready to be ordered around. They would sometimes add that they could never take all of those orders. To me, it had seemed that there were always those around me who were telling me what I needed to do, so that part did not concern me. I was excited about not knowing exactly what was to come, and at the same time scared about it.

So off I went to basic training (boot camp) not knowing what the future would hold, but somehow believing that it was the right thing for me at the time. What I found out was there were a lot of orders. But, I soon discovered something about orders in the Air Force. I found out that these orders were based on the principle of order. There was a reason for everything and most of the reasons made sense when viewed from the perspective of what was best for the Air Force and what was needed from me to be safe, healthy, and productive. I soon found that I liked the order of the military.

What I learned from my 20 years in the Air Force is that many people really do like order too; and when you know the order of things, you can operate in that environment with a respect of those who give the orders—because most times orders are not really from the individual barking them—but from the principles upon which the collective good of self, code, and honor is based.

12. What motivates you?

Service to America.

Image via VLADGRIN/Shutterstock.com

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How I Lead: Working With the Government’s Best, Trying to Prevent the Worst

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 16:52:00 -0400

Peter Brost is an intelligence operations specialist and the Tactics and Targets Team Lead for the Terrorist Targets and Tactics Branch, Homeland Counterterrorism Division, Office of Intelligence and Analysis, DHS.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

Lead from the front. I know it may sound cliché, but it is something that, while I served in the Army, we often stated and I believe it summarizes leadership concisely. Be the example that you would like others to emulate. Think of others before yourself, stand up for your team when necessary and support their efforts. Try to develop your subordinates into someone that YOU would want to work for.

How did you get to where you are today?

When I attended Rutgers University in New Jersey, I recall many of the New York TV stations went dark during the first attack against the World Trade Center in 1993. It was around then that I knew I wanted to focus on a career in counterterrorism.

I joined the Army shortly after graduation and, after leaving the service in 2004, joined the Department of Homeland Security. I have been part of the DHS mission ever since.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

Integrity is of course the number one lesson. The best leaders are those whom mentors, peers and subordinates can trust. Other lessons that I hope I project are the value of honor, professionalism, and respect of others.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

I enjoy running, swimming, hiking, and spending time with family and friends. I have also recently joined the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Department, as a way to give back to the community. I am currently training to be an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) but I hope to be qualified for firefighting duty by the end of summer 2014.

Describe your average day in 10 words or less.

Working with the government’s best, trying to prevent the worst.

What strengths do you bring your organization?

I hope I bring many of the leadership qualities that I appreciate: integrity, honor, professionalism, and dedication.

What is your weakness and how do you compensate for it?

I believe that I may not always fully communicate my intentions accurately and clearly. I tend to be verbose and may not always precisely request what I would like others to accomplish. I try to compensate for this by asking my mentors, peers and subordinates if they understand what I am trying to convey. I may even ask them to repeat back what they think I am requesting they accomplish. This helps me to recognize if I have clearly stated my intentions and helps to improve my communication skills.

What is your strategy for interactions with your supervisor?

Again citing a lesson I learned in the military, NEVER approach a supervisor with only a problem. Always approach him or her with both a problem and your suggestion for a solution. Supervisors count on their subordinates to think through situations and develop ways to overcome obstacles. This does not insinuate that your suggested solution will always be the accepted one but it does provide the supervisor something to consider and adjust, if necessary.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

I am proud of every career accomplishment because I believe that each was achieved through hard work, dedication, perseverance and in some cases, a little bit of luck. My completion of military language training, officer candidate school and other military endeavors are all sources of pride for me. It was not because I was the best or most recognized. Instead, I am most proud that I was able to begin and complete something that was a goal to me.

My DHS accomplishments also are a source of pride. I believe everyone appreciates being recognized by mentors, peers, and subordinates. The small number of awards and certificates that I have accumulated are reminders that, although leadership may not be able to provide recognition for everyone’s hard work all of the time, they do recognize the extraordinary effort that we provide and seek to offer recognition when they can.

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

Team meetings, general discussions and “brainstorming” sessions are all ways that my team and I communicate ideas. Allowing everyone to voice their opinions and suggestions in a non-attributable environment accomplishes primarily two goals: It permits employees to be both a part of the development and the implementation of an idea.

I believe that when employees are included in the beginning, they feel most connected to the proposed concept or idea. The key is that managers should both acknowledge and, when able, attempt to accommodate employees’ suggestions.

What is your latest goal or ambition and how do you plan to go about achieving it?

I have recently joined the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Department and I hope to be a certified fire fighter by the end of next summer. To accomplish this goal, I have enrolled in the part-time Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training course and I hope to complete the Montgomery County Fire Academy by Sept. 2014. I also volunteer one night a week at the Kensington, Maryland Fire Station, assisting the trained medical and firefighting personnel on emergency calls.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

To always listen. We often strive to have our opinions heard but we sometimes also neglect the importance of listening. Employees want supervisors and managers to listen to their concerns and suggestions. Peers often want us to listen, so we can assist by possibly providing feedback or by acknowledging their views. Superiors want us to listen because it is important that we understand and complete their taskings right the first time.

What motivates you?

The hope of making a difference. It may be at the local community level, by assisting someone who has called “911,” or at the strategic level, by providing quality analysis to our senior federal officials, who will be able to make more informed and substantiated decisions.

Image via VLADGRIN/Shutterstock.com

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How I Lead: A Former ATF Exec Talks Listening and Learning

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 09:00:00 -0400

Melanie Stinnett is a recently retired member of the Senior Executive Service with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). She retired in June of 2013, ending an extensive career of 34 years of federal service. Stinnett didn't stay still for long because in July she joined the Senior Executive Association (SEA) as Director of Project Next Generation. She views retirement as a time to give back many of the lessons her coaches, mentors and role models taught her.

How did you get to where you are today?

My career was shaped by my tendency to be curious. I asked a lot of questions, always wanted to learn new things, and regularly sought to take on new challenges. I began my professional career as a lawyer, and continually polished my analytical skills and my ability to articulate ideas both orally and in writing. Once a job became routine, I looked for new skills to master and goals to accomplish, at first as a lawyer, then as a supervisor, then as a manger, and finally as an executive. It was when I was at the executive level that I made a decision to deviate from the traditional career path of a lawyer. I applied for, and was chosen to perform the job of ATF’s Assistant Director for the Office of Management/Chief Financial Officer. My legal and management skills were invaluable to me as I took on the role of overseeing the areas of human resources, budget, financial management, space management, acquisitions, and safety and health programs. Through this experience, I learned to broaden my approach to dealing with issues as well as opened my perspective on the agency’s mission. I later was appointed to the position as ATF’s Assistant Director of Professional Responsibility and Security Operations. My legal skills and the lessons learned overseeing Office of Management functions made me sensitive to concepts of risk management and internal controls, which enhanced my oversight of ATF’s internal affairs, office review, and security functions.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

The most important skill that I think an employee, supervisor, or leader can have is the skill to listen and understand where your customers, colleagues, subordinates, and supervisors are coming from. I wanted my team members to ask good questions so they could learn all aspects of the agency’s business - otherwise they would be unable to understand the mission and its requirements. They needed this awareness so they could help agency officials and employees resolve issues by assessing, mitigating, and managing liability and other risks.

I conveyed to my supervisors and managers that they needed to delegate to employees and empower them to perform their responsibilities and to seek innovative resolutions. I think that many supervisors and managers are afraid to let go of the reins because they fear that mistakes may be made. A seasoned manager understands that employees need a chance to experiment and learn from their mistakes. By assessing and communicating the opportunities for success and failure, he or she can manage the risks before he or she delegates to subordinates.

What did you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

The candidates must show good judgment – but not be judgmental. I looked for someone with good interpersonal skills, someone who would be articulate and clear, but not be overbearing. I wanted my employees to have the judgment to listen to a client or customer and be respectful about his or her goals, and then help him or her determine legally or fiscally sufficient ways to achieve those goals. I wanted employees who would take an interest in learning about the agency’s mission and not be aloof from the people who came to them for advice. I wanted my employees to look for new ways to approach a problem and come up with more than one option to resolve the problem. I wanted my employees to be facilitators rather than obstacles to the accomplishment of the agency’s mission and to develop legally sufficient resolutions to issues.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

One way I relax is to exercise, which helps me to manage stress. I perform a daily workout that could include the treadmill, the elliptical trainer, exercise bike, weight equipment, floor exercises, or just plain walking. Managing stress through exercise gives me a sense of accomplishment and makes me feel like I am at the top of my game. I also love music of just about any kind – from Debussy to Liszt to Gershwin to the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton to Duran Duran and Madonna and to Linkn Park and Incubus (my staff found the last 2 hard to reconcile with the Melanie they saw at work!) I also love to watch classic movies from the 1930s and 1940s, especially the Thin Man movies. I like going out to dinner and events with friends from work and my neighborhood. I am also active in my church.

What strengths do you bring your organization?

I am a well-rounded executive, having held positions that span the areas of law, financial management, HR management, logistics management, acquisitions planning, internal controls, and security operations. I am able to focus like a laser on a problem and be tenacious to ensure that an acceptable resolution is achieved. I am a servant leader, going where the organization needs me, even if that is not my first choice. I am a compassionate but firm leader, and I treat my employees and colleagues with respect. When I retired, I thought it was the ultimate compliment when people said they would miss my smile and the positive way I interacted with everyone in the agency.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

The annual Chief Financial Officers Act audit is a critical review for any Federal agency. When I was ATF's Assistant Director for Management/CFO, we had a material weakness related to our accounts payable. Since the Department of Justice (DOJ) enforced laws relating to financial integrity, it was important for DOJ agencies to attain clean audit opinions and accurately depict their financial liabilities. It took several years for ATF to eliminate this material weakness, and it required not only revising processes within ATF's Financial Management Division relating to our financial statement, but also conducting outreach beyond the Office of Management to ensure that employees throughout ATF were trained in how to estimate accounts payable in a timely and accurate fashion. After several years of progress, we not only eliminated the material weakness, we achieved an audit opinion with no internal control findings. This was definitely a team effort that would not have been possible without my Deputy Assistant Director and a staff of talented professional financial managers. I was proud not only of this accomplishment, but also proud to be the leader of such a capable and dedicated team.

In high school, I would have been voted, "Most likely to ______"

I would have been voted “Most likely to pursue a career in music and remain a wallflower.” Generally speaking, my high school classmates saw me as a shy band geek. They would never have dreamed that I would pursue a career in a law enforcement agency, especially in attorney and executive roles where I had to be aggressive and articulate. While I had an interest in music, I realized as I was putting in college applications that I did not have enough talent to succeed in the music world, nor did I have a lot of enthusiasm for the practice that would be required. My father was a Special Agent at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and I guess that public service and law enforcement was in my blood. My career gave me many opportunities to grow and excel, as well as a continuing sense that I was doing something that made a difference. An added benefit is that you can’t help but lose the shyness and find a voice when you are providing legal advice in the law enforcement community.

What is your latest goal or ambition and how do you plan to go about achieving it?

I recently took on the role of Director of SEA’s Project Next Generation initiative. I will direct SEA’s cooperative efforts aimed at developing the next generation of executive leaders. This is a volunteer position that I have a passion for and I am proud of this initiative. I will work with Young Government Leaders (YGL) on mentoring programs for those aspiring for a future in the Senior Executive Service and with SEA's flash mentoring program for members. I will also be the lead for SEA’s work with other organizations, such as the Asian American Government Employees Network and the African American Federal Executives Association. My goal is to use the talents and expertise of SEA members to convey lessons learned and leadership tips to those who will step into Federal leadership roles in the not too distant future.

What is your weakness and how do to compensate for it?

I am too rigid and rule oriented. I find it hard to be spontaneous and unrehearsed. I plan lunches and outings far in advance and rarely do anything on the spur of the moment. Lately, to combat this tendency, I have committed to going out with friends at the drop of a hat without putting a lot of thought into it. I also tend to script out all of my presentations. I learned that while everything in my presentations was accurate, complete, and thoughtful, I did not come across as genuine or natural. Therefore, I have started to just jot down a few quick notes before a presentation. The lack of a “script” makes me talk with people rather than talk at them. What little ground I lose in terms of substantive content I make up for in terms of making a sincere and heartfelt connection with my audience.

What would your colleagues be surprised to know about you?

I was shy and not very confident as a teenager, and this continued as I entered my college years. I developed an eating disorder during my sophomore year. I dropped from approximately 140 pounds down to 84 pounds. When I returned home for the summer, my family, friends, and co-workers at my federal summer job were concerned. With their help, I was able to stop the weight loss cycle. I slowly began to gain a little weight. After about 10 years, I built up to a healthy weight that I have remained at for about 25 years. When I hear or read about women with eating disorders, I realize that I was fortunate to pull out of the cycle because the extreme consequences can be long-term health damage and even death. I will always be grateful to my friends and family for helping me through this difficult time. It occurred to me that I had a lot of inner strength which helped me to recover, and this realization increased my confidence to where I was able to achieve career goals that the teenage Melanie never would have dreamed possible.

What was the biggest career risk you took? Did it turn out positively or negatively for you? What did you learn?

The biggest career risk I took was to apply for and get the job of Assistant Director, Management/Chief Financial Officer. Up until that point in my ATF career, I had been a lawyer. I provided advice to policy makers and program managers, but I never made or implemented policies and programs on my own. The Office of Management was involved in programs and policies in a big way, so I definitely had stepped out of my comfort zone. As the Assistant Director, I oversaw programs and policies related to the following management programs: internal controls, realty, contract, health, environment, policy directives, human resources, logistics and inventory management, finance, and accounting and budget. It was an extremely educational and positive career move for me, as I learned how to evaluate issues in terms of the good of the entire organization and not just my stovepipe. I became less judgmental of my colleagues around the executive table because I learned that it is easy to be critical of program and policy decisions until you have to walk in the shoes and get inside the mind of a decision maker. As a result, I learned to become more of an active partner and collaborator with my colleagues as opposed to just a critic.

What motivates you?

I like helping people have the tools to feel confident in their abilities and succeed in achieving their goals. This is probably why I am so passionate about SEA’s Project Next Generation. I also am in a coaching training program which I find motivating. It is very fulfilling to help a client work through a conflict or something that is blocking them from moving ahead either in their professional or personal life. I like helping them to reframe the problem or understand how their values may be impacting the issue. I think my own history of not being confident as a youth is what makes this rewarding for me. I can help people to gain the perspective and confidence to overcome their own issues and to accomplish anything they strive to achieve.

Image via VLADGRIN/Shutterstock.com

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How I Lead: A NIH Exec Talks Leadership and the Importance of Communication

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 13:58:00 -0400

David Whitmer serves as the chief operating officer for the National Eye Institute (NEI) and as the principal advisor to the NEI Director in all matters affecting general administrative support of vision science in a basic and clinical research environment at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NEI has a budget of nearly $700M and a staff of 575 to protect and prolong the vision of the American people.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned ? I have learned that in every leadership role in which I have served, the most important proficiency for a leader is communication. A great communicator can articulate the vision and mission of an organization which helps develop a strong sense of purpose that can be embraced by all. The best leaders have also been among the best communicators because the power of their message can engage and motivate others toward the achievement of common goals.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team ? I believe effective leaders make goal setting a regular priority. Each year, I direct my team in the development of a series of goals and objectives based on the SMART method. We ensure the goals we set are measurable, achievable and review our progress regularly. Good leaders achieve their goals, celebrate success and motivate their teams to do the same. Being satisfied with the status quo and unwilling to look for improvement opportunities is the worst thing a leader can do and the worst example they can set for their team.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions? I look for demonstrated results and outcomes directly accomplished through the efforts of that candidate. It takes time to really understand a person’s achievements and impact on an organization, but people who consistently achieved desired results in the past are the most likely to do so in a new position.

What is a good book you've read recently? I’m reading If We Can Put a Man on the Moon: Getting Big Things Done in Government by William D. Eggers. This is a summer reading assignment for my senior managers in preparation for our fall retreat. The book examines some of the great successes and failures of government and identifies different traps to avoid.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax? I enjoy playing in the NIH golf league. It’s a competitive match play, nine-hole format with a good mix of scientists and administrators on different teams. The league offers great networking opportunities with other NIH employees outside of our biomedical research setting.

Describe your average day in 10 words or less . New challenges each day supporting the smartest people in government.

What is your strategy for interactions with your supervisor? My supervisor is a busy clinician-scientist who is passionate about vision research and the role that NEI plays in supporting science discovery and its translation to the clinic. I’m always prepared to provide my supervisor with clear guidance, specific information I know he will need when making decisions, different options, and my recommendation on important matters. I also prepare in advance to make certain that our limited time is more meaningful to decision making.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why? I led a team of NIH managers that consolidated 900 positions across NIH into one organization as part of an A-76 competition. Later, I was also part of a committee that oversaw dissolving that organization and redistributing those functions back to the NIH Institutes and Centers. During the time that organization was in place, it allowed NIH to save millions of dollars in support costs by reengineering business practices and reducing staffing while we were converting to electronic systems to handle grant applications. This massive change would not have occurred without competition, and I was excited to be part of the entire process. These efforts brought out the best in the people I work with at NIH – great ideas, open discussion to determine the best alternatives and hard work to implement the agreed upon solution. Of course there was some complaining, as there is for any large change management initiative, but at NIH, after we collectively grumble, we roll up our sleeves and creatively figure out how to make change work best toward our mission.

What would you do if you were president of the United States for a day ? In a national address, I would remind people that public servants devote their lives to making our communities better for all our citizens. I would highlight all the achievements of public employees so the American people can again identify public service as a noble profession. I would emphasize that public employees are fellow citizens of our community and it is their honor and passion to serve you. While public employees do not grow rich in doing so, they serve the public well and deserve our thanks. At the end of my day as President, I would play a quick round of golf at Congressional (free golf is one perk, right?) with the House Speaker, Senate Majority Leader, and Senate Minority Leader and tell them that neither traditional liberalism nor conservatism has much relevance to the problems that our country faces today – we need pragmatic and non-ideological solutions. Our country needs them to work together and compromise more than ever to solve our problems.

What is your latest goal or ambition and how do you plan to go about achieving i t? After the last few years of cutting spending, reducing laboratory budgets, and finding more efficient ways to support science, I want to focus my energy on finding new revenue to support NEI’s research programs. It would be more empowering for me to look for new sources of support for science than to simply continue looking for ways to cut costs. I would like to lead our efforts in generating more funds from royalties, financial gifts from the public, and public-private partnerships in which research costs are shared among collaborators. NIH cannot count on increases in our appropriation in the current budget climate – we need to be more aggressive partnering with industry and non-profit groups to maximize resources towards scientific discoveries that translate to improving of human health.

Tell me something your coworkers do not know about you. In another life, I was involved with political campaigns at the federal, state and local level of government. I programmed some of the first websites for candidates in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina and my work was featured on CNN’s Inside Politics. I thought seriously about trying to become the next James Carville, but instead pursued a career at NIH – a decision that I’ve never regretted.

What motivates you ? The scientists I work with are an inspiration to me and they motivate me to provide the best administrative support to their laboratories and clinics. I’m convinced NIH has the most dedicated and brightest workforce united by an overarching goal of reducing disease. I get out of bed each morning with some extra pep in my step knowing I’m part of the best biomedical research institution in the world.

Image via VLADGRIN/Shutterstock.com

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How I Lead: Leadership Lessons from State's Head of eDiplomacy

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 17:40:00 -0400

Richard Boly, a career diplomat, is the Director of the Office of eDiplomacy , an applied technology think tank at the U.S. Department of State. He created and launched the Global Entrepreneurship Program and currently sits on the board of Mind the Bridge , a start up accelerator bringing entrepreneurs from the distressed economies of southern Europe to Silicon Valley.

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

Fear is not your friend. Fear is a horrible motivator. Maybe it worked when saber-toothed cats were prowling, but not in a professional work environment. Fear kills creativity. Fear feeds self-doubt. So, I do all I can to tamp down the fear factor among my team.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

eDiplomacy is a very entrepreneurial organization. The two qualities I most look for are 1) curiosity, and 2) comfort with ambiguity.

What is a good book you've read recently?

Fiction - Swamplandia! by Karen Russell

Non-Fiction - Clash!: 8 Cultural Conflicts That Make Us Who We Are by Hazel Rose Markus and Alana Conner

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

I am a big fan of puttering and tinkering. I do both around the house a lot.

What is the best mistake you've ever made?

I pursued a “dream” job early in my career. After lots of follow up, I landed the position over hundreds of other candidates. It was a bad fit and I only lasted six months. I took that sharp-edged, jarring failure and over time polished it into lessons about myself and work. If you can face it honestly and truthfully, failure is a powerful teacher.

What superlative would your high school classmates have given you?

In high school, I would have been voted, "Most likely never to return for a homecoming."

Describe your average day in 10 words or less.

Bike, muse, check, link, do, talk, connect, lateral-think, squint, bike.

What strengths do you bring your organization?

I am good at innovating in risk-averse environments. All large organizations tend to be risk-averse, but government agencies especially so.

What is your weakness and how do you compensate for it?

I am a non-linear thinker. I usually have an entire concept in mind for a new initiative, but I don’t always get it across in a clear and convincing way. I compensate for this by ensuring that my team builds in practical processes for developing and filtering new initiatives.

What is your strategy for interactions with your supervisor?

Managing up is essential. It starts with the interview with a prospective supervisor. Be honest about your work style and which of your work qualities have thrilled supervisors in the past and which ones have driven them crazy. Share what qualities in a supervisor have helped you succeed and which ones tripped you up. If you have a good match with your supervisor from the start, it makes it much easier to manage up. If you have a supervisor who makes you dread coming into work, then look for a new job!

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

I am a volcano of ideas and encourage my team to help winnow the wheat from the chaff. I try to avoid personalizing ideas, but rather frame them as an opportunity for the group. My team has created a very practical and agile project initiation checklist to ensure we have asked the right questions before jumping in. I also try to map between high-level State Department objectives and the new idea, so that my team can see how the initiative will contribute to policy objectives.

What motivates you?

I love greenfield opportunities – ones that lack constraints imposed by prior work. I love turning ideas into action. I love creating an environment in which my team can achieve more than they ever dreamed possible.

Other posts in Excellence in Government and Young Government Leader's How I Lead series:

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How I Lead: Leadership Lessons from a NASA Director

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0400

Geoffrey Yoder is the director of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Program. The Webb telescope will be the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. The new telescope is scheduled for launch in 2018. Writing for Excellence in Government, Young Government Leaders Lynnie Martin, recently caught up with Yoder and talked with him about leadership, his career and how he manages his team. (The interview has been edited for length and clarity).

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

Be a leader, not a manager. Provide vision, passion, and excitement that is contagious and empower your team. Overall, always lead with integrity.

How did you get to where you are today?

Early on, I identified what I wanted to accomplish in my career. I developed a set of 5-year goals to support where I intended to be and took advantage of opportunities that supported those goals. As a child I had a passion for NASA. Growing up, I aligned my education and professional development to position myself for a career with NASA. I was prepared to accept an offer with NASA for several years before the opportunity came about. Once at NASA, I continued to excel as a manager by learning all I could and striving to make a difference by advancing the goals of the agency. I was grateful I was on my chosen path despite the struggles I encountered along the way. The key elements that helped me get where I am today were striving to maintain integrity and honesty while realizing that it’s people working as a team that make one successful. It’s successes built on these elements that propelled me to my current position, the director of one of NASA’s top three priority programs

What leadership lessons do you try to convey to your team?

I try to provide overall direction and empower the JWST team to challenge assumptions and understand why they are doing what they are doing. I often state a philosophy that, on an average of three out of five days a week, one needs to believe he or she furthers the mission, has contributed to the mission, and wants to stick with the mission. If a team member is unable to achieve that three out of five, I may have assigned that person to the wrong project or the wrong task. If one believes in what they are doing and feels like they are making a difference, they will be there for you when the chips are down.

What do you look for in potential employees when making hiring decisions?

I look for the right training, education, skills, and experience but more importantly, I look for someone with integrity and good communication skills. Someone that I will be able to count on.

What do you do after work for fun or to relax?

I believe in a strong family life. My accomplishments are not mine alone, they were achieved with the support of my family. I spend a lot of time with my wife, who is also my best friend. We enjoy the outdoors and spend weekends enjoying nature. I am also an avid sports autograph collector and I go to different events to collect autographs. I have a 6-year old grandson that I enjoy watching grow up, observing him as he develops his own personality—whether on the ice playing hockey or interacting with grown ups.

In high school, I would have been voted, "Most likely to ______.”

In high school, I was voted “Most Talented”. I played multiple brass instruments in the school band, participated in numerous choirs across the county and was active in sports. Senior year I was elected class president.

Describe your average day in 10 words or less.

Exciting, challenging, entertaining, and educational.

What strengths do you bring to your organization?

I bring vision, leadership, and a sense of calm when events turn chaotic. I challenge the team to not settle for mediocrity, but to always strive for improvements.

What is your weakness and how do you compensate for it?

I am an introvert and as a leader, it’s a challenge to maintain constant and consistent communication with my team. I frequently remind myself to over-communicate, going so far as to tape messages at my desk reminding me to talk with the team, not only in email, but by walking around for impromptu office visits.

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is onboard with a new idea?

There will always be cases where not everyone is onboard with a new idea. The important part of implementing a new idea is making sure everyone has an opportunity to be heard—make sure everyone feels like they were part of the decision, whether or not they completely agree with the end result. My approach is to talk with team members individually and then as a group so that everyone has the opportunity to hear pros and cons. Meeting with team members one-on-one helps draw out opinions that may not be expressed in a larger setting. Trust and credibility is built by listening to the team and allowing them to express their concerns or affirmations prior to implementing a new idea. The new idea will generally be successful if the team members feel like they are heard before a decision is made.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

Never compromise your integrity, be someone that others can count on, seek to learn something new every day, and maintain a balance between work and family.

What was the biggest career risk you took? Did it turn out positively or negatively for you? What did you learn?

My biggest career risk was leaving a stable job in the field of engineering and reliability assurance to relocate halfway across the country to start a new career with NASA. The offer had a short deadline and I needed to make the decision to accept the position without hesitation. Taking this risk was one of the best decisions I made—accepting the position with NASA was the first step in many amazing and satisfying career advancements. From making that leap, I learned to take risks that align with my long-term career strategies, trust my instincts and believe in myself. Today, I look back at the achievements that led me to where I am today, realizing I can overcome almost any challenge that comes my way.

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How I Lead: Talking Leadership with DHS' Manager of SES Candidate Development

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:40:00 -0400

Craig Heintz is the Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program Manager for the Department of Homeland Security.

What is the best leadership lesson you've learned?

The most valuable leadership lesson I have learned is to listen. Most important is knowing what listening really is. The key is that you do not just want to hear, you want to actually listen – or, what some professionals have more specifically referred to as “active listening.” Active listening, presumes that you are mentally contemplating and processing the information you are hearing. This, more focused approach to listening, will allow an individual to gain better understanding of their peers, ensures that one understands what has been articulated from a superior, and helps to build solid relationships with subordinate staff through effective communication.

How did you get to where you are today?

I am where I am today because of the standards that I placed on myself at a very young age. I am a product of my environment: family life, membership in civic organizations, and working starting at age 9.

Describe your average day in 10 words or less.

Busy, and exciting, with much to accomplish!

What strengths do you bring your organization?

I bring several strengths to my organization with the most important, in my mind, being responsibility and focus. Responsibility, of course, facilitates commitment, timeliness, and accuracy, among other things, to produce the highest quality product or service. Focus helps me work effectively, and in the most efficient manner, to accomplish my work.

What is your weakness and how do you compensate for it?

Potentially more detrimental to an individual than an identified weakness, a strength, which is not appropriately harnessed, can become one’s predominant weakness. For me, that is empathy. While empathy is a strength for me most times, it can quickly become my weakness. Being quite empathetic, it can be hard for me to say “no,”particularly when someone is asking for my help. As such, I sometimes find little time for myself. I compensate for over-extending myself by having less time to engage in more relaxing or fun activities.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of and why?

I am most proud of how in the past I took the risk of resigning from my Federal position and franchising a pizzeria in Buffalo, NY. I learned so many things about the stand-up of a business, and specifically, a restaurant. I am most proud of the fact that I am able to offer employment to individuals of my city.

How do you involve your employees to ensure everyone is on board with a new idea?

Everyone provides input! Whether in my Federal position as an office manager, or as owner of a pizzeria, my employees are always involved in the conceptualization, build, and test phases of any new idea. Having employees involved from the start provides a sense of ownership to the project, concept or item. Employees feel a greater sense of involvement, and in turn, a heartier desire to achieve success.

What is your latest goal or ambition and how do you plan to go about achieving it?

My latest goal is to open another pizzeria, this time in Washington DC. I will be updating my business plan, engaging the Small Business Administration (SBA) for possible start-up capital, and working with some potential investors in the DC area. We will begin by identifying potential areas of the city for the store, weighing commercial and/or residential areas, considering square footage costs, and space requirements. Subsequently, I will work with the DC architects and commercial code division to finalize plans for approval by the DC Government. Once all is complete, the actual work may begin.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?

I have learned that my expectations of others are built based on my own experiences and therefore, I realized that I cannot expect others to react to a situation the same as I would.

Tell me something your coworkers do not know about you.

I once held a job as a “patient transporter” at Buffalo General Hospital, and one of my responsibilities was to take bodies to the morgue. (It was many years before I could enjoy food with mint leaves in it).

What was the biggest career risk you took? Did it turn out positively or negatively for you? What did you learn?

The biggest career risk I took was resigning from Federal Service and franchising a pizzeria in Buffalo, NY. The risk has turned out positive. I would certainly tell anyone seeking advice not to shy aware from taking risks. While you have to do a lot of work to produce a good business plan, all the upfront planning will make implementation much easier. Inevitably, there will be issues, but a plan will mitigate their affect. My best lesson in taking this risk is to make use of all the resources available to you when starting-up a small business. For example, when I open my next store, I plan on engaging the Small Business Administration (SBA).

What motivates you?

Life! Now that I am older, I think life is my primary motivator. I know this won’t last forever. Many, many years have already gone by. I cherish every day, and I am motivated by the opportunity to live another day!

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Leadership Spotlight: Alex Mavroukakis, A Rising Acquisition Leader

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:17:00 -0500

Alex Mavroukakis says there is never a dull moment in contracting. As a Contracting Officer for the Department of Education, Mavroukakis works to make sure the Federal Student Aid acquisition workforce has the supplies and training it needs to complete its job. He says that his career is dynamic because he manages different programs and has a broad spectrum of activities with which he is involved.

Recently, Mavroukakis worked to transition almost 100 Contracting Officer’s Representatives (CORs) into the new standards, which was required within three months. He is also constantly working to maximize acquisitions from small businesses. Working with small business owners, Mavroukakis says, is “invigorating and inspirational,” and he is happy to do his part to help American businesses.

Mavroukakis began his professional career in 2004 working at Bank of America as a Wealth Asset Manager. Throughout his career at the bank, he learned how to become client-focused, always strive to deliver top-notch customer service, be truthful and ethical, and treat money as a delicate topic; skills which have served him well in the acquisition field.

Mavroukakis described in particular his work with foreigners, who came into the bank to open a single account, and soon became overwhelmed with all the offers and specials that the bank advertised to draw in more customers. Mavroukakis went above and beyond by meeting with these prospective clients with a translator of their respective languages during his own lunch periods to ensure that he explained the bank’s offers in an honest and clear manner. It was these personal interactions which got Mavroukakis interested in negotiations and business deals, and when he joined public service, he came in through a business-related intern program as a Contract Specialist with the General Services Administration.

Mavroukakis worked at GSA for three years before moving to the Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid in 2008 to pursue alternative acquisition opportunities and diversify his acquisition portfolio. At the Department of Education, he discovered that he really enjoyed the pre-award portion of acquisition, the process that the acquisition team goes through in order to solicit and complete requirements. Negotiations in particular give Mavroukakis a rush and a love for his profession.

Mavroukakis feels so passionate about the acquisition field that he started and currently oversees operations for an organization called Rising Acquisition Professionals Community (RAP-C). He felt that although acquisition professionals receive a good deal of training, there is still a need for supplemental training for entry to mid-level members of the workforce.

In today’s lean federal and private sector acquisition environments, acquisition professionals are in extremely high demand and many new hires end up being rushed into challenging situations before they are ready. With RAP-C serving as an independent organization that works closely with various federal, private and non-profit agencies and organizations, Mavroukakis is working to build a resource that provides training, as well as developmental and social activities, and other opportunities for members of the acquisition community. With a solid core partnership, enthusiastic membership base, and, not to mention, an always large pool of speakers and volunteers, RAP-C is serving a community of over 650 registered professionals and continues to grow.

Mavroukakis’s hard work has not gone unnoticed. In recognition of RAP-C, he was selected as a 2012 Public Sector Partner of the Year recipient by the Professional Services Council. Mavroukakis is very grateful that the acquisition community has been so supportive of RAP-C’s mission and vision. He has never had a shortage of executives eager to speak during various RAP-C events. Furthermore, the Department of Education has been very flexible and supportive with the promotion of RAP-C. The organization is growing rapidly and he would like to encourage acquisition professionals to get involved or spread the word by going to www.rapcomm.org and subscribing to the distribution list for updates on upcoming events and activities. Additionally, if anyone is interested in participating at the organization level of RAP-C, Mavroukakis asks that you contact him directly at amavroukakis@rapcomm.org

For more information about cross-agency organizations, check out the YGL website at www.younggov.org.

Know a federal leader who deserves time in the spotlight? Tell us about them at AskEIG@govexec.com. Please include their name, department or agency and why you think their work deserves to be spotlighted on Excellence in Government.

(Image via SkillUp/Shutterstock.com)

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Leadership Spotlight: Cindy Orellana, NIST

Lynnie Martin, Young Government Leaders — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 11:00:00 -0500

Cindy Orellana was working for the U.S. Air Force in Los Angeles, Calif., when an assignment to Baltimore, Md., with a quick side trip down to Washington, D.C., changed her entire career path and life. She fell in love with our nation’s capital and immediately began applying for jobs in order to relocate from the west coast to the east coast. This was one year ago. Today, Orellana lives in Rockville, Md., and works for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), as a Communications Specialist.

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Orellana is a Young Government Leader who has made focusing on her career path a priority in her life. She cites having a mentor as being an instrumental tool for achieving success. In Los Angeles, Orellana interacted with a coworker who had more than twenty years of experience working in the Air Force. She described that she would, “go to my mentor with an idea and she would tell me yes or no.” It was through this mentor’s encouragement that she found her skills in utilizing and implementing technology advances to improve government communications.

Orellana’s position as Communications Specialist consists of her utilizing different types of media to market NIST and to spread the program’s mission. She contributes regularly to the NIST MEP website and is in charge of the Facebook page. Orellana focuses on NIST’s Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEP) which is a nationwide system that helps manufacturers maximize their potential growth and grow their business. MEP leverages over $100 million of federal investment into a nearly $300 million program by partnering with state and local governments and the private sector to provide a wealth of expertise and resources to manufacturers. Each year, MEP is hired by manufacturers to solve problems, increase productivity, improve their economic competitiveness, and enhance their technological capabilities. As a result, MEP clients increase their sales, save time and money, invest in physical and human capital, and create and retain thousands of jobs. Orellana’s job is to market the available resources and to track the results of the economic and client-related impact.

Orellana’s recommendation to young government leaders is to be proactive and take as much training as possible. She is currently working on a Certification for Digital Media through American University, which will enhance her broadening technological skills.

When asked about her strategy for professional and personal development, Orellana explained her persistence in asking for feedback from her superiors. She emphasized that communication and asking about future opportunities and areas for improvement were crucial to her success. Orellana also said that the mentor-mentee relationship she has with her supervisor has been instrumental to her growth. The two-way relationship has helped her develop her team-working skills by understanding more about team dynamics and work culture, and has provided her a road map for the future.

Making and impact on U.S. Manufacturing and creating jobs, which help the American economy, are Orellana’s favorite parts about her job. While her particular position, which is very skills-intense and technology-based, is a sidestep away from her dream career, Orellana recognizes that her current position has much in common with her ultimate career plans. She dreams of being part of something big which impacts and educates the public, and with skills in such in-demand fields as communications and technology, it seems that Orellana is well on her way to reaching that goal.

Know a federal leader who deserves time in the spotlight? Tell us about them at excellenceingovernment@govexec.com . Please include their name, department or agency and why you think their work deserves to be spotlighted on Excellence in Government.

(Image via SkillUp/Shutterstock.com )

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