Featured February 17, 2021 A new tool to help HR teams improve federal hiring Back to Blog Addressing the critical need for transformative federal mission support leaders Date March 8, 2021 | Updated on August 10, 2021 Authors Heidi Jackson Everett Tags Leadership and Collaboration On the first day of the Mission Support Leadership Program I ask participants to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. “It established an atmosphere welcoming vulnerability and transparency,” according to one former HR participant. I encourage participants in my sessions to try new ways of thinking, apply new concepts and commit to redefining their roles as federal leaders, so they are prepared to take on the ever-evolving needs of the federal workforce. By setting the expectation of discomfort, I hope to invigorate a desire to grow as an individual, a mission-support professional and a mission support leader. And it works. Change can leave people uneasy, but being open to change allows us to develop new perspectives and approaches to our everyday challenges. That’s my goal as a facilitator and coach and change is what we aim for through our program. A leadership development opportunity for mission support employees The Partnership’s training program for mid-level federal human resources, information technology and acquisitions leaders was first offered last year, and was designed to educate and empower mission support professionals to be transformative leaders. Future mission support leaders need to understand the business of their organizations and provide counsel and advice to help influence agency strategy. They must serve as change agents rather than focus their efforts mainly on compliance, regulation and administration. With the business of government continually transforming, the Mission Support Leadership Program prepares HR, IT and acquisitions practitioners to understand the future of work and why their functional skills alone will only take them and their organizations so far. Mission support leaders of the future need to take a more strategic and consultative role, have a “seat at the table,” advocate for people-centered change and create a culture of problem-solving within their agencies. Program participants take their new skills and perspectives back to their workplaces and apply them to professional challenges. They also benefit from a new network of government mission support professionals ready to support their progress as leaders in their field. Join the program We’re now looking for the next group of federal mission support leaders. “There is a revolution starting to take form in federal [mission-support functions],” according to a former participant. “[The program] is preparing us for this golden opportunity to get into the middle of this rising storm of change.” Join us. The government needs your talents. Applications for the Mission Support Leadership Program are open now. Learn more about the program and how you or your employees can participate. Heidi Jackson Everett is a coach with the Partnership’s Mission Support Leadership Program. She is also president and CEO at Star Cypress Partners.
