Being named the fifth HR Director for NASA’s Johnson Space Center last November was a humbling experience for me…especially when I considered the legacies left by our Mount Rushmore of Leaders. So, I began to think…what kind of legacy do I want to leave with the organization?
Last week, we convened our HR Leadership Team retreat, and I talked with the team for the first time about what we should deliver over the next five years. We’re focused on a long-term workforce strategy that provides the right “forward fills” for our Journey to Mars. We want to prepare leaders at all levels for a successful future, and we want to emphasize Inclusive Leadership as a key skill. Within HR, I want to emphasize a “Culture of Leadership.” I explained that this involves aligning authorities with responsibilities; rewarding ideas and innovation; a round table (not hierarchical) approach to decision-making; and preparing the organization for the future.
To help with this idea, I listened to an on-line workshop by David Marquet last December and followed that by reading his book Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders during the Christmas break. I really appreciated his story and advice and hope that you will too.
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