Three months ago, it appeared that my boss, NASA’s Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO), could be moving on from his position. (Check out this article on “What is a CHCO & Why Do We have Them?”)
Just eighteen months earlier, he selected me for a key role at NASA, as we worked to transform human resources from our 60-year-old highly decentralized model to a functionally-managed model. Executive-level HR Directors (like my previous role at the Johnson Space Center) would no longer report to their local Center Directors. Instead, they would report to me as Director of HR Services. As you might imagine, that role required a delicate balance of sensitivities to Center Directors—who felt they were losing local control—while building a new team of HR Directors.
For my new Headquarters role, my boss did not require me to move to Washington, D.C. Fortunately, he allowed me to stay in Houston, Texas—or that new role would not have been an option for me with so many family ties to Texas! So, three months ago, I panicked…
How could I remain in Houston and still play a key role in NASA’s future? “Maybe it’s time to move on,” I thought. A few days later, I was contacted about a HR leadership position with a non-profit in Houston. Hmmm…
Click here to learn how the end of 2019 unfolded and why “Sheep” is my word for 2020