HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--Three senior-level U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville acquisition professionals were selected for an 18-month long Department of Defense executive level program designed to hone leadership competencies for managerial and executive-level performance.
Tonju Samuels, Latosha McCoy and Brandon Lee were selected the Defense Contract Audit Agency’s Director’s Development Program in Leadership--a program created as a competency-based leadership curriculum designed specifically for leaders using the DoD Civilian Leadership Development Continuum and Framework.
Each of the courses is presented in a one-week format. There will be four to six weeks between class sessions to allow for study and class preparation.
“Center Contracting remains committed to our workforce's leadership development,” said Colleen O’Keefe, Huntsville Center contracting director.
“The DDPL program is a rigorous and intellectually demanding experience requiring considerable self-sacrifice, persistence, dedication, discipline, desire, and time. The academic instruction is geared to executive leaders who are self-motivated and can set priorities for accomplishment of required learning assignments. The selectees have demonstrated high levels of performance and I’m certain they will continue to advance in their careers.”
This DDPL program will have cohort participants from DCAA and other DOD and government agencies, allowing for multiple perspectives and networking opportunities. The program’s intent is to strengthen employee engagement, communications, problem solving skills, and interagency collaboration.
Samuels, McCoy and Lee all expressed that they are certain the program will strengthen and enhance their professional growth.
McCoy said participation in DDPL is preparing her to lead at the strategic level across a wide range of civilian and military operations, in joint, interagency, and multinational environments.
“I also am benefiting from the diverse experiences and leadership backgrounds of my fellow cohort participants, while improving the program through sharing personal tacit and explicit leadership experiences that I bring with me to the program,” she said.
Lee said he believes what he learns from the program will help Huntsville Center and Center Contracting accomplish the overall vision and mission.
“At the completion of this program, I am optimistic that I will have learned to lead and think strategically so I may be in a position to continue to serve my contracting program and my organization,” Lee said.
“By utilizing the specialized competencies, such as strategic thinking, alliances and communication, I believe I will strengthen our core capabilities to better reinforce our customer relationships.”
Samuels said leadership, in its most effective state, requires total and consistent commitment at every level and in order for a leader to meet this requirement, continuous education, training and application is required.
“While leadership training is important for a new leader, it is also important for the seasoned leader to continue to receive advanced training in order to ensure continued growth and advancement of the team and organization as a whole,” Samuels said.
“Without continuous education and concentrated leadership training, the leader may become complacent and stagnant, which in turn may endanger the effective and efficient accomplishment of the organization's mission.”