Leadership academy prepares Aviation employees to take charge

RICHMOND, Va. -

With a focus on developing future leaders, the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation hosted its Aviation Leadership Academy from April 16-18, 2024, at the Frank B. Lotts Conference Center on Defense Supply Center Richmond. The three-day event catered specifically to GS-11 to GS-13 employees aspiring to supervisory roles, bringing together nearly 100 DLA Aviation personnel eager to enhance their leadership skills.

The academy kicked off with a warm welcome from Pamela Frederick and Trinace Johnson, program managers within the Command Support Directorate, setting the stage for a robust agenda focused on critical leadership transitions and ethical decision-making.

Karen McClintick of the Aviation Office of Counsel explored the intricacies of ethics in leadership, preparing the attendees for potential ethical dilemmas they may face as future supervisors.

"Many of Aviation's nonsupervisory employees have little contact with the legal office, perhaps only reaching out to us with an ethics question or for assistance responding to a protest," she said. "When they become supervisors, however, they will have additional reasons to contact us, such as asking a fiscal law question or for help making a determination required by the Standards of Conduct.

"I use the Leadership Academy to highlight those other areas of law where a supervisor might seek advice and to explain how our office works with supervisors to prevent illegal actions," McClintick continued. "For example, most employees know that they cannot give a gift to their supervisor because it violates standards. Academy attendees learn that there is a companion rule that says a supervisor may not accept a gift from a subordinate or from any employee who earns less pay," she said. "During the Leadership Academy, we talk about how to decline an impermissible gift and how to dispose of one already given."

McClintick said other ethical dilemmas that a new supervisor can face may include a subordinate's request to engage in outside employment, fundraising in the workplace, or an employee who must be recused from working on a matter due to a conflict of interest.

Further enhancing the day's offerings, Natarsha Goode, chief of the Procurement Process Support Directorate's Training Branch, and Cynthia Stinchcomb, career program manager in DLA Aviation's Business Process Support Directorate's Training Division, provided insights on transitioning from peer to supervisor, discussing the importance of consistent decision-making and understanding leadership responsibilities.

"Learning the master labor agreement as a supervisor and being consistent in your answers has been a saving grace for me," Stinchcomb said. "I now understand why some decisions were made that were not privy to me before."

Goode agreed with that sentiment and shared some additional requirements of being a leader.

"Before taking a leadership position, assess why you want to be a leader and if you are willing to take on the responsibilities that come with leadership," Goode said. "Know and use the resources available to leaders that will assist you in growing and excelling in the role. Understand the important role and impact you will be taking on as a leader both in supporting mission, culture and people."

The second day, spearheaded by Johnson and Frederick, delved into generational diversity in the workplace. A session on 'What Motivates Different Generations' illuminated the varying incentives that inspire employees from different age brackets, emphasizing empathy and understanding across generational divides.

"My motto for the older generations in reference to the younger generations is that we (as Generation X or Baby Boomers) cannot expect Millennials and Generation Z people to behave the same way we do based on a world we grew up in because that world no longer exists," said Johnson.

Additionally, Angela Johnson, order fulfillment division chief in DLA Aviation's Business Process Support Directorate, and Nancy Calvao, DLA Aviation's deputy chief of staff, shared interviewing tips and conducted mock interviews, which are crucial for those attendees preparing to step into roles that require adept handling of recruitment and personnel evaluations.

The final day focused on equal employment opportunity principles, with Tralana Linder and Tonya Custalow-Pearsall, both EEO specialists, engaging attendees in role-play scenarios to illustrate the practical application of EEO guidelines in leadership roles.

"When speaking of the EEO process, the key to ensure compliance with EEO principles amongst new leaders is education about their role in EEO as a leader," Linder said. "Providing supervisory EEO training for new leaders is important as it prevents EEO complaints. Also, it is important that they know that the EEO office is here to help them. They can reach out at any time for advice and guidance."

Dan Oros, a Hazardous Information Program Division supervisory chemical engineer in DLA Aviation's Engineering Directorate, addressed leadership styles and emphasized the need for a diverse array of leadership approaches.

"Great leaders have good character, and they bring people together and unify," Oros said. "It's critical to divorce ourselves from the thinking that others are there to serve you."

Each academy day covered a spectrum of topics crucial for professional development and leadership. From ethical dilemmas and generational motivations to practical interviewing techniques and EEO compliance, the academy offered a comprehensive toolkit for DLA Aviation employees to become effective leaders - a reinforcement of DLA Aviation's commitment to an ethically led, continuous-learning culture at the forefront of supporting the nation's defense logistics needs.

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