NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD, Portsmouth, Va. –
As the last of many events celebrating African American History Month in 2020, Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s (NNSY) African American Employee Resource Group (AA-ERG) held its second annual open microphone session. This year, the panel featured five executive level leaders from the Department of Defense (DoD), Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Office of Civilian Human Resources (OCHR), and Senior Executive Service (SES) members from Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).
The topic was “How Did I Make It?” The panelists answered questions from the audience about what they have learned from their journeys to get to where they are now professionally. Many questions were asked, but the main takeaways for the attendees were these: bring something to the table, keep going, and do not be afraid to ask for help.
Bring Something to the Table
Division Head of Human Resources, Fleet Forces Command and Commander Navy Reserve Force from OCHR Norfolk Operations Center Danielle Dutton said, “One of the biggest challenges is making sure you are regularly evaluating your skillset. When you are looking for an opportunity, make sure that you look at your resume, that it really conveys everything you do and have done, and that you take credit for what you do on a daily basis.”
One recurring subject was the value of providing solutions to a problem. SES Deputy Director of Operations Support NCIS Mark N. Russ mentioned when talking about how he came up with a $500 million program for NCIS that took five years to develop. “Think about all those things that are really hard to do and come up with a bright idea to fix it.”
Keep Going
When asked about what she has learned from her biggest failure, DoD Associate Director of Diversity Management Operations Center Victoria L. Bowens said, “you cannot be successful if you do not make mistakes. When a job has become too easy, it is time to move, develop, and stretch yourself.”
In response to the same question, NCIS Division Chief of Special Agent Career Services Angela R. Sanders said that her biggest mistake was letting people hold her back, even though they had good intentions. “There were people who were supportive of me early on in my career, but they would say things like ‘you’re probably not ready for that assignment. You should probably go somewhere else,’ when I was ready.” She then explained how in such situations, networking outside one’s comfort zone is important because you are more likely receive encouragement when needed.
Do Not Be Afraid to Ask for Help
There are people above you in the chain of command who are more than willing to help when asked. To this willingness, Russ pointed out the number of NNSY leaders present and said, “They could have been anywhere today. Yet they came to this event—that says that they care about your future.”
Addressing the C.O.R.E. value of Care, the panel touched on how help is available in more than just the professional capacity. When Shipyard Commander Capt. Kai Torkelson asked about how to help federal civilian employees after experiencing trauma as a leader would in active service, Russ told him about the system of peer support that his organization developed and grew in response to similar situations. “It’s okay to ask for help,” Russ added. “You have options.”
Closing remarks
At the end of the panel, each of the panel members were rewarded with a certificate of appreciation from the AA-ERG and a shipyard plaque for imparting their wisdom to the NNSY workforce, but they wanted to emphasize the main points one last time before they left.
“Get yourself a mentor” SES of the Year and Director of Small Business Programs Jimmy D. Smith said towards the end of the discussion. “Keep growing and keep up the strong desire to do more. If there are roadblocks and you can’t clear them, find someone who can help.” Dutton chimed in and said, “Give it your one hundred percent. Show up, and do the work.”