Building Better Leaders in Government Contracting

An Interview with Rex Marks conducted by Michelle Bovy, Director of Online Content, FPS

I have had the good fortune of being led by talented, effective leaders - the type that push you to be better, lead by example, and help you grow in ways that positively affect life both inside and outside the office. Leaders build teams- and being part of a team that makes unimaginable things "imaginable" and ultimately a reality, is something to treasure.

Rex Marks is one of those effective leaders and the creator of the FPS Leadership Institute. Thanks to his generosity, I recently had the opportunity to ask him a few questions about leadership and what went into the creation of The FPS Leadership Institute.

Questions about leadership and learning

Please tell us a little bit about yourself and experience in leadership and learning.

Allow me to begin by saying I am both blessed and honored to have served for more than 30 years in law enforcement as a leader in the Public Sector and having served in municipalities across the country at various ranks including chief of police. Prior to my current appointment as Chief of Police for the city of Pilot Point, Texas in March of 2022, I served as Director of Norwich University's Leadership and Change Institute as well as Program Director and Associate Professor for the Master of Science and Leadership programs. My specialties include leadership development and team building, effective problem-solving and decision-making processes, project and fiscal management, Emergency Management and disaster preparedness, strategic communications, and organizational development. In addition, I have provided consultant services for national and international organizations to extend opportunities for lifelong learning and progressive change management practices.

My formal education includes a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and a Master's in Public Administration with a concentration in Disaster Management. I am currently completing my doctoral degree in Public Policy Administration with a concentration in Leadership, Community Sustainability and Terrorism. My dissertation addresses the causal factors of violence and violent crime in young adult males.

In my more than 35 years of leadership roles, I have had the privilege of working with a very diverse group of emergent leaders who strive to both improve themselves in the leadership role they hold as well as develop new leaders who will eventually succeed them. One of the many rewards received from my engagement with these individuals is observing the learning process take place and how they apply theory in practice to achieve those outcomes most desired in today's organizations. This is true both of public and private sector organizations as leadership is not proprietary to a specific trade or profession. Also, leadership can and does exist at all levels of the organization and must be cultivated to achieve the intended outcomes.

Questions about the Institute

Please give us a quick overview of the Leadership Institute.

The Leadership Institute here at FPS is a product of more than seven years of partnerships to develop a curriculum of leadership within the FPS offerings. In 2017, FPS introduced the first standalone leadership course offering for Government Contractors Week. The intent was to identify the level of interest in better understanding the role of leadership and becoming an emergent leader in this field. Over the past seven years, I have worked closely with staff at FPS to establish a platform by which students and organizations could partake in online leadership development opportunities focused on government contracting.

The LDI is the mechanism identified for delivering a variety of leadership training courses beginning this year. This first part is comprised of 6 Sessions. The first 5 Sessions each contain 5 Modules designed for delivery in 30-minute presentations and self-paced multimedia materials. All 5 sessions are entirely online and provide the foundation and learning knowledge that will then be applied during the 6th and final Capstone Session. The capstone session will take place on-ground during Government Contractors Week in Hilton Head and Las Vegas, providing opportunity for students unable to attend to still participate through a hybrid and online offering.

A unique feature of this Institute is that the material and discussions are based around current events and situations impacting today's leaders globally. Our intent in providing this training experience is to enlighten students and organizations on the value of lifelong learning and development of emergent leaders within their organizations. Future offerings will continue to build on this foundational program and enhance the understanding and knowledge that is necessary for success as a leader both today and in the future.

We're all going a million miles an hour these days, how much time should one commit to this leadership Institute?

Our early discussions in planning the design of this Institute included ensuring that students could complete the sessions at their own pace. Recognizing that time is precious both at home and in the workplace, the material is presented in both a visual and audio format. This potentially allows a student to listen from their smart device while commuting to or from meetings lunch or wherever time permits. As indicated previously, each of the first five sessions is delivered in 30-minute modules for a total of approximately 3 hours per session. This model allows students to participate where and when their schedule permits.

What are the key takeaways participants will get from going through the Institute?

The most significant take away from completing this Institute is the realization that leadership does in fact exist at all levels of an organization or a team. For example, today's leaders are challenged to do many things simultaneously and sometimes overlook opportunities to exploit certain competencies necessary to complete specific tasks from others on the team. Instead of simply doing the work yourself and expending more time to accomplish the same tasks, leaders benefit by allowing others to accomplish the tasks at hand. This not only expedites the process but demonstrates the power of teams who are diverse in their experiences and competencies.

In addition, students of this Institute will hopefully identify with the four dimensions of value-based leadership necessary to be successful as a leader today. Our discussions touch on these 4 dimensions of leading the self, leading others, leading organizations, and leading in service. The first is the most important in that to effectively lead others we must first understand how we prefer to be led. Our discussions throughout this Institute will emphasize the importance of understanding value-based leadership and applying these principles within our respective teams and organizations.

We have set up the final coursework to be in-person. Can you give us an idea or sneak preview of that last in- person session?

As previously shared, the final session will be conducted live on ground (Hilton Head and Las Vegas) and online simultaneously in a hybrid delivery. The Capstone is intended to build on the foundational learning and knowledge gleaned from the first 5 sessions to address a problem commonly faced by Government Contractors. Students are encouraged to engage with one another and identify a potential solution to the problem or problems presented. The end goal is to graduate from the Institute with new or enhanced skills and competencies that will allow for greater success potential as an emergent leader in their respective organizations.

Questions about the content

What are some key elements of effective communication, especially when addressing diverse audiences such as those in govt contracting?

Effective communication is a perishable skill. If not practiced regularly, then the skill will be lost. A significant part of communicating is listening. Doing the pre-work to ensure a clear understanding of the client's needs and expectations involves asking questions and receiving feedback. Remember, communication is a two-way street. To then deliver a message or presentation and have it interpreted as intended, the platform and level at which the communication is transmitted must align with the target audience. Specific to Government Contracting, this translates to being competent and knowledgeable on the topic, preparing your message, demonstrating confidence, soliciting feedback to ensure correct interpretation, and meeting expectations of the audience. Session 4 entitled "Presentation Skills and Effective Communication Practices" will provide further insights on effective ways of communicating.

How do presentation skills work into broader leadership competencies?

Let's face it. Not everyone is comfortable with getting up in front of groups of people. Add to this the pressure of presenting information that will make or break a possible Contract with the client, and you have a recipe for disaster. For example, a common platform for making presentations is the use of Microsoft PowerPoint or a similar application. You have only a limited time to deliver your message. The tendency is often to put as much information as possible into the slides to either avoid forgetting a key element or allowing you to read the presentation to your audience. In the end, the presentation is of little value and misses the mark with the client. Our Institute provides steps for avoiding these mistakes and building a presentation to achieve success.