WORKFORCE
LEAD WHERE YOU LAND A AMY K. LARSON
COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Army Contracting Command – Rock Island TITLE: Contract specialist
YEARS OF SERVICE IN WORKFORCE: 6.5
AAW/DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Level III in contracting; Level I in informa- tion technology and in industrial and contract property management
EDUCATION: MBA, Master of Organizational Leadership, and BBA in marketing, management and philosophy, St. Ambrose University
my Larson has done a lot of leader-ish things for someone whose position doesn’t officially require it. She mentors junior staff, put together a group to support new hires, partnered with a co-worker to turn around a struggling program at her command, and has become the go-to person for just about
any issue thanks to an extensive cross-organizational contact list she has developed. She has also availed herself of several leader development programs offered by DOD and the Army Director, Acquisition Career Management (DACM) Office, including the Defense Civilian Emerging Leader Program (DCELP), the Acquisition Leadership Challenge Program, the Inspiring and Developing Excellence in Acquisition Leaders Program and the Executive Leadership Development Program.
“Because I am not a positional leader, I have to always be looking for opportunities to use my skills,” said Larson, a contract specialist for the Army Contracting Command – Rock Island (ACC-RI), Illinois. “I spread myself a little thin, and it’s a challenge to juggle a lot of things at once, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
She has been with ACC-RI for nearly seven years, and came to acquisition after a career in academia. “I wanted to work in the public sector, and chose contracting for the legal and regulatory aspects and the challenge of the detailed work,” she said. As a contract specialist, she negotiates cost, price and schedule for explosives and ammunition. “My biggest satisfaction is knowing that the government has provided the tools to support my mission and positively affect others around me, despite the fact that I am not yet in a leadership role,” she said.
A desire to learn more about government leadership and to overcome the challenge of
“starting a government career late in life” motivated Larson to seek out developmental training opportunities. “I have always had an intrinsic desire to be great at my job, and I found this was one of many options for me to act on that. Te civilian contracting career model developed by the DACM Office served as a guide in professional develop- ment, and helped me identify next steps.”
For her, the most impactful course was DCELP. Tat course “was all about meeting people in the middle—adapting to them,” she said. “Because everyone is different, you need to have the ability to fluidly use different styles of conflict management, learning, leadership, etc., depending on the people you’re dealing with. Be cognizant that your way is not the best or only way, and keep in mind that being able to adapt your style is going to get you further than having your feet planted.”
Te course’s setting, at a conference center in Southbridge, Massachusetts, is an important part of its success, Larson said. Lodging, dining and classroom facilities were all in one spot. “It was inevitable that we would get to know the other students extremely well. Also, no one was from that area, and therefore we couldn’t go home or to an office after class- room sessions, which provided a lot of valuable networking opportunities.” Te DCELP
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