Episode 1 - Change, Recruiting, and Innovation with Philip Anderson

Today on the Government in Plain Language Podcast, MaBinti Yillah talks to Philip Anderson, the founder and president of TransformAction Dynamics, LLC. Before founding TransformAction Dynamics, Philip initiated, led, and managed Department of Defense acquisition programs valued up to $1.1B annually. His wide-ranging experience includes successful Joint Service, U.S. Navy, Foreign Military Sales, NATO, Partner Nation and Coalition Partner initiatives, projects, and programs.

[02:05] Making the Shift from Technical Expert to Project Management

[04:28] Project Management and Stakeholder Interests

[05:50] Phillip’s Journey from Civil Service to Private Consulting

[06:51] Philip’s Experience Working with the U.S. Navy

[09:07] The Psychology of Organizational Change

[18:30] The Role of Federal Contractors in Program Management

[18:30] Tips for Hiring the Right People

[23:12] Closing the Government Tech Talent Gap

[26:50] How the Government can Attract Tech Specialists to the Public Sector

[32:10] The Lack of Ground-Breaking Technologies in the Public Sector

Making the Shift from Technical Expert to Project Management

The one thing about today’s leadership is that technical competence alone does not guarantee successful leadership. So, how do organizations and industries ensure a steady flow of management talent? For the most part, organizations promote internally and look out for the people with the most vital technical skills. Interestingly, most technical experts dislike management roles. Philip believes that this is mainly because technical experts earned their stripes by mastering a technical discipline. Further, problems in the tech realm are solved with logic and research, while managing people is anything but logical.

Philip was one of the few technical experts who got fascinated by the world of project management. He maintains that experts willing to transition into the management space must master a few concepts that guarantee success. First, the approach that might have contributed to individual success isn’t necessarily going to work in a management position. Thus, individuals should expand their perspectives and think about business strategies instead of pure technology. The second and most important part is developing people skills that are crucial when growing the employee side of the organization.

The Psychology of Organizational Change

Change is constant; there’s no doubt about that. But creating a culture where employees believe they have the power to initiate change is what makes organizations great. Yet, for the most part, employees find themselves entangled in other people’s changes. Of course, it’s almost impossible to engage every employee, but Philip believes that communicating change delivers seamless transitions.

Closing the Government Tech Talent Gap

In today’s technological advancement landscape, industries crave more technologists, with experts agreeing that the demand will only grow. Unsurprisingly, the federal government faces the same problem, confirming that there aren’t enough technology specialists to go around. However, the government faces unique obstacles in trying to fill these positions. Consequently, the government could fail at serving citizens as tech talent dwindles, and tech problems mount.

Links and Resources

Philip Anderson’s LinkedIn

The TransformAction Dynamics Website

Government in Plain Language’s Twitter Page

MSY Associates Twitter Page