b'InsightsI have also had the opportunity to work with several otherthat. It drives me crazy because we dont do anything by amazing ELPers through some of the programs that I manage.ourselves. In government, leaders must understand that it is a They are the future of GSA. Just so bright, hardworking,group effort. I try to make sure that my team knows that I innovative. We have an incredibly high retention rate. It isrecognize everything that they have done to get us across the 80 percent. I meet ELPers throughout the agency. Some offinish line and that they know I appreciate all that they do.them are in their late 20s, early 30sthey all still talk about the program and the cohort that they formed. They still have lunches with leadership. Even though they are rotating around, we try to keep them as a cohort and build those relationships. It is just great, because they form relationships across the agency that, once they are finally placed, will help them be successful. For instance, if you have somebody that does a rotation from the federal acquisition service to public building service, well, that is great. If they end up in one of those two services, they probably dont need to know what the other is doing. They feel valued because they know people throughout the agency and they can bring value to their organization.What has surprised you most since becoming deputy administrator? To learn more about the U.S. General Services Administration,Outside and perhaps within Washington, D.C., the GSAgo to gsa.gov.mission may be kind of a mystery. After taking the role, I started to get to know the mission and the people better. ITo hear the interviews from The Business of Government Hour, go to was incredibly impressed, just blown away by the talent, thebusinessofgovernment.org/interviews.skill, the dedication, the motivation of GSA career employees. Just phenomenal! On the mission side, I wasTo download the show as a podcast, go to PodcastOne or iTunes and impressed by the business-like entrepreneurial atmosphere.search for The Business of Government Hour.All the innovation, the excitement about many different initiativeshow peoples imaginations are rewarded. WeTo view excerpts of the show, go to youtube.com/want people to think outside the box.businessofgovernment.What is a key characteristic an effective leader? It depends on context. Leadership in the military looks very different from leadership at a tech startup. For me, leadership starts with building a sense of trust. I am very much a team player. I have always viewed my role as leading from within the group as opposed to running ahead and asking everyone to follow me. I want my team to feel like we are all in it together. I try to create an environment that is a little more casual, friendly. I want people to feel safe to disagree with me and freely share their opinions. I may not listen, but I want them to tell me what they think. I have noticed thatone of my pet peevespeople in leadership positions that go around and talk about I did this and I did 38 www.businessofgovernment.org The Business of Government'