Bringing the Trusted Business
Advisor to Life
Breakout Session #
Lisa Doyle, Chancellor, VA Acquisition Academy
December 9, 2011
2:15 – 3:30 p.m.
1
Workforce Analysis
• The Government is in the process of
recruiting, hiring, training, allocating,
incentivizing, developing, and retaining
tens of thousands of new professionals.
• It’s important to think about WHO we
want as the stewards of more than
$500B per year in acquisition funds.
2
Workforce Analysis
• Acquisition leaders must ask core
questions about the workforce they lead:
– How do I get the most from my workforce?
– How do I assure that their efforts make the
greatest contribution to my agency?
– Is there something more we can do to
develop them so they can have the most
fulfilling career possible?
3
Workforce Introspection
• Members of the acquisition workforce
must also ask core questions:
– How do I maximize the meaning and value
available from my job?
– How can I make the greatest contribution to
my agency’s mission?
4
Workforce Development
• We are in a continuous search for
meaning, context and relevance.
• Leaders are constantly looking for ways
to improve outcomes through workforce
development.
5
VA Workforce Development
• The Department of Veterans Affairs –
through the VA Acquisition Academy – is
addressing these issues by creating the
next generation of acquisition
professionals, developing them in a
holistic way, and charging them with
making a meaningful difference.
6
The Trusted Business Advisor
• At the VA Acquisition Academy, we are
developing trusted business advisors to
guide our workforce development
activities, and to lay out the challenge for
both leaders and the members of the
workforce to embrace this role.
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The Trusted Business Advisor
• What is a trusted business advisor?
– Trust: To rely upon or place confidence in
someone or something; assured reliance on
the character, ability, strength, or truth of
someone.
– Business Acumen: Quickness, accuracy, and
keenness of judgment.
– Advisor: One who offers an opinion or
recommendation as a guide to action,
conduct.
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Developing the Trusted Business
Advisor
• Technical skills are NOT enough
• VA has developed a comprehensive curriculum
to build skills that we believe are essential to
maximizing performance of each member of the
acquisition team.
– Holistic curriculum includes interpersonal skills, program
management, leadership, oral and communication,
powerful speaking and listening, innovative/creative
thinking skills, and risk management.
– We are grounded in the FAR Guiding Principles [FAR
1.102(d)] – exercising discretionary authority and sound
business judgment; applying the intent behind the rules.
– If the FAR doesn’t say you can’t do it, try it!
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Characteristics of the Trusted
Business Advisor
• What skills, competencies, and
characteristics personify a trusted
business advisor?
• This role has been depicted in written
form for years. Our picture brings the
concept to life.
10
Bringing the Trusted Business
Advisor to Life
• The brain reflects core
knowledge and the ability to
find information when needed.
– Includes business acumen,
business judgment, decision-making, analytical
skills, and strategic thinking
– Includes creativity, innovation, and
interpersonal skills
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Bringing the Trusted Business
Advisor to Life
• Ears listen carefully and
seek to fully understand
customer needs and clearly
focus on results.
• Seek first to understand, then be
understood.
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Bringing the Trusted Business
Advisor to Life
• Eyes to have
awareness of the
marketplace and
their surroundings;
studying/reading;
self awareness.
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Bringing the Trusted Business
Advisor to Life
• The mouth clearly
articulates the
message; asks
relevant questions;
voices challenging
assumptions; gives
good business advice.
14
Bringing the Trusted Business
Advisor to Life
• Strong shoulders
to take
responsibility and
accountability for
decisions,
performance, and
work products.
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Bringing the Trusted Business
Advisor to Life
• A heart provides our moral
compass, ethics, integrity,
empathy, and mission
service.
• A commitment to personal
growth and improvement
• Build and manage relationships
• A public servant at heart
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Bringing the Trusted Business
Advisor to Life
• Hands for strong
writing skills to write
clear and concise
documents.
• Elbows and knees
provide flexibility to be
innovative, creative,
and adaptive to
changes.
17
Bringing the Trusted Business
Advisor to Life
• A tool belt of skills in
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
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Leadership
Contracting
Project Management
Interpersonal Skills
Learning Agility
Problem Solving
Insights into Industry
Bringing the Trusted Business
Advisor to Life
• Feet to take you
on your
meaningful
leadership
journey.
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The Trusted Business Advisor:
A Holistic Approach
Business Judgment / Business Acumen /
Decision Making / Analytical Skills / Strategic
Thinking
Creativity / Innovation / Interpersonal Skills
Awareness of marketplace and
surroundings / Reading / Studying / Self
Awareness
Listening Skills / Seek first to understand,
then to be understood / Fully understand
customer needs
Communication / Public Speaking /
Articulate Message / Asks Relevant
Questions / Gives Good business Advice
Strong Shoulders to take
responsibility and accountability for
decisions, performance, and products
Professionalism / Leadership Skills
Strength / Negotiation
Skills / Skill Building to
take theory and put it into
practice
Moral Compass / Ethics / Integrity /
Empathy / Compassion / Mission
Service / “Public Servants at Heart” /
Build and Manage Relationships
The Right Tools in contracting tool belt
• Contracting Skills
• Performance-Based Acquisition
• Strategic Sourcing
• Program Management
• Negotiation
• Risk Analysis
• Learning Agility
• Problem Solving
• Insights into Industry
Hands for Strong Writing Skills
Knees and Elbows provide flexibility
Feet to take you on your leadership journey
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