Leadership Fort Sill is a low budget, high energy, high passion initiative that’s now led by Mr. Gallagher. If the SES (Senior Executive Service) can make time for this program, so can you and that's a powerful message — Julia Sibilla, deputy to the Garrison Commander, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Sill
FORT SILL, Okla. (Oct. 24, 2023) — The gates of self-discovery and leadership excellence swung open for the sixth class of Leadership Fort Sill, Oct. 19.
The program, a crucible for honing leadership acumen among civilians ranking from GS-9 to GS-13 at Fort Sill, kicked off its Class 6 with a blend of enthusiasm and insightful directives from the leadership trio behind the course — Joe E. Gallagher, Dr. Alvin Peterson Jr., and Julia Sibilla.
Gallagher, deputy to the Commanding General, Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill, elaborated on the inception of the program six years ago. "We started Leadership Fort Sill to build connective tissue down through the echelons of the workforce," Gallagher remarked. The vision was to bridge the knowledge gap across different organizational tiers, fostering a more interconnected workforce.
The program’s format has evolved to include eight residential training sessions throughout the year, with each participant dedicating eight hours of paid duty time monthly. Dr. Peterson Jr., deputy to the Chief of Staff, Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill, emphasized the modeled structure of the course on Leadership Oklahoma, albeit with a heavier emphasis on leadership in the curriculum. The course, he noted, is a blend of leadership theory and hands-on interactions with various enterprise partners on Fort Sill.
Julia Sibilla, deputy to the Garrison Commander, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Sill, commended the program for its homegrown approach to personal and professional growth. "Leadership Fort Sill is a low budget, high energy, high passion initiative that’s now led by Mr. Gallagher. If the SES (Senior Executive Service) can make time for this program, so can you and that's a powerful message," Sibilla added.
A notable dimension of the program is its mentorship component, which has seen substantial refinement over the years. Sibilla acknowledged past challenges with the mentorship aspect, highlighting recent improvements. “People are now telling me that they made a really good connection with their mentor, which has never happened before,” she shared.
Peterson also underscored the essential role of mentorship, relating it to leader engagement. He mentioned the challenges of balancing daily job demands with the imperatives of leadership and mentorship, a balance he believes is crucial for organizational health and personnel development.
As the torch of leadership development gets passed to a new cohort, Gallagher urged the participants toward self-reflection, a crucial aspect of personal and professional growth. Peterson echoed similar sentiments, stressing continuous learning and the importance of reading as a catalyst for leadership growth. Sibilla encouraged making the program a priority and holding oneself accountable for the reading and learning tasks at hand.
With the wealth of experience and continuous improvement embodied in the Leadership Fort Sill program, Class 6 stands on the cusp of an enriching journey of self-discovery, professional growth and collaborative excellence, said Gallagher. This initiative not only underscores the commitment of Fort Sill toward nurturing a robust Civilian Corps but also sets a precedent in leadership development, making a significant stride toward a cohesive and well-rounded workforce.
Social Sharing