KALAMAZOO, Mich.—With extensive leadership in both the U.S. Army and corporations, Major General Rod Faulk, B.B.A.’87, shares insight into what it takes to lead organizations and how students can position themselves for leadership opportunities. He currently serves on active duty as the commanding general, 99th Readiness Division, U.S. Army Reserve, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. On leave of absence from his civilian career, Faulk has experience in banking and technology management at Comerica Bank, ADS Financial Services Solutions and IBM.
Q&A with Major General Rod Faulk
Q: What are the challenges in leading teams or organizations?
A: It can be difficult to reach a common understanding of well-defined outcomes and identify the best methods to achieve those outcomes. Failure to synchronize with various parties on these key points often leads to conflict, especially in larger complex organizations. I recall conflict in managing corporate technology projects where the marketing department had priorities, requirements and a timeline that conflicted with what end users needed to be effective in supporting the overall goals of the organization.
Q: What are the rewards of leading teams or organizations?
A: Building or creating something that will generate lasting value for the organization and enabling people to be successful is the greatest reward. Learning with your teammates while working on common goals and initiatives is also satisfying because you gain exposure to a variety of different viewpoints.
Q: What similarities and differences exist between your corporate leadership roles in project management and technology management with Comerica Bank and IBM compared to your military leadership experiences?
A: My civilian supervisors were genuinely interested in my Army Reserve duties and the organizational dynamics of the Army. They were often surprised to find that the Army and corporate entities, as large organizations, had much in common, especially when examined through the lens of organizational behavior. In both corporate and military settings, it’s important to use a disciplined problem-solving approach and make data-driven decisions informed by expert opinions and experiences. Applying available technology to solve business problems is a key skill that is in short supply in both fields.
Q: What are some of the goals you have in terms of operations, culture and strategy for the organizations you currently lead?
A: It’s important to use data for decision making and to manage the business, but not everything is solved with a metrics focus. Most Army units are like sports teams, where metrics and stats are important to understand aspects of performance. However, true performance improvement comes from hours on a practice field.
My current team at the 99th Readiness Division, which supports 42,000 soldiers in 13 states across the Northeast, is re-examining our approach to our support operations. While the daily operations are busy, we must take the time to see the big picture and assess the organization. I believe that it’s better to see the changes needed and drive the changes yourself than to have changes thrust upon you.
Q: What is the career accomplishment you are proudest of?
A: On the civilian side, it’s a project for the bank. We were faced with a technology issue that threatened to add $2 million to the project budget, which would have been a significant cost overrun. I was able to create a solution to avoid that cost, which the tech team validated was feasible, and then applying my Army Reserve logistics training helped made it work.
In the Army, I have had many rewarding experiences including commanding the 785th Military Police Battalion in Iraq and deploying with the 300th Military Police Brigade as the chief of staff.
Q: How did your college studies in management, accounting and project management influence your career?
A: Through case study, group projects, and assigned reading and lecture, I learned skills that I could apply in both business and military settings. The group projects helped me learn to function effectively on a team as well as learn the intricacies of team dynamics. I was able to apply my military education and experiences in logistics management to projects at the bank and generate ideas that avoided millions in potential cost overruns for project budgets. Similarly, I brought many ideas and techniques from the civilian world to bear on problems in the Army. When managing your career, remember that you often learn a lot in the jobs you don't think you want, and a trusted mentor can help you find value in the experience gained in most situations. Taking time to reflect and learn at every stage of your life and career is very important.
Q: How did the Haworth College of Business help you gain the skills to launch a successful career?
A: I learned the beginnings of both the art and the science of management, and how to be a goal-oriented leader in any setting. The education at WMU with outstanding professors and classmates allowed me to learn business dynamics and what drives value for businesses of all kinds. There is value in the dynamic interaction of group projects—some things can’t be absorbed from a textbook. This environment also taught me how to function as part of a team working toward a common goal, which is relevant to any business or government environment.
Q: What skills should students develop if they aspire to lead teams or organizations?
A: Teamwork, collaboration, listening and communicating are important skills to develop. The adage that ‘it’s best to seek to understand before trying to be understood’ is sage advice. The ability to dissect a problem or project into manageable parts is a crucial skill in the planning and organizing process, which helps you to delegate or otherwise divide the project into smaller pieces for the team. This helps team members remain engaged and maintain individual responsibility while understanding the other factors that impact success, and it makes the next project easier to bring together.
Finally, the ability to convey information to an executive audience is a skill that takes time, practice and good mentoring to master. It’s important to be open to learning from mentors, and it’s vital to mentor others along your way, even when you think you are ‘too busy with work.’
Want to know more about Major General Rod Faulk’s career progression? Follow him on LinkedIn.
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