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News | Nov. 8, 2018

Former DLA Director provides a Back to Basics presentation during DLA Distribution's Leadership Training Summit

By Diana Dawa DLA Distribution Public Affairs

U.S. Navy Vice Adm. (Ret) Keith W. Lippert was the keynote speaker during DLA Distribution’s Leadership training summit held for commanders, directors and deputies here October 22-26, 2018. 

From July 2001-2006, Lippert served as the 14th Director of the Defense Logistics Agency, the longest serving director in DLA’s history.  He currently works part time doing consulting work for Accenture and the Defense Logistics Agency.

In keeping with the leadership training summit theme, “Distribution Roadmap, Back to Basics,” Lippert’s brief touched on many topics like integrity, self-assessment, work-life balance, being authentic, and mentorship.

He touched on the DLA headquarters relationships, the importance of building your own team, metrics, and offered up a couple of book titles for recommended reading – “Good to Great,” by Jim Collins, and “Alpha Male Syndrome,” by Kate Ludeman.

Prompting the audience to engage in dialogue, Lippert asked questions like, “What’s your legacy?” and “Will people show up at your retirement ceremony to make sure you’re actually retiring or to show respect?”

The recently appointed Senior Advisor to the Cumberland York Area Local Defense Group, and highly qualified expert on senior mentorship, leaned heavy on the group to become good communicators and push themselves out of their comfort zones until they get there.

Lippert admitted that he was not a good communicator at the beginning of his career but he pushed himself to become better by getting in front of groups every time he could. He accepted an offer to teach a college night class and encouraged the group to try it.

“You’re going to be uncomfortable,” he said, adding, “I’m going to tell you that right now.”