At ClearanceJobs Connect 2024, Bob Sharp, CEO of B Sharp – Global Solutions and former Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), delivered a compelling keynote address on attracting the next generation of cleared talent. The evolving landscape of national security relies on maintaining a steady flow of candidates in the cleared pipeline, ensuring the United States’ strategic edge.
His speech centered on three main points: people, talent acquisition and partnerships. Sharp highlighted the importance of “People first, mission always,” a flip of the traditional DoD phrase of “Mission first, people always.”
people
“By definition and by design, people are an afterthought,” Sharp explained. “They’re coming secondary and you get so absorbed with mission that you forget to invest time, energy, resources in your people.” He stressed the need to tend to and grow the people behind the mission in order for the mission to be successful.
talent acquisition
Sharp touched on his “Great American Theory,” which at its core is the belief that people in the national security business wake up in the morning excited to do exceptionally well in their meaningful work. He encouraged the talent acquisition leaders in the room to not undersell the importance of the mission-critical jobs they recruit for.
Partnerships
Asking for a show of hands, Sharp asked, “Who has heard this phrase: ‘It takes a network to defeat a network?'” Not many in the room had, but its one that he and his team used to build out the counterterrorism forces. He called on the attendees of ClearanceJobs Connect to meet and interact with three new people, and then follow up with that person at a later date. “It will make you more effective at your job, making these connections.”
“People and partnerships are our comparative and competitive advantage as a nation,” Sharp emphasized. “We cannot do our mission without great people who we invest in—time, energy and resources. That is what you are all about.”
In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing each of the sessions from ClearanceJobs Connect 2024, offering exclusive insights from top industry leaders and innovators. Stay tuned!
