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GTC West Wraps with Gamification, Mobility Sessions

Former NASA Space Center director Jefferson "Beak" Howell wraps up GTC West with his rules for leadership.

Government Technology’s annual GTC West conference in Sacramento, Calif., concluded Wednesday, Aug. 21. The event featured sessions addressing pressing public-sector IT issues, including mobility, workforce development, citizen engagement and cybersecurity. 

Keynote speaker Jefferson "Beak" Howell, a Marine figher pilot who ultimately became director of NASA's Johnson Space Center, talked about his experiences in leading people -- particularly during tough times. Howell was the space center director during the Columbia space shuttle disaster in 2003, an event he described as a "nightmare."

Speaking to a packed house, Howell recounted events ranging from aerial dogfights in the skies over Vietnam to arranging a memorial service, attended by President George W. Bush, for the Columbia crew members. Out of those and other events, Howell developed eight leadership rules, which give straightforward advice like, "People normally live up to your expectations of them" and "Things are never as good or bad as first reported."

 

Noelle Knell is the executive editor for e.Republic, responsible for setting the overall direction for e.Republic’s editorial platforms, including Government Technology, Governing, Industry Insider, Emergency Management and the Center for Digital Education. She has been with e.Republic since 2011, and has decades of writing, editing and leadership experience. A California native, Noelle has worked in both state and local government, and is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, with majors in political science and American history.