Career Development Knows No Uniform: Investing in People, One Conversation at a Time
Suffolk, VA - Nearly two decades ago, when I was commanding officer of the Navy Technical Training Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, my team and I embarked on an experiment. We leveraged video teleconferencing, then an emerging technology, to bring experts from Navy Personnel Command directly into our local career development boards (CDBs).
Our goal was simple: to provide Sailors with consistent, informed career guidance. We wanted them to know that their chain of command, from their immediate leaders to senior leadership, was invested in their success. We also wanted professionals from what we called the “Navy Career Development Mothership” to observe and assess our process.
The feedback validated our approach. Master-at-Arms 2nd Class (Surface Warfare) Ware said the experience made her “feel good to be a part of the command.” Her response reinforced our belief that the process worked. We were making a tangible, personal investment in our people’s futures.
Even then, I recognized that the principle behind a CDB could benefit anyone. If structured, personalized guidance was valuable for uniformed personnel, why wouldn’t it be just as valuable for our civilian workforce?
Expanding career development from military to civilian employees
The vision of extending the program to civilian employees was clear, but implementation took nearly two decades. The journey from the video teleconferencing-enabled CDB in Texas in 2008 to a fully implemented civilian program at Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) headquarters was neither quick nor straightforward. As NAVIFOR’s senior civilian, I was eventually in a position to direct implementation. The command also had a substantial civilian workforce, making it an ideal place to establish the program. This is how career development conversations (CDC’s) were born at NAVIFOR.
Securing buy-in was another challenge. Civilian employees already have individual development plans (IDPs), a performance management system and opportunities for mentorship. Why add another program? Career development requires consistent engagement among the employee, supervisor and a designated command representative. A structured, recurring conversation helps employees make better use of existing development opportunities and encourages accountability. Sitting down for a direct, focused conversation also makes it harder to treat the process as a paperwork exercise.
Mrs. Sandra Anderson, a government service civilian in Workforce Development (N11) at NAVIFOR, has seen the value of the CDC firsthand.
“The CDCs provide an opportunity to not only understand and support our employees’ development and career plans but also to get to know them as individuals and develop connections,” Anderson said. “After their initial CDC, our employees have expressed their support for this program.”
She cited feedback from employees who appreciated the opportunity to discuss their futures with leadership. One employee described the experience as “great,” adding, “No one else is doing this.” Another said, “I am so excited about this. I appreciate people taking an interest in my life.”
Anderson also emphasized the value of the format itself.
“This is a great initiative,” she said. “It provides a structured conversation but in an informal environment that then makes it easier to share and discuss development and career goals.”
I think of a CDC as the salt that brings a meal together. IDPs provide the protein, and mentorship supplies the carbohydrates. The CDC adds the element that connects them: a focused conversation about an employee’s future. Even 15 to 20 minutes can make a meaningful difference.
Under the program, every civilian employee reporting to our staff will have an initial CDC within their first 14 days at the command. The discussion covers short- and long-term career goals and available resources. A structured follow-up takes place six months later, with annual discussions thereafter.
We are also conducting initial boards with existing employees. Given the size of our workforce, completing the initial round will take several months.
Although the civilian program draws on the military model, the questions and procedures must reflect the different rules governing civilian employees. Our checklist preserves the program’s purpose while respecting applicable civilian workforce policies.
Equally important is maintaining a clear focus. The CDC is a conversation about an employee’s career aspirations, intentions, trajectory and training needs. It is not a performance review, nor is it intended to evaluate day-to-day work goals. We make that distinction clear from the outset.
Our objective is to understand each employee’s professional ambitions, align development opportunities with those ambitions and help employees prepare for future possibilities, including alternative career paths.
Because many of our civilian employees have never served in uniform, the CDC concept may be unfamiliar. To remove uncertainty and demonstrate how the process works, I conducted NAVIFOR’s first civilian CDC as an open session for the entire domain through Microsoft Teams. We recorded the session so employees could watch it later.
The first NAVIFOR headquarters civilian CDCs took place Jan. 22, 2026. We conducted four that day.
Ms. Marianne Paulsen, NAVIFOR Senior Engineering Psychologist, described the experience this way: “Having this dedicated time to focus on long-term career goals, completely separate from day-to-day work or performance reviews, was incredibly valuable. The structured conversation helps to map out a clear path for professional development, and it's reassuring to see this level of personal investment from leadership in our civilian careers.”
A proven concept, adapted for civilians
Over 100 CDBs have now been conducted, demonstrating sustained engagement with the program.
Despite the time it took to establish the initiative, I am proud that the concept we tested in 2008 has been renewed and adapted for NAVIFOR headquarters’ civilian workforce. We have expanded the CDC model to provide civilian professionals with the same kind of personal investment and career guidance offered to Sailors.
The underlying principle remains the same, but the application reflects the distinct career paths and structures of the civil service.
For Sailors, CDBs traditionally emphasize military advancement, rating-specific qualifications and future duty assignments. Discussions may cover advancement exams, sea and shore rotations, professional qualifications and physical readiness.
For civilian employees, CDCs focus on short- and long-term career planning, General Schedule and pay band progression, professional certifications, leadership training, developmental opportunities and work-life balance.
The goals also differ in important ways. Military CDBs help align Sailors’ skills and advancement with operational requirements and Navy manning needs. Civilian CDCs support employee growth and retention by connecting individual aspirations with NAVIFOR’s strategic mission.
Just as we once tracked a Sailor’s progress toward a Master Training Specialist qualification, we now help civilian employees identify the training, education and experience needed to advance in their chosen career fields. The conversation is no longer simply about making chief. It is about achieving professional mastery, developing leadership skills and pursuing meaningful career growth.
Career development is an enduring principle that knows no uniform
From a group of Sailors in San Antonio to the civilian professionals supporting NAVIFOR’s mission today, the lesson remains the same: One of the most powerful investments an organization can make is in its people.
A structured, personal and genuine interest in employees’ professional development is more than a retention tool. It is a fundamental leadership responsibility. It helps build a command where people feel valued, supported and encouraged to pursue their potential.
It took nearly 20 years to bring this initiative from an experiment with Sailors to a formalized program for civilian employees at NAVIFOR headquarters. The time was worth it. Career development is not limited by rank, job series or uniform. Its value lies in a simple principle: People deserve leaders who take an active interest in their futures.
Author’s note
From 2004 to 2007, I worked at the Navy’s Center for Career Development, where the current structure for Navy CDBs was developed. There, I worked with then-Navy Counselor Master Chief “Shipmate” Randy Miller, a legend in the Navy career counselor community.
We bonded like brothers, and his commitment to people’s career development has inspired me ever since. I have participated in as many enlisted CDBs as possible throughout my career, and I continue to do so today. That commitment now includes civilian employees at NAVIFOR headquarters.
I credit Randy with inspiring the expansion of the Navy enlisted CDB model into the civilian career development conversation (CDC) program at NAVIFOR headquarters. His example continues to influence how I approach leadership and the responsibility to invest in people.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
