The findings, discussion and conclusions offered in this dissertation raise several

possible applications or recommendations to acquisition practitioners and the DoD,

to
policy, and to research.
Practitioners
The DoD�s emphasis on completing projects under cost, within schedule, and to
the highest technical performance standards can sometimes overshadow the need to
understand and manage the development of project leaders. Crucial in the
acquisition
process is the role of self-aware leaders who can set the program�s vision, provide
resources, trust their teams to successfully complete the mission, and advocate for
them
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with stakeholders all along the way. Thus to better meet project leadership
development
needs, the following recommendations are offered:
(1) The results of this study show that in transitions, leaders are going through a
quandary of identity but also face an opportunity to better define their
leadership. In new
roles, leaders often don�t have any external, or personal support to make the
change
effectively. They naturally experience doubt, anxiety, and self-searching, asking
fundamental identity questions about who they are and what they�re supposed to be
doing
in their new leadership role. Participants illustrated that it is possible to work
through
transitions, taking advantage of their prior experience, leader behaviors, and
selfawareness while also learning from the new environment and situation. Thus it
behooves
leaders to pay attention during those transitions, as much can be learned about
ourselves
and our leadership identity through change. Project managers also need time to
learn
from others. Accordingly, project leaders and acquisition professionals should seek
a
balanced variety of assignments where they can be exposed to diverse experiences,
and
importantly, different leaders and approaches to solving project problems.
(2) Acquisition and project leaders should also seek out opportunities for gaining
better self-awareness through individual and group feedback (one-on-one and 360-
degree
assessments), other specific assessments such as the ALQ & MBTI, and other
selfawareness centered instruments. They should also incorporate self-reflection
into their
daily leadership practice in order to better utilize the feedback gained through
such
assessments, as well as the continual interpersonal feedback and input provided by
lived
leadership experience.
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(3) Project leaders should be intentional with reflection through experiences, and
especially during transitions. Follow up is important to integrating and applying
what
one learns through self-assessment. Self-assessment by itself will not impart all
the selfunderstanding a leader needs. Leaders should make a personal plan for
revisiting the
insights gained in self-assessments and for actively applying them in their
leadership
practice. They should be patient, however and realize that they are growing as
leaders
with each new experience, leadership challenge, interaction, and educational
opportunity.
(4) In terms of developing followers, leaders should consider compelling
(positive) transitions on people who are �stuck� in their development, or are
having a
hard time finding a purpose, or simply can�t fully embrace their role or mission.
Given
that it is through transitions that people can often reflect and grow, if leaders
can help
followers who are �stuck� move into new positions or into new roles &
responsibilities,
those individuals would have an opportunity to rethink who they are and what
they�re
trying to accomplish.
(5) Project management professionals should seek to staff their teams with a
diverse workforce. As the stories and insights in this study, as well as recent
studies
(Allen, Dawson, Wheatley, & White 2008; Choi & Rainey, 2010; Pitts, 2009; Ting-
Peng,
Chih-Chung, Tse-Min, & Lin, 2007) suggest, an acquisition workforce with a diverse
make up not only in typical diversity measures (age, race, gender, ethnicity,
etc.), but also
in others such as socio-economic backgrounds, education, nationalities, working
styles,
life-experiences, and other unique characteristics (Bailey & Bailey, 2014;
Cherbeneau,
1997; Sears, 1998) contribute to greater project or organizational success. Thus,
PMs
should seek to staff their projects with a diverse team, and strive to understand
not only
197
their self-identity, but also the differences in values, perspectives, goals,
behaviors; and
others that diverse teams can contribute to project success.