Dynamic duo leads DCO unit

Two talented teammates, Lt. Col. Michael Lind and Toney Howard, lead the Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO) Cyber Platforms and Systems (CPS) unit.

Lind, the CPS product manager, is a servant leader who has deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, Korea and Kuwait during his 19 years of Army service. His wife describes him as fun, loyal and energetic. He has three children who keep him busy. In his free time, he loves restoring antique furniture.

Howard, the CPS deputy product manager, is a 30-year Army veteran. A compassionate leader, he tries to help as many people as he can because so many have helped him. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf and spending time with his granddaughter.

Lind and Howard, today’s #PEOEISTeammateTuesday, answered questions about their career and life.

Where did you grow up?
LIND: I grew up in a blue-collar town in Massachusetts. My parents were high school sweethearts who worked incredibly hard to provide for my brother and me. I am the first person in my family to graduate from college. On September 11, 2001, I earned an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Norwich University, a small military college in Vermont.

HOWARD: I grew up poor in Waynesboro, Mississippi. My father supported our family on a fifth-grade education. He taught me how to make the best of a bad situation. In high school, several teachers told me that I was destined to work in a factory in the local community. My math teacher told me that I wasn’t going to amount to anything. None of my teachers encouraged me to go to college. The prejudice I encountered motivated me to prove the community wrong.

How have you supported Project Inclusion, a new Army initiative to improve diversity, equity and inclusion?
LIND: Toney and I co-hosted a town hall about diversity. It brought our team together and allowed us to hear different points of view. Our team came to the conversation with open minds and open hearts. Toney and I value different points of view. Everyone doesn’t have to think the same way.

Our ability to do our job and defend our country depends on the fact that we have to trust each other. Prejudice erodes trust. I trusted my team to be able to have an open, honest, professional dialogue. Racial prejudice goes against the Army values and everything the uniform I wear stands for. During the town hall, we learned about people's experiences and points of view. We discussed what we can do to be a better team and better people.

HOWARD: During the town hall, we listened. We talked about what makes people want to come to work and what we can do to make the environment more inclusive.  

What challenges have you overcome in your career?
HOWARD: I encountered prejudice early in my career. One of my supervisors was determined to end my Army career for no apparent reason other than the color of my skin. He did the same thing to some of my colleagues. If they didn’t speak up, they washed out. I spoke up. Col. Alton Morrison advocated for me and was instrumental in saving my Army career.

How do you help people on your team who are struggling?
LIND: I have had individuals on my team who have experienced personal troubles. If they need help, they know they can call me or text me anytime, whether it’s midnight, 2 a.m. or 4 a.m. I am honored that they feel that I am someone who can and will help them.

HOWARD: When I meet anyone, my first inclination is to believe that there is some good in them. If a see an employee who could be a little bit stronger in how they perform their job, it’s easy to throw them away. But that's not my approach. I find out why someone is not living up to their potential. There could be a lot of reasons why someone is not performing. I try to uncover why they are not performing to the level that we are expecting. They may be having personal issues at home. They may need counseling from an Army chaplain that will free up their mind so they can perform better at work. I have seen job performance increase tremendously after a leader shows that they care. My instinct is to figure out what's going on with someone before just throwing them out the door. I work with them to try to help them overcome whatever obstacles they may be facing. Once we have ironed out any impediments that affected their work, I expect them to perform.

When are you happiest?
LIND: I am happiest when I am watching my kids laugh and my wife smile.

If you could have coffee with anyone, who would it be?
LIND: Retired General Colin Powell is an inspiring leader who cares about people. I have seen him speak numerous times and would love to have coffee with him.

HOWARD: I would love to sit down with Colin Powell and get his advice that I could then take and pass on to others.

What does a good leader do?
LIND: As a young lieutenant, I was lucky to work for Brigadier General Anne Macdonald, one of the first female generals to come out of West Point. I was also an aide to Brigadier General Mike Combest. They were first-rate leaders who cared about other people and treated everyone—regardless of rank—with dignity and respect. I will never forget those two and always try to emulate them. I have been blessed to be surrounded by amazing leaders, including my deputy, Toney.

What does a good leader not do?
HOWARD: A good leader doesn’t develop a solution without consulting others. A good leader doesn’t make decisions in a vacuum.

How would you describe your leadership style?
LIND: I am a servant leader. I do everything I can to guide and empower my team and drive them to be successful. Then, in the end, they are the ones doing the great work. They are the ones moving mountains. I just try to help them become better mountain movers.

HOWARD: I am a coach. When you are given a task, there are a number of ways to approach it. I take a task, bring the team together and give them the big picture. I explain why we are taking this hill. If you understand the why and how your particular skill set fits into the entire operation, you are more likely to accept the plan and understand why your piece of the plan is important. I usually ask, “Have you thought about this?” as opposed to, “No, do it this way.”

Describe the PEO EIS culture.
LIND: At PEO EIS, people are passionate about supporting Soldiers. Nobody is here just to collect a paycheck. We are here because we want our Soldiers to be successful and make the world a better place.

If you could go back in time, where would you go?
LIND: If I could go back in time, I would try to meet my wife earlier. It would have saved me a lot of heartache.

Who inspires you?
LIND: My wife is a doctor who works nights in an emergency room. She worked incredibly hard to get to where she is. She is an amazing mom and wife. She is perfect for me.

HOWARD: My mother is my biggest cheerleader. When I went to college, she said, “Go forth and do great things.” She attended every one of my promotion ceremonies. My father did the best that he could with what he had. He instilled in me a great work ethic.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
HOWARD: During my lieutenant colonel promotion ceremony, my best friend’s mother sang a song that touched my heart. I didn’t know she was going to sing my favorite song, Wind Beneath My Wings. When she started singing, I had a hard time maintaining my composure. Being promoted to lieutenant colonel was a major milestone. Seeing the pride in my mother’s and father’s faces during the song made me weep.

What do you consider the most valuable virtue?
HOWARD: Honesty. If you are honest with yourself and others, people know what you are thinking and how you feel. If you put everything on the table and say, “This is the way it is,” everyone knows you don’t have a hidden agenda and everything is above board. Honesty fosters strong relationships.

What advice do you have for people just starting their career?
HOWARD: Get grounded. Have a strong foundation because when you have a solid foundation for yourself, you are able to take care of others. When you have a strong foundation, you won’t go with just anything. You will take time to evaluate your options and make an informed decision as opposed to just moving along like a willow in the wind.

How would you like to be remembered?
LIND: I would like to be remembered as a good son, husband and father. 

HOWARD: I would like to be remembered as a compassionate guy who served others. Mother had a saying: “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Most people respond better to kindness than brute force.