Manish Patel embraces transformational change

Manish Patel, PEO EIS’s cybersecurity director, currently manages a team that supports PEO EIS cybersecurity demands. A New Jersey native, Patel started his civil service career as an engineering intern at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, for what is now the Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems. Early in his career, he helped design and implement satellite communications and networking capabilities that permitted Army tactical units to gain critical information from the enterprise network. Later, he led the IT portion of the mission to transform the Pentagon infrastructure as part of the Pentagon Renovation program. And most recently, he helped architect and implement the modernization of the Army’s enterprise network. These transformative efforts highlight his 30+ years of civil service, largely with PEO EIS.

An introvert by nature, a voracious reader, a sports enthusiast and today’s #PEOEISTeammateTuesday, Patel opened up to answer some questions about his career and life.

Why have you been successful in your career?
I have had great mentors and coaches who helped me tap into my strengths while also developing new skills. I am a good listener and ask probing questions to gather information and assess a situation.    

I also strive to do the right thing, and that’s not necessarily what's easy or expected. When I talk to others, and especially PEO EIS and Army leaders, I tell them what they need to know, not just what they want to hear.

Thinking outside the box to find more enduring solutions has helped me be successful. A quick fix or minor change may be the easy answer, but sometimes a transformational change is required to address the root cause. Implementing such change requires a change in mindset, a willingness to take some risk and a commitment toward your objective. For example, over the past five years the Army overhauled its enterprise network to increase capacity and enhance security for Army applications to perform better and improve the user experience. One of the benefits of this modernization became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Army relied heavily on the Virtual Private Network provided by this transformation. This benefit would not have been possible if we didn’t take some calculated risks and embrace this transformational change.

What does a post-COVID environment look like for you at work?
What works best for every organization will vary, but I expect there to be a significant percentage of folks teleworking. Some work must be done on-site, but the past year has proved that a good portion of what we do can be done remotely.

I use Microsoft Teams every day to communicate, coordinate and collaborate. COVID got us to think about how to do our job differently and, in some cases, better. Until we put Teams in place last year, most people didn’t realize the potential it could offer. Sometimes, when forced into thinking outside the box or doing things differently, people can adapt and change pretty well.

Where were you born?
I was born in London, England. My parents moved there from India and then came to America when I was very young. They left India for an opportunity at a better future. I marvel at the risk and determination it must have taken them to leave family and friends behind. They instilled in me the value of citizenship and service. And part of that includes giving back to my community and the nation.

What did your parents do?
My father was a civil engineer and my mother was a stay-at-home mom. With three kids, I am sure both would agree that my mother had the tougher job.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I am a sports junkie and fitness fanatic. I enjoy running, biking and swimming. Besides the physical benefits, I find that exercise is a great stress reliever and helps me clear my mind. I also like watching and playing sports like golf, tennis and basketball.

When are you happiest?
I am happiest doing activities — whether it’s going to a park, hiking or traveling — with my wife and kids.

What challenges have you overcome in your career?
Typically, I seek more and more information in an effort to connect the dots for a particular problem. Usually that serves me well, but sometimes that can lead to analysis paralysis. I have learned to be more adaptive in urgent situations or where some information is simply not available.

Do you have any book recommendations?
I have several. For us acquisition professionals, I recommend “Longitude.” In the 18th century, knowing where you were at sea, and specifically the longitude, meant naval superiority and therefore military power and economic prosperity. It was the problem of the day and the smartest minds were trying to figure it out. Spoiler alert:  A clockmaker named John Harrison solved the riddle. It is a great example of out-of-the box thinking and that the smartest guys in the room don't always have the answer.

“Smart Leaders and Smarter Teams” focuses on how to be a better leader and get the best out of your teams. It is an easy read with practical tips and useful recommendations.

“Life is Good” is about two brothers who demonstrate the power of positive thinking and live life with openness, courage, compassion and authenticity.

I am currently reading “The Soul of America.” by historian John Meacham. We are living through turbulent times. This book serves as a reminder that America has gone through similarly tough times in the past. Each time, we persevered and eventually prospered as a nation. Knowing this history gives me both hope and confidence in our future.

If you could have coffee with anyone in history or present day, who would it be?
Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. They each established a vision under incredibly difficult circumstances in nations that were highly divided. I would want to know what gave them the strength and determination that non-violent means toward their ends would work.

How would you describe your leadership style?
I take pride in being an adaptive and situational leader but if I had to put into a word: I am a coach. I take advantage of the unique talents people bring to the team and toward the mission. I understand their personalities, knowledge, skills and abilities and strive to bring out the best in each. I then try to provide each individual and team objectives, some left-and-right bounds, and empower them to apply their skills. I provide guidance and advice when I think it is needed or when they seek it. It’s a model that has worked pretty well for me thus far.

What does a good leader do?
A good leader is humble.

A good leader listens. God gave us two ears and one mouth — use them in that proportion.

Good leaders are also good guides. They lead by example by demonstrating responsibility, accountability and integrity.

Good leaders empower people to innovate.

Why is PEO EIS a great place to work?
The people are great. I have had the pleasure to work for and with really awesome people — true professionals in every sense of the word. Everyone across the organization takes great pride in what they do and cares deeply about the mission. This professional pride makes the difference between just doing the job and doing it exceptionally well.

We have depth and breadth across our portfolio, which makes working at PEO EIS incredibly challenging and extremely rewarding.

What advice do you have for companies interested in working for PEO EIS?
Understand the diversity and complexity of our portfolio. And understand what we do and how we do it.

What do you consider the most valuable virtue?
Integrity. As the saying goes, “If you have integrity, nothing else matters. And if you don't have integrity, nothing else matters.”

What is the best advice you received?
When I was at senior service college, a high school principal was one of our guest speakers. She had three guiding principles at her school — take care of yourself, take care of each other and take care of this place (the school).  Those principles resonated with me in my personal and professional life. If you don't take care of yourself — and that includes mind, body and spirit — it's hard to do the other things. Great leaders and great organizations then take care of their people.  Get the first two right, and then you are able to take care of your family at home or your mission at work. It's simple, but there’s elegance in its simplicity.

How would you like to be remembered?
I would like to be remembered as having lived up to the high school principal’s advice.