Jermaine Toomer Seeks to Empower Others

Jermaine Toomer is the assistant program manager for Cyber Platforms and Systems (CPS) — part of PEO EIS’s Defensive Cyber Operations portfolio. Originally a Marine, Toomer worked as a program analyst and project analyst for several DOD contracting companies before joining the Army workforce. He’s a fan of grilling and primetime television, and he’s today’s #PEOEISTeammateTuesday.

Where did you grow up, and what influenced you to join the military?

I grew up in Brooklyn, New York with my mom and older brother. It was tough, but it made me the man I am today.

I received a scholarship to New York University, but because there were additional costs associated with going to college, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to adequately focus on my schoolwork due to the financial burden. I decided to join the military, knowing that one bonus would be the government helping to pay for my college degree.

What aspect of Marine Corps service left a positive impression on you?

I mean this to my core — the importance of teamwork. They say there’s no “I” in “team.” Nothing can be attained by just one person. You need teamwork to get things done. That is absolutely ingrained in my brain. When folks feel like they're part of a team — that their ideas and thoughts are valued — there is less groupthink. I don't want to be the type of leader who makes everybody do what I say. I want teammates to be individual thinkers. That's probably how some of the best ideas have come about. If team members didn't have the opportunity to speak or weren't heard, who knows where we'd be?

What's one funny or inspiring moment from your time in the Marine Corps?

During boot camp, I lost my rifle. I told my drill instructor that I set it against a tree, and he made me search probably 50 trees. I was in North Carolina where there are hundreds of skinny trees that are close together, and they all look alike. I kept searching until he told another recruit to give me a weapon and never let it out of my sight again.

What are some projects you see CPS being involved with in the next year or two that will help the Army counter current threats?

We'll be collaborating more with industry and our sister services to leverage lessons learned and quickly incorporate new technologies that are brought to market to stay ahead of our enemies. There's been a big push for the services to collaborate with each other, and we’ll take full advantage of that in developing our next version of the Deployable Defensive Cyberspace Operations Systems – Modular kits.

What's something you've learned from somewhere you didn't expect, such as a person you had difficulties with, or an everyday moment that stuck with you?

It’s a quote I have in my email signature block: “Lower your standards, and you will lose winners; raise your standards, and you will lose losers.” I'm a big proponent of the requirements driving the solution. If you want maximum output from anything, you have to maintain high standards to make people want to do better. Another thing I've learned in the military team environment is accountability. If one or more people aren't accountable for what they're responsible for, it’s still going to have to get done. But other people will have to work that much harder to pick up the slack. Don't lower your standards as a leader — you get out what you put in.

What is one aspect of leadership you rarely hear anyone speak about, but you think is important to share with others?

Another one of the creeds I live by as a leader is that I don’t have to know absolutely everything or be the technical expert in all areas. I just need to be cognizant and put the true experts in a position to do what they specialize in and keep me informed, so I can make the best decisions. I think many leaders want to be the experts and micromanage everything, and I don’t believe that’s the right approach. You should empower your people to do what they do best.

Do you have any recommended books, movies or TV shows?

I watch a lot of TV shows: “24,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Wire,” “The Boys,” “Billions” and “Power.” I like when they show a character that starts off in one manner but changes for better or worse through character development. Like Walter White, the main character from “Breaking Bad.” That's a prime example of a guy who started off as a clean-cut professor but turned into a big-time meth dealer. That transformation was crazy.

What are some of your hobbies?

Traveling, grilling and watching TV shows. I love to grill things like brisket, ribs and pork shoulder. There are smokers with new technologies that let you set the temperature and duration for the cooking time. No more babysitting — that was so painful.

Any advice you'd like to give to those reading this article?

No matter what your job or career involves, understand that there are people who depend on you, so work hard every day to not let them or yourself down. If your job were so unimportant that it wasn’t needed, why would you be here? Take pride in your work and understand that it's a piece within a larger puzzle. If one piece is missing, the puzzle cannot be complete. Ultimately, you'll get where you want to be, one step at a time.