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Insight into the Benefits of the TMB Mentorship Program – Interview with Charlene Beaman
In January 2021, the TMB Mentorship Program officially rolled out to the company, offering TMB employees the opportunity to improve personal and career development to boost work relationships between employees, create a sense of purpose in the workplace, provide an avenue for leadership development, and increase productivity within the company. As of July 2021, the program has been operating for seven months, allowing time for those participating in the program to reap the benefits of the program and truly blossom as individuals, and as a team. To get a glance into the experiences of individuals in the program, Charlene Beaman, a Senior Contracts Lead for Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS), was interviewed about the TMB Mentorship Program.
Q: Who are you and what do you do for TMB?
A: My name is Charlene Beaman and I am the Senior Contracts Lead for IWS 1.0 on TMB’s IWS [Business Financial Management] BFM Support contract. In my role as a Senior Contracts Lead, I oversee a team of two analysts. I assemble modifications for IWS contracts, and ensure all contracts comply with the [Federal Acquisition Regulation] FAR.
Q: Who is your mentor in the program, and what is their position at TMB?
A: My mentor’s name is David Kunselman. He works on our newly awarded Team Ships Front Office [TSFO] Support contract as a [Subject Matter Expert] SME supporting the Team Ships Chief Financial Officer [CFO]. Before retiring in 2019, David was a Commander in the U.S. Navy and served as the Chief Financial Officer in PEO IWS.
Q: Why did you want a mentor?
A: The option for a mentor was presented to me when I took over a senior role in the company. My TMB manager thought having a mentor would help me develop leadership skills that would be beneficial to me as a manager and team lead. My personality, and subsequently my management style, is very direct and efficiency-focused but to be an effective team lead requires a more well-rounded skill set. From his time in the Navy, David has had a chance to manage hundreds of sailors and has worked with me to learn the balance between efficiency and empathy as a leader. His mentorship has been extremely beneficial to me in this new role. I recently brought on a new hire to my team, and the help I received from David has made a positive difference. Being more personable instead of solely task focused has helped immensely.
Q: What drew you to the TMB Mentorship Program?
A: I felt drawn to the Mentorship Program because I was struggling with being a manager. I didn’t feel like my team was a high performing team and as a team lead it was ultimately my responsibility to improve the team chemistry. Managing people is very difficult and the skills to be an effective manager aren’t taught in school. I knew I needed help and the Mentorship Program provided me an opportunity to become a better manager and the current team is really flourishing. I feel very lucky to have had David as a mentor for these past 7 months and he has been a great help.
Q: What has been the biggest benefit of the program?
A: One of the best lesson’s I have learned from David was in the area of time management. Early on when I first became a task lead, I found myself becoming stressed when trying to always be available for the employees on my team. David suggested that I set aside specific times during the week where I would be available to the team. This has made a tremendous difference. As a result, the quality of time I spend with my team has improved immensely. I can be present with them and still have time to complete the direct client support required in my position. What I like to refer to as my ‘day job’.
Q: How do you think you’ve benefited your mentor, David Kunselman?
A: As IWS CFO, David had some insight into the Contracts world, but I have been able to help him understand and connect the dots between the BFM and Contracts functions in IWS.
Q: What would you like to see for the TMB Mentorship Program in the future?
A: I would like to meet other mentees and mentors within the program to see if the topics and issues they work on can be helpful to the whole group in the program.
Q: What do you like about the Mentorship Program?
A: I like that the program is not super structured, and that it can be on my time and fit my needs. There are no forced meetings to meet a metric. I like that it is free flowing because it allows for flexibility to meet different needs of the individuals in the program. This is especially helpful for TMB employees who have a heavy workload.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add to the conversation on the Mentorship Program?
A: I wish that the mentorship program could have been created earlier, and I am happy that we have it now. I encourage anyone who is interested in progressing in their careers at TMB to take advantage of the program. I started with TMB as a Contracts Analyst in 2015 and in this role, I was not responsible for managing anyone. I believe if I had been able to take part in the Mentorship Program before becoming a task lead, I may have been able to avoid some of the issues I initially faced when starting in this role.
~ Katie Flowers
