Next Generation GEOINT: Forging Leaders

Two retired admirals gave early-career GEOINT professionals a practical playbook for leading before the title comes.

“Don’t be in a fetal position. Be in a tiger crouch.”

That was Vice Admiral (VADM) Robert “Bob” Sharp, U.S. Navy (Ret.), advising early-career professionals on how to face change they didn’t choose. It was one of many practical leadership lessons from Next Generation GEOINT: Forging Leaders, held September 15 at the USGIF Trajectory Event Center in Herndon, Virginia, where VADM Sharp joined Rear Admiral (RADM) Mike Studeman, U.S. Navy (Ret.), for an evening focused on what leadership looks like at every stage of a career.

Sponsored by Esri, the evening drew on more than six decades of combined naval intelligence experience to explore what leadership looks like at every stage of a career. The Admirals spoke about leading without formal authority, navigating change, building credibility, and developing the next generation of GEOINT leaders.

RADM Studeman spent over 35 years across leadership, intelligence, foreign policy, and defense assignments. He served as Commander of the Office of Naval Intelligence and served as Director of Intelligence for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. Southern Command. He is also the author of Might of the Chain: Forging Leaders of Iron Integrity. 

VADM Sharp served as Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) from 2019 to 2022, capping more than 34 years of naval intelligence service, and now is the CEO of B Sharp – Global Solutions. 

Sarah Spurrier, USGIF Program Manager and an early-career GEOINT professional, moderated the fireside chat.

Leadership Starts Before the Title

In RADM Studeman’s book, Might of the Chain, he discusses what he sees as a leadership crisis in America. Both Admirals spoke to a need for early career professionals to practice leadership before they ever enter a formal leadership position, noting everyone is leading and following at the same time, and influence can come from any direction within an organization.

RADM Studeman offered three pieces of advice to early-career professionals looking to invest in their futures: commit to learning, treat the people around you with respect, know when to step in as a positive influence. 

Leading without formal authority can be particularly challenging in government, where rank and title carry significant weight. VADM Sharp’s advice was simple: “You do not need a title, you just need to lead.”

Trust Starts on Day One

RADM Studeman called trust the single most important aspect of leadership and connected it directly to the work intelligence professionals do. Decision makers act on an analyst’s judgment, often quickly and under pressure, and that only works if they trust the person delivering it.

Building that credibility takes preparation, intellectual honesty, and a willingness to admit what you do not know. RADM Studeman encouraged early-career professionals to prepare thoroughly before walking into any room and resisting the pressure to give the answer they think others want to hear. Decision makers, he said, want analysts willing to tell them what they think, not what they assume the boss wants to hear.

He also spoke about journaling, a habit his mother had him practice as a child to improve his reading and writing. While he did not see value in it at the time, he came to appreciate the perspective it gave him. As he noted, the brain cannot remember everything. He still keeps a family journal, a personal journal, and a work journal.

RADM Studeman also returned repeatedly to authenticity, urging participants to learn from leaders you admire, but filter their techniques through your own personality and values. He noted that people can tell when someone is imitating a leadership style rather than being genuine, and trust suffers as a result. “Make it your brand of leadership,” said RADM Studeman.

Every Voice Counts

Complex problems require different perspectives, which means creating an environment where junior staff feel comfortable speaking up. VADM Sharp emphasized the importance of hearing from people at every level of an organization.

VADM Sharp noted that this takes deliberate effort. He described setting that expectation with his teams, making space for people who needed a moment to think before contributing, then making a point of recognizing what they brought to the conversation. His message to the earliest-career professionals in the room was direct: “Your voice counts.” 

Leading Through Change

RADM Studeman urged caution when approaching organizational restructuring. Change is disruptive by nature, and leaders should carefully consider whether the anticipated benefits justify the impact on people and mission execution.

VADM Sharp drew on his own arrival at NGA, where significant change was already underway. He assessed what had been done, worked with the leadership team to document and communicate it clearly, and brought junior staff into the conversation. 

He brought the same mindset to leading NGA through the pandemic. Faced with an unprecedented challenge, his message to the organization was that they would figure out how to navigate it together.

Recommended Reading From the Admirals

• Might of the Chain: Forging Leaders of Iron Integrity by Mike Studeman
• Make Your Bed by Admiral William H. McRaven
• The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins
• Lessons From a Third Grade Dropout by Rick Rigsby
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
• Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us about the Business of Life by James Kerr

Building the Next Generation of GEOINT Leaders

Next Generation GEOINT is designed to offer practical leadership perspectives, career insight, and meaningful connections across the GEOINT community.

USGIF thanks Admiral Studeman and Admiral Sharp for their time. USGIF also thanks Esri for sponsoring the evening, and Jeff Dawley, Director of Intelligence Business Development at Esri and USGIF Board Member, for his support.

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