Keynote: When the Ground Shifts: How to Lead with a Purpose
Presented by Bob Etris, Managing Partner at Evans, Inc.
Description:
With changes in leadership and vision comes opportunity and change, as well as unexpected disruption. From shifting priorities to personnel changes, and from resource reductions to new acquisition and contract requirements, leaders at all levels of government face a similar challenge: staying mission-aligned while leading through the fog and uncertainty of today’s environment. This session speaks directly to the realities of leadership in government today, where even small disruptions can have outsized impact. When teams are lean and budgets are tight, leaders can’t afford ambiguity. What’s needed is a clear, practical framework to guide smart decisions, protect team morale, and build resilience into the business.
Drawing on experience navigating change within federal programs and partner organizations, Bob Etris presents a human-centered, systems-driven approach built around three critical questions:
1. How do we create clarity in the face of uncertainty?
2. What systems support sustainable workload distribution as we scale?
3. Where can we adjust expectations without losing delivery credibility?
Participants will walk through a four-step methodology tailored to small businesses:
Step 1: Map the Operational Impact – Identify what services matter most using the Service Continuity Matrix to inform what to protect, pause, or reallocate.
Step 2: Address the Human Factor – Explore how fear and ambiguity affect team performance, and how to lead with empathy and structure.
Step 3: Apply a Systematic Framework – Leverage five essential practices: operational clarity, strategic communication, sustainable redistribution, team re-norming, and support scaffolding.
Step 4: Implement with Confidence – Use ready-made templates for risk mitigation, client messaging, and internal alignment.
Don't just survive tough moments. Learn to lead through them. With the right tools and mindset, federal leaders can build trust, navigate change, and grow stronger even through the disruption.
