WashingtonExec Series: Want To Be GovCon Executive Of The Year?
The finalists for this year’s Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards were announced in September and WashingtonExec is bringing you its annual series with the nominees.
The winners will be unveiled on November 7th at The Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner by the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce (FCCC), the Professional Services Council (PSC) and Washington Technology magazine. With over 900 business and public sector leaders attending the event, our series will keep you up-to-date about all the finalists for this year–who they are, what they do, and why they are worthy of winning.
Today’s interview is with Ted Davies, Senior Vice President and President of Unisys Federal Systems. Davies is nominated for “Executive of the Year” in the $300 million category.
WashingtonExec: What would you say was a turning point or inflection point in your career?
Ted Davies: Moving to Unisys, a publicly held technology solutions company, from a private consulting company forced me to think and act differently. The pressure to deliver was much greater and the complexity of the solutions was both exciting and challenging. Taking a step outside of my comfort zone was a great move.
WashingtonExec: What books did you read this summer?
Ted Davies: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall and Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand – both I would highly recommend.
WashingtonExec: What makes a good leader? How would you describe your leadership style?
Ted Davies: Authenticity, integrity, humility, passion and purpose are characteristics of good leadership. Recruiting and developing a great team is crucial. Clear, consistent communications and good decision-making are also a must.
WashingtonExec: What three pieces of advice would you give your kids?
Ted Davies:
- Learn to work with people – you cannot be successful without others.
- Learn to work with technology – the world will continue to evolve because of it.
- Always do the right thing – sometimes it is hard, but in the end you will not be sorry.
