This summer, WashingtonExec is reaching out to successful leaders in government and government contracting to learn more about their habits, experiences and perspectives.
Shaun Bierweiler is vice president of U.S. Public Sector at Hortonworks.
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WashingtonExec: What is on your summer reading list?
Bierweiler: I have so many great titles in my queue for this summer — some that are new, and some that I have read before but can always gain value from revisiting. Here is my current reading list:
- “Principals” by Ray Dalio: I have heard great things about the content and overall delivery of this book. Ray Dalio’s success is undeniable, and he is recognized as a global leader and visionary. I hope to gain insight into his values and principles behind his professional accomplishments and personal happiness.
- “Shaken” by Tim Tebow: As an alum of the University of Florida, I will read almost anything Tim Tebow writes! In all seriousness, the reviews on this book have been great. I think it’s important to maintain your identity and integrity through both the ups and downs of life and business. These are lessons that I hope I demonstrate and instill in those I am entrusted to lead — both as a leader and as a father.
- “Rocket Men” by Robert Kurson: This book takes an inside look into the Apollo 8 mission against the political and social challenges of the late 1960s. I’m looking forward to reading Kurson’s narrative of the events leading up to the epic accomplishment of taking man into space.
- “Zero to One” by Peter Thiel: This is one book that I recommend every leader keep on their bookshelf. I try to read it at least once a year, and each time I find myself taking away different insights on value creation in general — whether that’s within my team, company or society overall.
WashingtonExec: Tell me about a time in your life when you had to really stretch yourself in order to learn and grow.
Bierweiler: I grew up heavily involved in sports and fitness, which is where I gained an appreciation for being pushed beyond previously established limits. There are countless examples in my life and career where I had to stretch, expand and learn, but one specific period comes to mind involved both personal and professional stressors. Professionally, I was working at Raytheon as the capture and business development lead for Navy Unmanned Programs. I was responsible for the development and execution of strategies to grow a vast business portfolio. Concurrently, I was also supporting a number of international engagements that required frequent travel overseas. Personally, my wife and I had just welcomed our daughter and on top of that, I was in the final semesters of the weekend MBA program at the University of Maryland.
To say the least, I was balancing three significant full-time jobs where the days were long and hours seemed scarce. My Raytheon team relied on my leadership and the results that we had committed. My family needed me present. And members of my MBA cohort were counting on my participation and contribution. I was certainly stretched, but it taught me so much about time management, leadership and balance. Below are the four key lessons I took away from this experience:
- Surround yourself with great people. There is absolutely no substitute for this.
- Start the day off with a win. For me, it was/is a morning workout. By getting that past me first thing in the morning, I have set a positive and productive tone for the rest of the day.
- Delegate and trust. With so many demands for my time, I found that I could no longer have my finger on every task. Instead, I had to delegate down to the lowest level, enable and support the team, and trust them to complete it. This decentralized command and control approach allowed my teams to perform and for the team members to grow.
- Listen and learn. Coming full circle back to the first lesson of surrounding yourself with great people, my mentors were instrumental in helping me survive –– and succeed –– through this challenging period. Through networking, mentoring and building real relationships, I was able to learn from the experiences and advice of those that I admire and respect.
WashingtonExec: If you could go back and give your younger self-career and/or life advice, what would you say?
Bierweiler:
- Embrace the challenges. Not only will hardships pass, but they will help to define the person you will become.
- With power comes responsibility. It’s incredibly important to never abuse your power in any way.
- Build and maintain relationships along the way.
- Always be grateful and humble.
- Enjoy the ride!
WashingtonExec: What is your favorite city to visit? What do you enjoy doing there?
Bierweiler: Heidelberg, Germany. It’s always a must on my quarterly trips to the region. The serenity of the city located on the Neckar River coupled with the castle overlooking the city, as well as the great food and beverages — what’s not to love? I thoroughly enjoy jogging along the river, visiting the local shops and restaurants, and practicing my German with the locals.
WashingtonExec: Tell me about an app, device or type of technology you personally love and why.
Bierweiler: I am really passionate about open source technology. Open source has proven to not only revolutionize the development model, but it has also turned conventional licensing and pricing models on its head. The rapid pace of technological innovation and the advancement of some of the most exciting spaces — cloud, social media, big data, IoT, etc. –– have all been driven by open source. It fascinates me from both a technical and a business perspective.
