Elizabeth Kidd on culture and craft: a Q&A

Elizabeth “Liz” Kidd is bringing a people-first, data-informed approach to her role as DLA Disposition Services Culture Champion and Strategy Planner, aiming to link culture with mission execution across the organization. “My role as the DLA Disposition Services Culture Champion and Strategy Planner is to help leadership connect business and culture goals, ensuring DLA Disposition Services becomes DLA’s Major-Subordinate Command of choice,” she said.

Kidd, who has been with the Defense Logistics Agency for a little more than a year and a half in Human Resources and Resource Management, joined federal service after 15 years in private-sector HR focused on employee relations and engagement strategy. She holds a master’s degree in human resources from Central Michigan University.

“The people,” she said, are her favorite part of the work. “I enjoy meeting people and then digging into the data to understand the ‘why.’ I look at multiple areas of the story and the business to connect the mission and strategy to the culture. This helps identify opportunities for us to be the best in the business and an organization of choice.”

Kidd said a formative piece of leadership advice still guides her during tough moments: “When working with people, we have to remember the experience; being calm can change the entire situation for all involved.”

Listening, not “fixing,” is central to her philosophy. “Over the years, I have worked with hundreds of leaders. When working with people, it’s absolutely important to listen. It’s human nature, especially in leadership roles, to be in ‘fixer mode,’ but in most cases, employees are not asking you to fix the concern. They are coming to talk it out and, in some cases, simply want their feelings validated.”

“I seek to understand,” she said of her leadership style. “When seeking to understand, I withhold my opinion of the situation because my only goal is to listen.” That empathy extends to change management. “Change management can be difficult to navigate for anyone. As a leader, you are not only responsible for your own feelings but also those of your teams. With any kind of change, it’s all about mindset.”

Motivation, she added, comes from continuous growth. “Learning. Learning has always kept me motivated.”

Kidd said she plans her work by setting goals and mapping backward to build learning opportunities, stays organized while remaining flexible, and prioritizes daily planning. Networking, she added, can open unexpected doors: “People come into our lives sometimes with a purpose we can’t always explain, and you never know when a professional relationship might be the key to your next career, job, or growth opportunity.”

Her connection to military service runs deep. “While I’m new to DLA Disposition Services, I’m not new to the Department of War. I’ve been around the services my whole life, as my grandfather, father, and husband have all served,” she said, noting family life centers on kids’ soccer and travel when possible.

Kidd’s first job was as an HR and front office assistant at a retirement community, an experience that set her on an HR career path. Her first federal position was with DLA as a labor and employee relations specialist. She said family-friendly touches at DLA—holiday events and the warm welcome she received long before joining the staff—made a lasting impression: “Even before I was on staff, the warm welcome I received was like nothing else, and ultimately, that is why I sought to be a part of the team.”

Asked what she might do differently in her career, she was unequivocal: “I wouldn’t change anything.”

Her favorite maxim, she added, captures the culture she’s working to build: “A person who feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected.”