Leading from Within: Krista Smith on Leadership at Sandia National Labs

Krista Smith, Director, Project Management Center of Excellence at Sandia National Laboratories, joins Jamie Flinchbaugh on the People Solve Problems podcast to share insights on leadership development and organizational management. As an executive at the nation's largest national security engineering laboratory, Krista leads Sandia's project management capability while drawing from her extensive experience in facilities, infrastructure, supply chain, and business operations.

Krista discusses what she calls "the inner game of leadership" - a concept focusing on self-care, positive self-talk, and personal preparation that allows leaders to show up authentically for their teams. She explains that early in her leadership journey, she recognized the need for tools to manage multiple challenges while caring for herself. This awareness led her to explore how leaders can authentically engage with their teams without sacrificing their own wellbeing.

One of Krista's hardest leadership lessons has been learning to be gentle with herself when making mistakes. She references the Buddhist concept of "the second arrow" - how we often compound our suffering by criticizing ourselves for our initial errors. Krista shares how she's learned to recognize and interrupt her negative self-talk patterns, particularly when her natural tendency to move quickly conflicts with her organization's collaborative culture.

When addressing leadership improvement, Krista explains her methodical approach to organizational development. She maintains a "someday maybe" list of potential improvements and assesses organizations against a baseline system that includes prioritization, service delivery, quality assurance, and people management. This balanced approach allows her to address immediate concerns while maintaining focus on long-term development.

Krista offers valuable insights on management operating systems, emphasizing the importance of predictability and stability. She focuses on managing energy versus time and creating predictable meeting cadences that allow team members to rely on consistent anchor points throughout their week. When facilitating problem-solving sessions, she carefully observes engagement levels and adapts her approach based on team dynamics.

Working with highly analytical colleagues at Sandia National Laboratories has taught Krista to accommodate different thinking styles. She visualizes these styles in a multi-dimensional grid, considering factors like learning preferences (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) and strategic orientation (tactical vs. big picture). This awareness allows her to design problem-solving approaches that engage diverse thinkers.

As advice for early-career professionals, Krista emphasizes the importance of understanding your personal "why." She reflects that outward signs of success haven't provided the satisfaction she once expected and encourages focusing on finding meaning in the work itself rather than always chasing the next achievement.

To learn more about Krista Smith and her work at Sandia National Laboratories, visit www.sandia.gov or connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/krista-smith-3b98176/.