Honoring Our Veterans: Scott O’Shaughnessy

The military can be a socially difficult time for some people. I was very proud of creating an environment that caused multiple of my sailors to re-enlist. The most memorable moment was re-enlisting someone else named Scott O’Shaughnessy.

My time in the Navy gave me the perfect foundation of knowledge and skills to lead me toward success at McKinstry because I had very similar job responsibilities, but my work was targeted at buildings that floated.  

Systems thinking was the most important skill I learned from my time in service because it showed me how to view factors in a holistic way—this allowed me to understand certain interactions that could contribute to a possible outcome. 

The skills I’ve learned from the Navy have translated into an ability for me to be able to step back and look at the big picture, analyze a situation and make an educated decision based on factual data.  

I have shown McKinstry the power of leadership. Leadership is more effective than plain old management because employees have a good example of what professional success looks like—This translates into more autonomous employees.  

Amazing, I’ve been a big proponent of that program from the beginning.  

Take advantage of the current transition programs available, like Hiring Our Heroes. Don’t be afraid to reach out and connect to your network and come on over the water is just fine out here.