Not long before Eric Shinseki, then secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, resigned last year over a mismanagement scandal rocking the VA, Sloan D. Gibson had come into the agency as its new deputy secretary. In the two months following Shinseki's resignation last spring, Gibson served as the VA's acting administrator--attempting to quickly institute accountability measures and begin the massive challenge of repairing the organization.
Gibson is since back in the role of deputy secretary for the department, where he's responsible for a nationwide system of health-care services for veterans, benefits programs and national cemeteries. Prior to joining the VA, Gibson was head of the United Services Organizations, spent time in the banking industry and served in the army.
In an interview with Tom Fox, Gibson spoke about the challenges still facing the VA, his motivation for service, his leadership approach--and his personal desire to become a better musician. Fox is a guest writer for On Leadership and the vice president for leadership and innovation at the nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
This post was originally featured on The Washington Post's website.