"While I've never held an official leadership role, I take pride in contributing to the team. Often I offer advice, tips and tricks, or pep talks when I see a teammate struggling. I strive to be supportive and communicate with empathy, compassion, respect, and integrity in all that I do on the job. As a result, my colleagues often turn to me to for assistance when needed. Just yesterday a colleague felt they were missing something to take something they were working on over the edge and asked if I would review it. So I did. And upon review, I noticed a few opportunities for improvement. They were thrilled with my suggestions and implemented them, while still turning in the work ahead of schedule."

The NSA offers many opportunities for training at the agency, including advanced classes in leadership. Here is a testimonial from one of the NSA's employees who took advantage of their training and mentorship opportunities. "One of the great opportunities here is mentoring. I attended an introductory mentoring course as part of a leadership program, and was immediately inspired to take it to the next level. NSA has a very simple, streamlined process for becoming a mentor, and offers excellent resources to help facilitate positive and meaningful mentoring connections. Making those connections wasn't as difficult as I originally thought. So many people are looking for help with navigating their career, and it's a great feeling when you have a chance to make a positive impact on someone else's life. Mentoring also fosters a sense of community and pays forward the guidance and wisdom I've received. As a mentor, I enjoy sharing knowledge and investing in others' potential. The ability to contribute to the development and success of someone else is incredibly fulfilling."