Building systems and cultures that outlive the slideshow
The session block “Avoiding the Project Pageant” cut to the heart of a problem every federal leader knows too well: work that looks impressive on paper often fails to deliver in practice. Paul Gaffney, Jonathan Mostowski, and Áine Nakai offered perspectives from industry, acquisition reform, and talent management, respectively, but their lessons converged on one shared truth:
Lasting transformation isn’t about isolated innovation projects. It’s about delivering outcomes that matter.
Here are four takeaways federal leaders can use to avoid the “pageantry” trap.
1. Build the Right System, Not the Flashiest Project
“The goal is not the perfect presentation—it’s whether the system actually works.” – Paul Gaffney
Paul Gaffney reminded us that too many federal programs are incentivized to perform for oversight rather than end users and the mission. Glossy charts, lengthy reports, and staged demos don’t matter if the underlying systems can’t evolve to meet real-world needs.
His advice:
- Shift evaluation from project artifacts to system performance in production.
- Resist “hero projects” that showcase leadership ambition but don’t scale.
- Treat architecture as strategy: outcomes emerge from how systems are wired, not how projects are pitched.
In short: don’t invest in pageantry. Invest in the system that makes progress repeatable.
2. The FAR Is a Roadmap (If You Know How to Read It)
“If it doesn’t say you can’t do it—you can.” – Jonathan Mostowski
Jonathan Mostowski cut through myths about federal acquisition. Where many see the FAR as a 2,700-page wall, he reframed it as a roadmap for innovation. He demonstrated how agile-friendly provisions already exist in FAR Part 1 (fundamentals, user-centered design, and risk management), FAR Part 12 (commercial services), and how they simplify acquisition procedures.
Mostowski’s guidance for federal leaders and contracting officers:
- Stop waiting for waivers—use FAR-established flexibilities.
- Embrace downselects and advisory processes to save time for industry and government.
- Treat performance-based service acquisitions as the default, not the exception.
His message was liberating: the tools are there. The challenge is having the courage and skill to use them.
3. Culture Change Isn’t Cosmetic. It’s Personal.
“If leaders just care, are kind, and trust their people, you unlock innovation that checklists never will.” – Aine Nakai
In a fireside chat with Riya Patel, Aine Nakai reflected on her journey shaping the Space Force’s approach to talent management and workforce culture. She underscored how bureaucracy often blocks investment in people, but also shared wins that proved what’s possible when leaders choose trust over control.
Her wins came from designing practical tools—from onboarding platforms to succession planning dashboards—and insisting on leadership practices grounded in trust and kindness. She was candid about the obstacles: HR pushback, security bottlenecks, and resistance to new tools. But she also modeled persistence, showing how empathy and clarity can overcome inertia.
For federal programs, Nakai’s perspective is clear:
- Invest in workforce experience as aggressively as mission systems.
- Treat psychological safety as infrastructure, not “culture fluff.”
- Trust people to take risks—and back them when they do.
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4. Redefine Success: From Pageant Metrics to Mission Impact
One theme echoed across all three talks: success must be measured by outcomes in production, not compliance with process.
That means:
- Replace static reporting with live metrics from systems in use.
- Incentivize iteration, not perfection.
- Hold leaders accountable for enabling learning, not just controlling risk.
The project pageant rewards optics. Real mission command rewards impact, resilience, and trust.
TL;DR: What This Means for Federal Agencies
- Don’t reward pageantry—measure outcomes in production.
- Stop relying on inherited interpretations of the FAR—read the code yourself and understand the flexibilities it provides.
- Build cultures of trust and safety so people can deliver at their best.
- Redefine success: less theater, more mission impact.
About the Prodacity 2025 Blog Series
This blog is part of the Prodacity 2025 Blog Series, distilling insights from the conference’s most actionable sessions. This edition covers “Avoiding the Project Pageant,” featuring Paul Gaffney, Jonathan Mostowski, and Aine Nakai.
Stop the pageant. Start delivering.