For Sarah Lu, numbers tell a tale, and that’s especially the case for recruiting the next generation of leaders — whether for the military, government, or private sector.

Lu, who is an associate partner at the consultancy McKinsey & Co., is attending TotalForce+, MOAA’s inaugural people-focused conference taking place Oct. 28-29 at National Harbor, Md. There, she’ll speak about data-driven recruitment strategies.

Scott Blackburn — a fourth-generation Army veteran and a senior partner with McKinsey, where he chairs the firm’s federal government-facing division — will also be in attendance. Blackburn remains active in the veteran community through several organizations, including Student Veterans of America and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.

He also led the MyVA transformation and modernization effort at the VA before serving as the department’s interim deputy secretary and later its chief information officer. 

Lu and Blackburn talked with MOAA about the upcoming conference and recruiting efforts. This interview was edited for length and clarity.

Q. What excites you about TotalForce+?

Sarah Lu: It’s fantastic that TotalForce+ is putting those who serve front and center, and I particularly love that it is bringing together unconventional and creative collaborations through public-private partnerships.

This is a pivotal moment that will define the workforce of the future. There are tons of opportunities to recruit more and different people into military and public service. To attract them, we have to change some things and evolve with the generations, but we’ve done it before and can do it again.

I’m particularly interested in hearing how organizations and companies are thinking about talent management for Gen Z and beyond, and who is taking big bets in how they recruit, retain, and develop those populations. How can government leverage this unique moment to leapfrog industry in terms of modernization?

Scott Blackburn: People are important to our overall national security ecosystem, and I’m excited MOAA is taking this on. There are plenty of events that focus on the procurement ecosystem, but this one is really focused on people — from recruitment all the way through service, all the way through [their experience as] veterans.

I’m excited to bring a message of innovation. So much is changing demographically. There is so much changing in technology, and the value proposition of national service, of military service, is rapidly evolving. How do we stay ahead of that?

And with government changing so rapidly, there’s tremendous opportunity to reshape the government workforce, reshape the military, and really position ourselves and modernize to be ready for future adversaries, future challenges that we are all facing together. In my business, we’re constantly thinking about how we can contribute to that. I’m looking forward to hearing other ideas. If we can begin to share some of those ideas and come up with new solutions to problems … it could be a very exciting pivot point for us as a country.

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Q. Members of Gen Z are on their way to taking on leadership positions. What steps should organizations take to prepare a welcoming culture for this generation?

Lu: Organizations should lean in where they have an edge – in particular, their purpose and mission. They should meet Gen Z where they are by modernizing recruiting and hiring, and they should align benefits and job structures to Gen Z priorities, such as workplace flexibility and creating a clear career path.

Blackburn: You need to really study what motivates them. We need this next generation to view military service and national service as something that’s exciting, just like the generations before them. Our all-volunteer service and our whole model for international security depends on that.

I’m a big believer in taking care of the warrior after they’re no longer a warrior. That serves as a great example to the people who are coming next because if you take a look at the generations before you and [see] those people weren’t honored or taken care of, [you might ask]: Will I be taken care of?

So it’s really about focusing on veterans, people in uniform, and military families — their mental well-being and physical well-being. That whole ecosystem put together is so important, so critical for our national security.

[MOAA WEBINAR ARCHIVE: Gen Z and Leadership (Premium/Life Member Login Required)]