Erin Rusnak Believes in the Importance of Understanding Others

Erin Rusnak is an acquisition analyst within the Acquisition & Systems Management/Strategic Initiatives Group at PEO EIS. A 10-year member of the EIS team, she’s held various roles within the organization, including operations support for Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions, and acquisition specialist for the Logistics Modernization Program. She loves to bake and travel with her husband and two children, and is today’s #PEOEISTeammateTuesday.

Where did you grow up, and what influenced you to join the military workforce?

I grew up in Hubbard, Ohio, a really small town between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. I didn't have much of a military influence growing up until Sept. 11, 2001. Seeing my family and friends supporting the military and coming together as a community — and seeing the country come together — made me develop an interest in it. Then eight years later, I met my husband who was working for the DOD. That really furthered my interest in seeing how I could support the military. I applied for a job in 2011, and 10 years later, I am still working for PEO EIS.

What are some aspects to working for an acquisition directorate that you enjoy — and remind yourself about during hard days?

I think that ultimately the work we do is a really integral part of bringing modernized capabilities to Soldiers around the world. Without the capabilities that PEO EIS provides, it would be nearly impossible for our Army to stay competitive against adversaries. Just knowing that what we're doing and the innovation we're bringing physically touches the lives of our Soldiers every day, helps me get through the hard days.

How do you see PEO EIS evolving to meet the needs of the Army in the next few years?

I think we'll continue to see more of a move to Software as a Service and providing tools to improve readiness and increase connectivity for Soldiers. PEO EIS is a vital part of the industrial base and vendor ecosystem; we provide both a venue for requirements for industry, as well as a pedestal for Army leadership to solicit feedback from leaders outside of the normal government contract relationships.

What's something you've learned from somewhere you didn't expect, such as a person you had difficulties with, or an everyday moment that stuck with you?

I feel like I've had so many of these. I think the takeaway is that everybody is an expert in something. If you make yourself available, and you're always actively listening, you can learn something new from someone every day. I catch myself saying, "Oh, I learned something new today." Don't close yourself off to new opportunities.

What's one aspect of leadership that you rarely hear anyone speak about but think it's important to share?

I think one aspect is empathy. It's very commonly mistaken for weakness — like being kind means being weak — but having empathy as a leader is important. To understand where your people are coming from, their motivation and what drives them, is fundamental to being effective. It helps facilitate a harmonious environment and enables you to open doors to create more productivity within a team. I also feel it makes you more human instead of being someone who’s strong but distant.

Do you have any recommended books or movies?

When I was answering the last question about empathy, it made me think of “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. I read it in college, and it has a lot to do with empathy. The title can be misleading — it sounds like you just want to know how to make people do what you want — but there's so many important principles in that book that can be used in all aspects of your life. It's about learning to understand people, figure out why they do what they do, and just appreciate people as people. Feeling appreciated makes you feel important. We all want to feel important in some facet of our lives because something has to drive you every day.

Another takeaway from the book is to be more open-minded. In this world in which we're living, it's so important to try to see things from other people's point of view. It's okay to have a different perspective and disagree on things, but we should work to “build bridges of understanding, not barriers of misunderstanding.” I feel like that really hits home in our diverse world. Don't shut yourself off from people just because they think or believe something different. You don't have to agree — but it's important to respect other people's perspectives.

What are some things you enjoy doing in your free time?

My kiddos keep me busy. I have a seven-and-a-half-year-old and a one-and-a-half-year-old that I take to soccer, baseball, playdates — all of those things. We also like to spend time as a family doing outdoor activities like hiking or traveling. Not being able to travel this past year has been hard on us. Other than that, we have a boat down in Solomon's Island, Maryland, that we go down to almost every weekend in the summer.

I also love to bake and I do Pure Barre. If you've never heard of it, I would say it's like a Pilates-inspired workout. It's a 45-minute session at a studio, and in the last five years, I've taken literally thousands of classes. I get up every morning and go work out. It's my one hour to myself.

Any advice you'd like to give to those reading this article?

I hope this isn't super cheesy, but it goes back to the Dale Carnegie book and caring for others: the value of a smile is priceless. Like I said earlier, we're all human; we all go through difficulties, whether something at work or in our personal lives. With something as small as a smile when you're passing by somebody, you never know what kind of impact that has to them. If all I can offer somebody for the day is a smile, I think that's so important.