PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii -- Navy civilian employees attended the Department of the Navy Leadership and Career Development Symposium on Ford Island, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, May 22-23.

The Department of the Navy (DON) and commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT), hosted the event in partnership with the Executive Diversity Advisory Council.

The symposium's objective was to encourage, foster and sharpen leadership skills, while also teaching career development strategies.

"The program is designed to provide leadership development for our civilian workforce," said Paige Hinkle-Bowles, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy, civilian human resources. "We hope that our civilian workforce aspires to take on greater leadership roles within the Department of the Navy. We are all are part of the DoN workforce, and it takes many elements to be successful and mission ready. We want to make sure our civilian workforce is inspired to lead just as our military members are."

The symposium offered speeches and numerous group sessions with topics that included effective leadership, thoughts in leadership, mentoring and unconscious bias.

Leaders from U.S. Pacific Fleet, Navy Region Hawaii, and Marine Forces Pacific offered insight and experience to those in attendance.

Speakers included Lynn Simpson, director, Total Fleet Force, Manpower & Personnel, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Adm. Scott H. Swift, former commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Todd Schafer, executive director, and director of staff, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Rear Adm. John Palmer, director of logistics, fleet support and ordnance, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Craig Wheldon, executive director, Marine Forces, Pacific; Dr. John Wood, director, Pacific outreach, U.S. Pacific Command and Rear Adm. Brian P. Fort, commander, Navy Region Hawaii and commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific.

Fort spoke about his seven charges of leadership and how they apply to the forum. These seven charges are: lead with integrity, be a bold decision maker, communicate every day, take care of your people, critically self-assess your performance, rise to the challenge in a crisis and respect your vulnerability to your own vanity.

"It is a huge honor to be here," said Fort. "When I commanded a destroyer, I wrote a philosophy called, 'Command Every Day.' That is how I wanted Sailors to see me and how I wanted us to work together and command every day. I learned over the next 10 years since I wrote that philosophy, that it is not just for commanding officers or the Navy service members; it is a philosophy for all leadership and how to lead in life."