Lessons in Leadership

Fort Knox, the U.S. Army Installation site located in Kentucky, is best known for being home to a large portion of the country’s gold reserve. Along with the valuable metals and the security that protects it, the base is also an important training ground for the men and women of the armed forces. The site has a daytime population of more than 25,000 soldiers and their families, as well as civilian employees.

Among those working at Fort Knox is Amanda King (MBP '18). King is the team chief of the chemical/military police observer controller/trainer team and responsible for partnering with reserve units across the country to assist planning and executing training required to maintain combat efficiency and field expertise. 

Much of King’s job involves training others. She oversees a team of nine soldiers who partner with 22 reserve units. She was in a unique position when she arrived in MBP with more than a decade of leadership experience. Even still, King credits the program with helping her become a better leader. 

“While I was at MBP, I was able to expand my experience and world view by interacting with many people who had never interacted with the military," King said. "The program also expanded and exercised my critical thinking skills.

"At the base of everything, leaders solve problems, and that ability helps stratify the field between effective and less-effective leaders.” 

Learn more from King and other leaders in our MBP e-book about "Biotechnology in and out of the lab" 

King believes a common trait among successful leaders is the ability to listen to those around them. She leads democratically, listening to her soldiers whenever possible and gathering their perspectives and experiences before making an informed decision. She also believes in self-analyzing her own performance to ensure she is leading to the best of her abilities.  

King also said there is an element of coaching to her leadership style. She wants those soldiers who report to her to also feel a sense of ownership and independence. The goal is for them to ultimately be able to make the same types of confident and informed decisions she does.

“To me, a successful leader is one who supports and develops their subordinates and encourages them to be better, professionally and personally,” King said. “Good leaders are not threatened by highly effective and competent subordinates, they mentor them and do whatever it takes to push them further and challenge them to be at the top of their field.” 

Prior to MBP, King was stationed in Germany, where she was a provost marshal for the U.S. Army. Before that, she served as company commander of the 92nd military police company and was responsible for the discipline, morale, and training of 226 soldiers.  

King was limited to online research as she considered graduate programs. MBP stood out to her then, and it still does today.

"Everything I found lent itself to the program being top notch with alumni who were highly successful in their given field," she said. "The critical thinking aspect of the program and the diversity of the students are what make the program successful."