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When Judy Bjornaas first arrived at ManTech International eight years ago, the company relied on a variety of processes and policies that were widely accepted across its various parts\u2014not because they were efficient or cost-effective, but because they were widely accepted.

Not unlike many companies that have enjoyed a steady diet of success, ManTech had, over its decades (the firm celebrated 50 years in 2018), adopted the old mantra \u201cIf it ain\u2019t broke, don\u2019t fix it\u201d as part of its list of cultural dictums. However, shortly after her arrival, Bjornaas began advancing her own watchwords: \u201cAlways question everything\u2014and don\u2019t assume that we have to do something the same way that we\u2019ve done it in the past.\u201d\xa0

This new mantra was no doubt a neck-snapper for executives who found comfort in the status quo, and it simultaneously solidified Bjornaas\u2019s credentials as not just a finance leader but also a change agent.

\u201cI realized that I could add a lot of value to the company by sort of pushing things along,\u201d says Bjornaas, who characterized her blunt approach as being almost like that of an inquisitive five-year-old. \u201cI\u2019d ask, \u2018But why do we do it this way?,\u2019 and I\u2019d receive an answer to which I would then reply \u2018But\xa0why?\u2019\u201d\xa0\xa0