# Ep 408: Why Your Best Technical People Hate Proposals (And How to Fix It)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/game-changers-for-government-contractors-51555/ep-408-why-your-best-technical-people-hate-proposals-and-how-to-fix-it
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/game-changers-for-government-contractors-51555/ep-408-why-your-best-technical-people-hate-proposals-and-how-to-fix-it.md
Podcast: [Game Changers for Government Contractors](https://stenobird.com/podcast/game-changers-for-government-contractors-51555)
Published: 2026-02-02T16:15:39+00:00
Episode link: https://rsmfederal.com/game-changers-podcast/ep-408-why-your-best-technical-people-hate-proposals-and-how-to-fix-it
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/08f71061-c5bd-45fe-80f0-59945ee08799.mp3
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Duration seconds: 2154

## Resource

Technical SMEs are critical to winning government contracts, yet many dread proposal work. In this episode, Michael LeJeune sits down with Dawn Ward, former technical lead on $100M contracts and founder of Trusted Insight, to unpack why engineers resist proposals and how leaders can change that. You’ll learn how poor onboarding, unclear expectations, and lack of feedback create frustration, and what to do instead. Dawn shares real-world stories, practical frameworks, and leadership strategies to turn proposal participation into an engaging, high-impact experience for technical teams. If you want better proposals, stronger collaboration, and higher win rates without burning out your best people, this conversation is a must-listen. ----- Frustrated with your government contracting journey? Join our group coaching community here: federal-access.com/gamechangers Grab my #1 bestselling book, "I'm New to Government Contracting. Where Should I Start?" Here: https://amzn.to/4hHLPeE Book a call with me here: https://calendly.com/michaellejeune/govconstrategysession

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## Transcript

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