DEVELOPING THE PLAN
Erin Mahoney, York Region’s Commissioner of Environmental
Services, wanted a leadership development program that promoted
continuous growth and improvement across the management
team. She also wanted a program that would facilitate better
succession planning and drive more alignment through the department
to achieve strategic goals.
The Sustainable Leadership Plan blends formal and informal
learning programs, and includes semi-annual leaders’ sessions in
the form of half-day classes where the employees are introduced
to topics by professional facilitators, exposed to management theory
concepts, led through practical case studies and encouraged to
complete follow-up work in smaller groups.
After the formal learning sessions, the participants are expected
to put their learning to use by incorporating new tools and techniques
into their daily work.
“The program has not only provided me with a number of management
tools I can use in my day-to-day management, but has made me
more aware of the difference between being a manager and a leader,”
said James Steele, manager of engineering for the department.
LEARNING MODEL
The plan spans three years, with each year having a specific area of
focus – communication for the first year, collaboration for the second
and innovation for the third. Additionally, the plan is closely
aligned with larger corporate programs, such as performance objectives
and strategic HR goals.
To further enhance sustainability and encourage collaboration, the
department implemented a peer-mentoring model. As part of this
model, leaders were divided into teams of three, or triads. Triads were
created purposefully, with employees from different branches across
the department and different levels in the organizational structure.
By organizing triads this way, participants have an opportunity to influence,
interact and learn from colleagues facing different day-to-day
challenges. As well, those in senior positions bring extensive management
and life experience, integrating an authentic sense of coaching
to the program. Triads are shuffled every six months (timed with the
delivery of the semi-annual leaders’ sessions), giving participants the
opportunity to work with different individuals across the department
throughout the three-year program.
Triads are required to meet three days, three weeks and three
months following each semi-annual leaders’ session to complete
small tasks called Leadership Challenges.
Leadership Challenges have been designed to help reinforce
formal learning, develop new skills and create reflection time for
leaders to think about how they are impacting their team.
To reinforce accountability for participating in triad discussions,
a scribe is elected by each triad to post a summary of their reactions
to the Leadership Challenge to an internal website. Posts are submitted
to a discussion forum for the entire group of leaders to view
on the website, which was developed specifically for the program.
“It’s been helpful to read responses from other triads, and the fact
that everyone posts responses shows they appeal to everyone,” said
Mark Payne, program manager for monitoring and enforcement.
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58 ❚ FEBRUARY 2015 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL