Creating a Culture of Leadership: Public Works Leadership Discussion Group

About the Program

Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

The world of work is changing. Gone are the days of top-down leadership, with strict hierarchical structures and one-way information flow. Gone too is the image of ponderous, “red-taped” interactions between citizens and local government. Instead, top counties need to proactively anticipate customer needs and communicate fluidly with one another to quickly respond to constituents. To create this level of agility, it is imperative that leaders talk to one another regularly and develop relationships of trust and rapport. The Department of Public Works (DPW), in collaboration with the Department of Human Resources (HR), created the DPW Leadership Discussion Group to facilitate ongoing knowledge sharing and development for DPW supervisors. This group, which includes the director and assistant director of DPW, has met consistently since 2014 and focused on a wide range of leadership topics. Just as important as the topics has been the opportunity for informal, safe, and open discussion, regardless of participants’ title or rank. Members actively ask questions and draw upon one another’s insights, creating professional networks from which to draw support back on the job. The results have been clear and powerful. Leaders ranging from Road Maintenance foremen to division directors prioritize these meetings, carving time from their busy schedules to discuss leadership concepts and application. Public Works Leadership Development Program (LDP) participation has increased from two to 22 participants, an increase of 1,000%, and 15 have achieved levels in the five-level LDP since 2014. HR leaders helped kick off this initiative, and have actively supported it through facilitating some of the conversations and by working individually with participants in LDP. The most powerful results have been the networking, collaboration, and support participants have fostered together, encouraging DPW supervisors to take a big picture view of their responsibility to DPW, and the county, as a whole.