The Louisville District 2017 Leadership Development Program (LDP) Level I is underway with 15 employees from various offices throughout the district working to lead where they stand.
"We are very excited to move forward with LDP I as this is the first time we have had a level I class in the Louisville District in recent history," said Col. Christopher Beck, Louisville District Commander. "The target audience is lower graded employees that are not yet eligible for LDP II. The course goal is to help these individuals learn more about themselves and their potential as future leaders."
With a diversity of talents, background and experience, the LDP I participants exhibit the desire to develop personally and professionally. The employees selected for the 2017 LDP I are Jake Allgeier, Abby Korfhage and Rachel Williams, engineering; Michael Crain, Larry Dunning, Shawn Riley, William Edwards and Danielle Robertson, operations; Dawn Cook, construction; Sabine Cox and Jeremy Davis, planning, programs and project management; Tre Barron, regulatory; Lori Kullberg, executive office; and Glenn Moon and Casey Ross, contracting.
"I was excited to apply when I realized this wasn’t a supervisor development program, that anyone can be a leader," said Tre Barron, environmental protection specialist, regulatory. "You don’t have to be a supervisor to lead; you can lead by example, work ethic and character."
The objective of the LDP Level I Program is to provide participants the skills to gain better understanding of themselves and how to lead informally through formal training, mentoring, and life-long self-development. The group met for the first time in October and will meet every other month face-to-face and have virtual meetings on the off months. The group will do self-assessments, read leadership articles, view a Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) talk, and prepare a short presentation. In addition, district senior leaders and LDP II and III graduates will meet with the class and offer leadership sessions and mentoring.
"One of the program requirements that I believe is especially beneficial is having a mentor," said Dana Craig, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division regional workforce development specialist.
"LDP participants can learn so much from a mentoring relationship: it provides opportunities to improve networking and leadership skills; builds knowledge; offers an improved understanding of their role in the organization; gives insight to the culture and unwritten rules of the organization; and provides a supportive environment in which successes and failures can be evaluated."
District senior leader session topics will include interpersonal skills, public speaking, written and oral communication, time management, learning about leadership styles, career development, resume writing, and interview skills.
In November, the LDP I class met with Brig. Gen. Mark Toy, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Commander, when he conducted a town hall in Louisville. The group had the opportunity to have a question and answer session with Toy in a more casual lunch-time environment.
The LDP I program will conclude in July 2017.