Through recognition that good leadership is fundamental to Council, the City of Casey in southeast Melbourne has implemented a Leadership Development Program.
The program aims to promote growth and development within Council, while fostering new skills, initiatives and a positive culture.
It features peer assessment, buddy breakfasts and corporate training.
Council initially partnered with a consulting firm whose facilitators worked with managers to establish ‘trademark behaviours’ for the leadership group.
These behaviours include showing respect, being positive, taking responsibility, listening and responding and thinking things through.
City of Casey Manager Human Resources Richard Frazer said Council then built on these behaviours.
“This exercise resulted in shared trademark behaviours for the whole organisation,” he said. “These are meaningful and practical to everyone’s day to day roles.”
Council then identified eight senior staff with the required skills, to be trained as facilitators, who would then implement strategies within Council.
A Peer Assessment Program, allowed staff to ‘buddy up’ with a partner who would assist in developing and implementing their personal action plan.
The Leadership Development Program aims to achieve the following outcomes:
- Council working as one
organisation - leaders fostering positive
relationships - Council enhancing its
reputation as an
organisation that gets the
right things done - increased ability to attract,
develop and retain the right
people in the right jobs.
Council also runs a program called CaseyLeaders that is focused on the continued development of leadership skills.
“This comprehensive, two day workshop has been embraced by Casey’s management team and is mandatory for all team leaders and senior staff,” Richard Frazer said.
“The program focuses on core competencies, including emotional intelligence, change management and employee engagement.
“Ultimately, the goal is that all senior staff become skilled in working across departments and building positive relationships that contribute to productivity, participation and enjoyment of work at Casey.”
The program is currently active in more than 80 per cent of Council departments, with close to 100 individuals receiving a peer assessment.
For further information contact Richard Frazer on
(03) 9705 5200.
