As part of its Vision 2025, Knox City Council has been actively promoting staff training and development programs over the past few years. Council’s People and Organisation Excellence Strategy is based on the Australian Business Excellence Framework based on leadership, customer and market focus, strategic planning, people, process improvement and innovation, information and knowledge.
This strategy is designed to mobilise Council and the community around the Vision 2025 through:
- using a community partnership approach
- delivering outstanding customer service at every point of contact
- developing leaders
- ensuring the health, wellbeing and satisfaction of all staff
- equipping people with the skills and capabilities they need
- ensuring systems support knowledge needs.
The Knox Leadership Development Program introduced in 2004 includes a structured mentoring program as well as the development of a leadership framework. This features a 360 degree feedback program and helps participants deal with changing work/life pressures.
Staff are also encouraged to participate in various industry programs, such as LGPro’s IGNITE, Emerging Leaders and the Australasian Management Challenge.
In 2008, Council created a profile of values, attributes and core capabilities. This led to improvements in position descriptions, more direction for performance discussions, and additional strategic learning and development opportunities.
In the past two years, Knox has introduced a Leadership Resilience Program. This is a self awareness program to build resilient and capable leaders, including greater self confidence, improved clarity and responsiveness; connecting and involving others; appreciating the diversity of views and sensitivities of others and demonstrating ethics and integrity.
