In late 2009, the City of Charles Sturt launched its Team Leader Development Forum, which was created to support and grow leadership skills at Charles Sturt Council.
The leadership program is driven internally by the Organisational Development business unit and includes 50 middle level leaders from across the organisation, predominantly at the team leader and supervisor levels.
The program was designed to set clear expectations for leaders at this level, build relationships between business units, and effectively network across Council. In supporting and growing leaders, the program develops leadership skills in individuals and develops leadership capacity right across the organisation.
The forums have explored a variety of topics relevant to all leaders within the diverse group. In 2012 the forum has taken an exciting new direction, involving a partnership with Think One Team International. Using a variety of facilitators, Think One Team International has focused on leadership development that fosters teamwork and alignment across organisational boundaries.
Mark Withers, Chief Executive Officer of the City of Charles Sturt, is a strong advocate for the program.
“The team leaders at Charles Sturt are a fundamental part of the management structure. They have a difficult role in leading our staff. Because they are close to the ground, they need to possess skills to inspire their teams to perform at a level that goes beyond just turning up to work everyday,” he said.
“For team leaders to recognise themselves as leaders they need to constantly be finding new ways to solve problems.”
The City of Charles Sturt’s is committed to developing leaders that will in turn benefit the services provided to the community. This commitment has guaranteed the success of the Team Leader Development Forum, and is contributing to Charles Sturt’s ability to deliver on its vision for the future.
