Building a Culture of Leadership
and Ownership
THE CHALLENGE
A $1B regional utility company known for industry-leading innovations and progressive thinking was on a growth trajectory through acquisition. As a 100% employee-owned company, they sought to build and maintain a culture of ownership that would anchor them through the upcoming changes and growth. With a solid commitment to employees and the communities they serve, they hoped to achieve their goals by developing leaders at all levels of the company. They needed their people to lead with impact as the company expanded its services and geographic reach.
THE SOLUTION
We began by designing a leadership development program focused on immersive, high-engagement experiences that would bring together participants from diverse backgrounds and business units. At its core, we knew the program not only needed to connect participants to the shared vision for the company, it needed to connect them to each other.
In 16-person cohorts, more than 150 leaders went through a four-month program that focused on:
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building individual self-awareness and confidence in their own abilities
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developing their emotional intelligence and empathy to lead others effectively
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training to advance their financial acumen and ownership mindset
As a critical component of the experience, executive leaders kicked off the program by sharing their insights into their strategies, the challenges and opportunities of their roles, and the business’s future. With this knowledge, participants worked together to develop and present innovative solutions to these real company challenges.
THE IMPACT
Participants of the program went on to launch multiple mission-critical initiatives for the company that were aligned to the company’s vision and mission. Through their innovative work, participants gained greater exposure across the company, and in turn, the executive leadership team had new insight into the business’s current and future leaders. Through the experience, participants also developed the knowledge and skills that made them more impactful leaders, and by forming networks that enhanced knowledge sharing and collaboration, the company benefited from better decision making and faster execution across the organization.
