ALEXANDRIA, Va.—ERDC’s Topographic Engineering Center (TEC) recently implemented its first Level I Leadership Development Program (LDP) in 2012 with a 16-member class completing the initial phase of the nine-month program. “The class has a good balance of seasoned and newly employed members, scientists, engineers and administrative officers,” said Shardey Mitchell, TEC’s LDP program coordinator. She is also participating in the training.
The LDP is designed to provide ERDC employees with a formal avenue to identify, develop and refine their potential leadership skills. All federal employees are eligible to participate in the program.
“TEC leadership is firmly behind LDP. At the kickoff meeting, TEC’s Director Dr. Joseph Fontanella set the tone for the class by telling participants that he and ERDC leadership fully support and encourage everyone eligible to take advantage of the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and advance their careers in the Corps of Engineers and beyond,” Mitchell said. “TEC’s Deputy Chief Valerie Carney also has established the LDP as a main priority.”
The program course work is facilitated by instructors from the Graduate School USA and involves a questionnaire from the Leadership Effectiveness Inventory Assessment tool. In a 48-page detailed peer-assessment report, participants receive feedback from their peers and supervisors which explain what other participates identify as their attributes and assesses where participants’ requirements mesh and identifies what improvements they need to pursue.
After completing the course, participates can apply for Corps-wide leadership activities such as the Emerging Leaders Program.
“Initially, I was a bit hesitant in taking the course,” said TEC Physical Scientist Swathi Veeravalli. “I thought you couldn’t teach leadership, that it was something a person innately had or didn’t have.” “But being in the class showed me how leaders are created. I think that skills create a leader. And I think those are very transferable.
“For example, we’ve taken a class on conflict management and understanding how conflict can be classified. Conflict is something that all leaders encounter. So part becoming a leader is learning how to respond to different situations with very positive leadership qualities,” she said.
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