LADWP Training Program Creates a Class of Future Leaders

Overview

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is the largest municipal utility in the United States, serving four million residents and businesses in Los Angeles and surrounding communities. LADWP recently launched an interactive, multi-format IT leadership training program to upskill employees for future leadership positions within the department.


Impact

More than 120 managers and supervisors completed the LADWP Leadership Academy Program, which mixed the latest in effective leadership techniques with education on emerging technologies to help IT leaders build confidence and a common language in critical areas. The program covered building trust, leadership styles, two-way feedback, asking better questions, active listening, design thinking, blockchain, analytics and business intelligence. Cohort groups worked together through an eight-week program, guided by an expert leadership coach. Facilitated workshops involved group discussions and exercises to bring concepts to life. More than 95% of participants expressed high satisfaction with the program format and content. LADWP says the program increased confidence for managers and supervisors and instilled a critical mindset of learning together and continuous improvement


Advice

LADWP says the Leadership Academy’s holistic design with cohort-based delivery and a mix of facilitated and self-paced learning proved highly successful. LADWP worked with several outside partners to create the program, and the department used an iterative approach to adjust and refine the program as each cohort group progressed through the experience. The program could be offered in other special districts and could cover different functional areas with only minor adjustments to topics, LADWP says.