Recently, a group of 33 men and women who work for the Oregon Health Authority and the Department of Human Services completed the almost year-long Leadership Academy training. This year's focus was "Leading Effectively Through Change," a focus both timely and important.
While the past several years have brought many changes to our organization, what we face today is unprecedented. Today, more than ever, we need effective leaders who can think in new and innovative ways to address the challenges before us.
That's what Leadership Academy is all about – preparing the leaders of the future and enhancing the skills of those already in leadership positions.
Since 2003, Leadership Academy has helped our employees develop competence in strategic thinking, team building, negotiation, cultural awareness and other skills through monthly training sessions, mentorships and group projects.
Each year academy members do a group project designed to build on those skills and create something that can be used to the state's benefit. For example, the "Show Me the Data" project looked at OHA and DHS data to help make policy decisions and address disparities among Medicaid recipients. Another group put together the promotion to "Take Back the Tap" to encourage us to drink tap water to reduce the use of plastic bottles in our environment. There was also a resource guide listing emergency services in Oregon called, "Do You Know Where to Go?" The guide is for state workers to help people who contact them who are in need of food, shelter and other services.
If you know any of these recent Leadership Academy graduates, give them a "Congratulations" and thank them for all their work for now and in the future.
More information about the projects and this year's class of Leadership Academy graduates is available on the intranet (PDF).
To learn more about Leadership Academy, which begins its next session in September, see the academy's site on the intranet at inside.dhsoha.state.or.us/asd/hr/employee-development-training/leadership-academy.html
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