This. multi-year, multi-phase culture shift was a true Organization Development and comprehensive change management project.
Phase 1: Leadership Competency Development
LWC’s White, with 1 support consultant, led a strategic initiative to transform the organizational culture, beginning with a multi-day workshop with a group of 12 SMEs to develop a profile of “mission critical” leadership behaviors to drive collaboration, innovation, and accountability. Through structured facilitation, the group analyzed 38 leadership competencies, distilling specific observable behaviors into a targeted profile for senior leaders. To embed these concepts into daily operations, the team implemented a strategic communications plan, including regular discussion in leadership meetings and visual displays of competencies in the Division's entryway Vesta Board.
Phase 2: Pilot Leadership Coaching Program
Building on this foundation, LWC launched a pilot coaching program focusing on two senior leaders. The program began with an orientation session covering:
Introduction to the 360° assessment process;
Guidelines for selecting feedback providers across organizational levels; and
Program expectations and commitment requirements.
Following the collection and analysis of feedback data, each leader received a comprehensive assessment report during their initial coaching session. The program continued with 11 additional weekly one-on-one coaching sessions, where each leader explored opportunities for personal growth and worked on developing several of the “mission critical” skills. Support included:
A structured development planning workbook
A comprehensive competency reference guide detailing skill progression from basic to mastery level
Practical strategies for strengthening each leadership competency
Phase 3: Program Expansion
Based on the pilot's success, the program expanded to include additional coaches, offering leaders coach selection flexibility. Three cohorts have completed the 12-week program, with the fourth cohort scheduled to begin in January 2025.
Phase 4: Organizational Restructuring
Concurrent with the coaching initiative, White identified the need for structural changes to sustain the cultural transformation. This led to a group coaching project focused on organizational redesign and process improvement. Key accomplishments include:
Restructured organizational units aligned with cultural transformation goals;
Established Executive Leadership team charter;
Defined clear role distinctions between strategic and operational functions;
Created comprehensive strategic and implementation plans;
Developed systematic hand-off protocols between Strategy and Operations teams; and
Implemented communications plan framework.
The project demonstrated measurable improvements in employee engagement and organizational effectiveness, as evidenced by monthly employee engagement and climate data tracking.