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In Windsor, the local government faces a looming exodus. One in five employees are eligible for retirement in the next five years. That means a lot of expertise will leave the workplace, says Onorio Colucci. As chief administrative officer for the City of Windsor, he needs to prepare the next team of leaders. To do it, he turned for help to the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont.
“Most organizations are feeling the pinch in replacing leaders and all that knowledge going out the door. This was the impetus behind choosing to have staff attend Executive Education training at DeGroote. When our people come back from the program, they talked about the skills they acquired around diversity and inclusion, tapping into the power of emotional intelligence to lead with confidence, and increasing resilience. These skills are of incredible value to us as an organization, today and in the future.”
Canada’s workplaces are facing a range of pressures, from an aging labour force to skills gaps. In an uncertain time for many organizations, employers and employees alike are looking for ways to change. For employers, that can mean having personnel who continually drive value and understand their learning gaps. For employees, it can mean expanding their tool box and enhancing opportunities for leadership development.
DeGroote’s Executive Education programs offer training in areas such as strategic thinking, negotiations, data analytics and managing change. Participants emerge ready to apply their learning in a practical way, for the benefit of their careers and their employers.
One part of the Executive Education offerings is an executive management program developed by McMaster faculty and leading industry experts. DeGroote also customizes programs based on specific needs, be it for a leadership position, an organizational requirement, or to suit a unique corporate culture. Courses can be delivered virtually or in-person, and are often designed so that people can complete them by fitting them into their busy schedules.
In the last two years, 111 employees at the City of Windsor have gone through Executive Education at DeGroote. They include high-potential and emerging leaders, and even some seasoned leaders who are committed to lifelong learning, and represent areas from finance to HR to planning. Mr. Colucci says additional employees are already inquiring about signing up for the next offering.
“When people are knocking at your door asking when the next courses are starting, it’s the sign of effective teaching,” he says.
Training fills key skills gaps
Professional development is high on the agenda of Canadian CEOs. In a recent survey by PwC, 70 per cent said they plan to focus on upskilling their workforce. PwC called talent retention and development a “mission-critical priority”.
Part of evolving as a leader means acknowledging the areas of expertise that need a boost. David Hennick had that realization. He’s a superintendent at the Hamilton Police Service and has participated in many leadership-style courses to get where he is in his career. But he felt there were certain skill gaps that required further training.
“I was looking for something that broadened my horizons as far as exposure to people working in the business world,” says Mr. Hennick. “The skills that I had developed, up until the level of being a staff sergeant, were primarily focused on being good at the role of policing, with some focus on leading teams, but I knew I needed more.”
In an executive management program at DeGroote, he was struck by the diversity of opinions of his classmates, and by how he gained a new perspective on the challenges of management.
“I loved how their viewpoints helped change the discussion or maybe just confirmed your beliefs about how you were to address an issue in your own organization. I also found out that the problems you deal with in the policing environment were the same in other organizations,” says Mr. Hennick.
The course was so impactful that since finishing it last year Mr. Hennick has worked with the Executive Education team at DeGroote to help develop a two-day Police Services Leadership Program. He uses many of the tools he learned at DeGroote in his daily role, and recommends Executive Education there for leaders who need upskilling.
“It allowed me to still function in my executive role while making sure that I’m staying current in my knowledge in several different areas. I felt like it was a good return on investment,” Mr. Hennick says.
Advertising feature produced by Globe Content Studio with DeGroote School of Business. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.