What Endures When Leaders Invest in People & Culture
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Walking into the auditorium, it was clear this was a special day! Rows of colorful tri-fold posters creatively described projects and leadership insights. Decorations, a cake, and electronic banners festooned the room. It was Graduation Day for the 15 members of the Washington State Department of Labor and Industry’s Capstone 17!
L&I's Capstone started in the early 2000s, with leaders envisioning an in-house leadership program modeled after an academic capstone course. It became a reality in 2007 thanks to the support of an HR team that developed the curriculum and staffed the program with internal leaders and subject matter experts.
I've had the joy of being one of a few external people to teach in the Capstone program for about a decade. I teach on the essential ingredients for Love-Centered Leadership and the recipe for a more Human Workplace.
I also share the story of personal tragedy and moving through layers of love: Love for my husband, Love for my children, and eventually, after much neglect, Love for my own life. I don't often have an invitation to speak about this story, but every year when I return and share it again with Capstone, I am reminded of how our struggles can become something beautiful for ourselves and for others.
This year, at their graduation, I was impressed by what a diverse and inspiring group of leaders they are, how much they'd grown to care for each other, and how they truly care about making a difference. As each Capstone graduate spoke eloquently about their learning path, they were thoughtful, funny, insightful, and profound. As a teacher, it warmed my heart to note how many cited love, humanity, and empathy in their short talks, too!
Images show Capstone 17 cohort members listening to colleagues speak; Justin and Giovanna each speak eloquently from the podium, sharing their insights.
Images of project boards that creatively depict Capstone leaders' learning journeys.
Capstone's 17-year duration is notable. Its longevity can be attributed to senior leaders considering this program not a “nice-to-have’ but a culture-building investment. Such commitment is especially remarkable in a time when organizational decisions are based on ever-shorter time horizons and when learning programs are often among the first things to be cut in a budget crisis.
But L&I has sustained the Capstone Program through nearly two decades of ups and downs. Why? Joel Sacks, Director of L&I, said that this program is part of who they are as an organization. It strengthens the fabric of their culture and their work together across the agency.
This commitment aligns with the view that culture isn’t an initiative; as Larry Senn states, “Culture is the enabler of all initiatives.” As Simon Sinek reminds us, “When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” And, research by the Center for Creative Leadership shows companies with strong leadership development programs attract and retain people, drive strategy execution, increase success in navigating change, and improve financial performance.
Image of Washington State Department of Labor and Industry's Capstone 17 cohort. Faculty in the front row, from Left to Right: Imelda Ang, Heather Normoyle, Sally Elliott, and Todd Baker.
Returning to teach each year, I witness an organization committed to and continually strengthening its values of respect, customer focus, one L&I, diversity, equity, and inclusion, learning and growth, and reliability.
And, I witness Capstone learners deepening their connection to those values, their skills in operationalizing those values, and their commitment to embodying those values as leaders.
In my research, when I ask about times people have experienced love in the workplace, the opportunity to grow and develop is consistently mentioned. We humans have a natural longing to learn and improve. Help us to do that, and we often experience that as love.
When you join that drive to learn with the development of meaningful relationships, with exercising choice, and with links to a greater purpose, as the RAMP model offers (Relationships, Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose), then the magic of motivation happens. People dig in, own, fix, invest, serve, learn, and care. Those are the very qualities every organization is searching for and many are trying hard to foster in team members.
The Capstone experience encompasses all the goodness represented in RAMP because numerous faculty-facilitators have intentionally nurtured it over the years. I want to give a giant, loving shout-out to those who currently steward this learning journey: Imelda Ang, Heather Normoyle, Sally Elliott, and Todd Baker!!
And kudos to the L&I leaders who’ve prioritized the long horizon, benefiting the agency, team members, and customers too. As I like to say, you've enabled people and results to rise together!
How might this inspire you, Loving Leader?
Do you have a game-changing idea that could strengthen the fabric of your organization?
Are you a senior leader who can champion learning investments to build the durable fabric of your culture?
What might you start or support now that could make a difference for the next decade or two?
I hope you'll take loving action! And, if you’d like to talk about how to build or strengthen your leadership and culture, reach out and let's talk!
