Printer friendly version

DDP participants use special assignments to hone skills

Monday is nomination deadline for next class

Mastering skills takes practice. Practice also helps in mastering leadership skills needed to manage people, according to Karen Ross of the Human Resources (HR) Division, project leader for the Director's Development Program.

Participants in the 2003 Director's Development Program are doing just this: building leadership skills by practicing them with development assignments, Ross said.

Every DDP participant identifies one to four temporary job assignments to undertake while in the program. Participants choose these assignments with the help of a personal coach and a mentor. Each assignment is customized to challenge the leader to develop specific skills that they want to improve, Ross said. Sometimes the goal is to further amplify existing strengths. In other cases, the assignment may challenge the leader to develop skills, which they otherwise have not had the opportunity to [use], she said.

DDP participant Vivek Dave's first developmental assignment was to work with Carolyn Zerkle, deputy associate director for administration (ADA), to develop metrics and benchmarks for the Procurement Improvement Project. This has given Dave an opportunity to sharpen his business acumen, according to Ross.

Dave, of Process and Engineering (NMT-10), is working with Deputy Associate Laboratory Director for Threat Reduction (ADTR) Paul Weber as part of the Defense Transformation project to develop a communications plan and a compendium of Lab capabilities that serve the Department of Defense.

The assignment, Ross said, is exposing Dave to customer relationship building. After completing this assignment, Dave will work in the private sector as a chief technical officer for a high technology company. Dave will bring back the growth from the challenges of each of these assignments when he returns to his full time group leader role in NMT-10, Ross added.

"Being part of DDP means being at the beginning of a significant positive change in the Laboratory," said Dave.

Ross added: "The benefits that DDP participants gain is proportional to the magnitude of the challenges they take on during the program. Because the program is customized to individual developmental needs, the degree of impact and growth is exceptional.

"There are benefits for other [Lab employees] too. For instance, others get developmental opportunities by serving in acting roles to fill voids left by DDP participants while they are working in their developmental assignments," Ross continued. "Everyone benefits from more skilled and practiced leadership."

Nominations are being accepted through Monday (March 22) for the next Director's Development Program class. Participation in DDP is open to group-level and above managers. Eligible employees interested in the program can go to the DDP Web site online. Or contact Ross at 5-0238 for more information.

Other Headlines