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Parson kicks off second session of leadership training for executive departments

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – In the wake of the midterm elections, Missouri’s chief executive officer kicked off another session of a management training program to develop leaders within the 16 departments.

The second session of The Missouri Way started on Wednesday. The program equips supervisors, managers, and department leadership with the necessary management skills to better lead change and improve services for the citizens of Missouri.

“The Missouri Way is the new normal for state government,” said Drew Erdmann, Chief Operating Officer of the State of Missouri. “To improve management in state government, we have to get back to basics. That means we have to ensure leaders at all levels have the skills they need to guide their teams to success. When we accomplish this, we will equip our teams to serve better the citizens of Missouri.”

Gov. Mike Parson launched the first-ever The Missouri Way training in August, establishing it as an important component to the state’s management transformation.

The state has led multiple efforts to reform management following the change in leadership at the top level. In addition to The Missouri Way training, the state is also increasing its focus on the professional development of its employees, revamping its employee recruitment efforts, and introducing new leadership development opportunities like the state’s Leadership Academy.

These changes are designed to improve how managers and leaders throughout state government serve their teams, as well as creating a stronger state workforce to deliver better results for Missourians, according to the administration.

“Missourians deserve to have the best Economic Development agency in the Midwest,” said Rob Dixon, director of the Department of Economic Development. “To accomplish this goal and help Missouri’s economy thrive, we have to give our leaders the tools they need to inspire their teams to reach for more. By investing in our leaders, we will see better outcomes for all Missourians.”

The Missouri Way is an intensive three-day training program designed to introduce senior leaders, managers, supervisors, and other emerging leaders to the tools and approaches of solving basic management challenges and improving their teams’ performance. The November 2018 training program lasts three days, from Wednesday, Nov. 7 to Friday, Nov. 9.

The Missouri Way has been established as a regular part of leadership development in the State of Missouri. The state is holding the training approximately every 90 days, with the goal of training 1,000 managers by the end of 2019.

The Missouri Way’s approach is touted as practical and based upon proven principles from high-performing businesses and other government organizations. The curriculum will provide common approaches, tools, and vocabulary in areas ranging from how to manage change within an organization and redesigning business processes to customer experience and project management. The sessions involve a mix of classroom instruction with individual and group exercises.

The program’s first classes will include each department’s top leadership ranks. Participants are identified by department leaders.