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Statewide Learning & Development Solutions
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In this Issue:
- Course Spotlight
- Trainer Spotlight
- Learning Experience Platform (LXP) Update
- Colorado Innovation Conference
- Around the State
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 By Bradie Zaletel, CDPHE Learning Design & Training Specialist
What does it mean to you to be a human centered leader? Our recent cohort answered the following question in closing our time together. This is what we heard: “To be a human centered leader means—continual learning, practicing, and reflecting—creating and maintaining psychological safety— leveraging strengths of all team members—leading with vulnerability—being vulnerable, treating others with empathy creates a positive environment.”
With a foundation rooted in workforce revitalization the Professional & Organizational Development (POD) Team set out with the ambitious goal of developing and implementing a human-centered leadership program from the ground up during 2023. This project was guided by CDPHE’s strategic priority of fostering a human-first, progress-forward culture (Priority 2), as well as the Office of Human Resources’ work plan priorities related to investing in our workforce through expanded professional development opportunities (Priority 1, Goal 1.2). With the initial year of participation focused on the front line workers from the COVID-19 Pandemic, we brought high quality programming, robust discussion and dialogue, and engaged leaders, partners, and senior leadership as facilitators from across the department.
The sessions were built around the following themes: Strengths & Strengths-Based Teams, Emotional Intelligence, Psychological Safety, Trust & Innovation, and Talent & Performance Management. Participants complete 15 modules throughout the program—culminating in a capstone session that pulls together all of the topics from the cohort into an engaging scenario based game. Each session includes ample opportunity for discussion and unpacking topics with colleagues from across the department—supervisors and individual contributors alike offer their experiences, challenge one another and, most importantly, have a lot of fun investing in themselves for 22 hours over four months.
As part of their participation in the program, leaders are given a CliftonStrengths assessment as well as the Emotional Intelligence Quotient 2.0 (EQi 2.0) assessment. These assessments are discussed during their own module. Several of the program participants pursue opportunities for 1:1 coaching with our certified trainers for each respective assessment, or request additional teambuilding and professional development services for their own work units.
Throughout the sessions, participants utilize a 180–page participant guide with activities and content that addresses session objectives. We manage resources through a Google classroom, sharing session materials, a digital version of the participant guide, additional articles, videos, as well as complementary online training resources that expand on the content shared during the sessions. Additionally, participants have the opportunity to connect with each other both during and after the program as Accountabilibuddies through our online Qooper mentoring platform.
Our pilot in 2023 was a resounding success, with four cohorts completing this program and 60 graduates in total. During 2024, we have had 29 graduates, a total of 115 enrolled participants, and a waitlist running for 2025. At the end of each year we have a quality improvement event to review the successes and opportunities for improvement for the next year. This year we plan to explore what the follow-up to our foundational programming might look like for “Human Centered Leadership Transitions” with the inclusion of elements of change management and a deeper dive into some of the concepts initially explored.
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Trainer Spotlight: Jason Davis, CDPHE Learning and Design Specialist |
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Tell us about yourself:
I'm originally from Virginia, but life also took me to Indiana and Florida for brief periods before I ended up in Colorado. I hold a bachelor's in psychology and a master's in higher education student affairs, and worked mainly in collegiate health and wellness promotion after grad school. Over the years I made the switch to learning and development in search of a more satisfying work/life balance, which ultimately led me here. I love that I get to bring some of my (foundational) familiarity with public health work to my job in HR at CDPHE!
What is your favorite tool to use when you support employees with their professional development? Why?
I recently was certified through Gallup as a CliftonStrengths Coach, so I would say that's one of my favorites! I like how it can provide a common language for groups to talk about the unique talents of each member of the team. I also appreciate that its approach is rooted in positive psychology, which I feel is an important perspective to bring to the workplace and practice on an ongoing basis. Finally, I've found it to be a useful tool to promote self-awareness, especially when it comes to how we may overuse or mis-apply some of our talents.
What is something you would like to implement for statewide learners in the future?
What a big question! Public speaking is something I really enjoy and have a lot of passion for. In my earlier school days I was painfully shy and reserved, public speaking was one of the most terrifying things I ever had to do. However, this was a skill I was able to build over time, from my involvement with performing arts and LOTS of practice (it helped that I already had a well-ingrained habit of talking to myself when alone).
It would be cool to be able to help others develop this skill internally and to connect it to the related-but-distinct skill of facilitation, since I know these are areas many people are uncomfortable with but still have to do from time to time.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I'm a big video gamer - most recently I've spent lots of time with Hades 2, and I tend to love anything with great art and a compelling story. I like games of the board and tabletop variety too, especially when I can dive into complex rules and systems while being able to exercise some storytelling creativity. I'm also a fan of just about anything dark and spooky, particularly supernatural horror fiction in a variety of media. Currently, I'm listening to a horror anthology podcast called Old Gods of Appalachia—highly recommend, especially if you have familiarity with or connection to the Appalachia region like I do.
What was your dream job as a kid?
Usually it would depend on the day or week...but one that I held on to for a bit longer than others was to be a secret agent. If you're thinking I was a big James Bond fan, that's a good guess but not quite—I wanted every bit of the glamor and mystery of Carmen Sandiego, despite knowing full well that she was actually a thief.
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 The implementation of our new Learning Experience Platform (LXP) is on schedule! State employees will begin to see invitation emails from the system (EdCast) starting June 28. The email will provide a link named "Get Started" that will guide employees to access the LXP and create their account.
Users will have access to compliance trainings as soon as they set up their account in the system. The new LXP will provide support to the OIT CPPS team while the wrap up Step Pay, and also reduce confusion on where to complete compliance training for the fiscal year. The content library will be more robust come Sept. 1.
Agency Group Leaders
Group leaders are important for agencies to maintain their autonomy when it comes to internal compliance training cadence. Identifying a group leader gives agencies the ability to communicate on agency compliance training timelines. Group leaders will also have access to reporting functions within the LXP.
Without a group leader, compliance training will be assigned July 1, 2024 and due June 30, 2025. Only managers will be able to see compliance training reporting for their individual team. A few agencies have yet to identify a group leader. A reminder has been sent to agency Learning Leaders and the next request will be sent to HR Directors. Questions about the LXP can be directed to matthew.knight@state.co.us and/or DPA_PrsnlTraining@state.co.us.
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Colorado Innovation Conference: Innovation Driven by Employee Action
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Colorado Innovation Conference 2024 is an annual conference that brings together industry professionals and experts to share insights on the latest trends, innovations, and challenges in the realm of operational excellence. The Colorado Innovation Conference 2024 aims to inspire and increase state employees' ability and willingness to share and try bold new ways of doing their work, through learning relevant tools and methodologies.
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Event Date: Aug. 6-8, 2024
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Location: Virtual
The conference is open to all State of Colorado employees. This includes frontline, managers, and leadership. The conference is open to Colorado's local State agencies, as well as out-of-state government agencies as well.
Topics of Interest:
- Process Improvement and Innovation
- Change Management
- Project Management and Implementation
- Strategy Development and Deployment
- Greening Government
- Digital Transformation
- Enhancing Customer Experience and Service
Registrations for Innovation Conference 2024 are currently open!
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#ColoradoForAll: Creating Safer Environments with the LGBTQIA2+ Community In and Out of the Workplace
Join Alina (They/She) and Liss (They/Them), from Inside Out Youth Services, to learn about inclusive language and practices to create safer environments with the LGBTQIA2+ community — in and out of the workplace.
Inside Out Youth Services is a community center and advocacy organization for LGBTQIA2+ young people, ages 13-24, in the Pikes Peak region.
Meeting Information
Date: June 27
Time: Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Please register in advance for this Zoom webinar.
All State of Colorado employees are invited to attend. To request an accommodation, please contact Sarah Rothberg at sarah.rothberg@state.co.us.
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