Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Friday, October 10, 2008

What do an account specialist, a food service assistant and a draftsman in the maintenance department have in common? They’re all graduates of the Fayette County Public Schools’ Aspiring Leadership Program, where they learned not only how the organization operates, but also how to move up the ranks.

“Real leadership is a process. It starts exactly where you are right now and is built through personal responsibility, integrity and time,” said Maggie Nelson, who has worked in the cafeteria at Southern Elementary School for almost three years.

The leadership program, now in its second year, is available to hourly, classified FCPS employees. It is designed to help people cultivate or improve the skills needed for a leadership position in the school district. The next 25-member class will come together soon; applications are due by Friday Oct. 17.

Nelson, who completed the program last spring, said the experience helped her realize how her daily choices and decisions affect her goals.

“You will gain valuable skills and resources to use not only in your career but also in the other areas of your life,” she said. “It is encouraging to work for an organization which cares about investing in the growth and future success of its employees.”

Quoya Shegog, who works in the Financial Services Office, also recommends the program. “Management is more than a title” was the main point that resonated with her. “You have to give (respect) to get it,” she added.

Another thing she remembered well was hearing about different issues that employees across the district dealt with; the stories helped break down job-centered stereotypes. She also cited a culture-based exercise that “helped you figure out where your bias comes from.”

In addition, Shegog said the class enabled her to get to know colleagues she doesn’t usually see on a day-to-day basis.

Liz Simpson, associate director of classified personnel in Human Resources, said the program is expanding this year.

“We’ll start a month earlier so we can add extra content,” she said, including mock interviews and job shadowing for participants. “They’ll pick a supervisor or leader they want to watch … to see what a typical day is like.”

The four-hour afternoon sessions will meet on the second Tuesday of each month, from December through May. Simpson is one of the facilitators, along with Barbara Connor, the district’s civil rights compliance officer, and Kiyon Massey from Human Resources.

The class will study “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John Maxwell, covering such topics as effective communication, conflict resolution, organizational behavior and attention to detail. Each session will include discussion and scenarios related to the day’s topic, with occasional guest speakers. In addition, two directors or supervisors will explain what their department does, how it fits into the district’s structure and how their area affects academics and operations; they also will talk about leadership opportunities.

Scott Fitch, a drafting specialist who works in maintenance, was especially impressed with some of the hands-on exercises last spring. In one instance, a team set up an obstacle course and people played different roles. Some were designers and builders, while others were instructors who helped blindfolded participants navigate the course.

“The one thing it boiled down to is having a strong ability to communicate with people who are looking to you for leadership,” Fitch said.