Magazine serving the bus and rail transit & motorcoach operations since 1904
Issue link: https://metromag.epubxp.com/i/123617
DENVER RTD Projected ridership for the new W line (left), opening under budget and ahead of schedule, is expected to reach 20,000 to 25,000 passengers. Washington implemented an innovative training program that develops qualifed employees for senior management positions within the agency and the industry. "[This program] is very important to me and my team, because one of the top priorities of any leader should be the development of his/her people," Washington says. The Strategic Leadership Development Program (SLDP), as it is called, is made up of fve steps and fosters growth from entry level to executive leadership. The first step is a leadership academy, a 12-month program that trains selected employees on all aspects of the organization, including operations, fnance, labor, budget and the board-staff relationship. Participants are also required to have classroom instruction on various topics, such as ethics and time management. Another step is mentoring, which sees senior stafers coaching employees to achieve their goals. For the third step, assistant GMs are tasked with creating their own leadership program within their department. The final piece of the program is a multi-agency partnership where eight to 10 employees are selected to travel to the diferent partnering agencies for a few days every three months to share ideas, best practices and discuss realworld operational challenges. "This is a sharing of best practices and allowing each agency's participants to see what we are doing," Washington says. Currently, the agency is collaborating with Dallas Area Rapid Transit and 24 < mETRO mAGAZINE MAY 2013 metro-magazine.com