Building a culture of learning

In 2018 Spartan Controls, Western Canada’s leading automation process technology, solutions and service provider, partnered with Haskayne Executive Education to design and deliver an Emerging Leaders Program. They sought to develop a program that would provide leadership content customized to align with their business and culture. They recognized that they had a diverse group of high potential Spartans who had the talent and aspiration to move into future leadership opportunities and sought to create an environment where this diverse group could develop into a strong network of emerging leaders. They wanted to provide a consistent learning foundation for their managers to ensure they were successfully set up as leaders in the organization.

Together, Haskayne Executive Education and Spartan Controls developed an innovative program that focused on leadership development intertwined with strong business acumen that provided significant return on investment for emerging leaders, managers, and directors across the organization. The program was structured around existing internal leadership frameworks and competencies. Modules built over 9 months included experiences around strategic thinking, coaching and mentoring, creating value and innovation, financial literacy and decision making, leading through change and building better teams. One participant commented, “I walked away from the sessions feeling like I had gained practical knowledge that I could implement and quickly see results, as well as some bigger picture concepts I was able to bring to the table as we discussed future plans for our organization.”

The program includes a significant Action Learning Project (ALP) component, which has been spearheaded by an internal innovation council and senior sponsorship. Action Learning Projects allow Spartan’s leaders to address real-life Spartan challenges. These projects not only help ensure that the learning sticks, but they provide a meaningful impact on the organization as these emerging leaders solve organizational challenges.

From the outset, Spartan sought to develop a culture of learning. The inclusion of peer coaching through learning teams were successful in building accountability and developing a strong peer network. Additional work delivered to more seasoned managers and directors was delivered in a “bootcamp” format to immerse them in the tools and frameworks being delivered in the larger program and to ensure common tools and language were spread throughout the organization.

The active participation of senior leadership in all modules, as well as sponsoring Action Learning Projects, has been key to this program’s success. As Derek Hassay, Assistant Professor Emeritus and Academic Lead for the Spartan Emerging Leaders’ program notes, “Having the full support and participation of the senior leadership team as subject matter experts in the classroom sessions, and as Action Learning Project sponsors and attendees at the ALP presentations elevates the learning experience for everyone. The emerging leaders not only get to know the senior leadership team more intimately, they are also able to experience what it means to be a present and engaged leader.”

With the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to online learning, Haskayne Executive Education also developed programming to support Spartan Controls’ managers during the changing landscape of the pandemic. Haskayne worked with Spartan to deliver a Managers’ Learning Series: ten sessions that provided tools on how to support customers through this volatile and uncertain period while fostering innovation and effective teamwork.

Susan Poynter, Vice President of Human Resources with Spartan Controls, notes that, “We have seen a great deal of value in our partnership with Haskayne. The training has been a huge advantage for our business, particularly noticeable as we maneuvered our way through the pandemic and the world of flexible work. As a result of our work with Haskayne we have developed a solid talent pipeline for our succession plans, with a significant number of participants having transitioned into leadership or subject matter leadership roles within the organization. Right from our first meeting, we knew Haskayne was the right choice for Spartan to partner with in the creation of our Emerging Leaders’ Program. They took the time to fully understand what we were looking for in a leadership program and over the course of the last three years, have become resident experts in understanding Spartan from a business and cultural perspective. They get us!”

If you’re looking for similar programming to transform your organization, contact execed@haskayne.ucalgary.ca to discuss the learning solution that is right for you. Through our tailored service, a program can be designed in accordance with your organization’s unique goals to deliver real-world results. Your organization will gain from relevant learning that your team can directly apply in the situations they face daily.