By Joe Malta, Organizational Training & Development Manager, City of Largo
In 2018, the City of Largo began the journey to becoming a High Performance Organization (HPO) with training for leaders and team members across the organization. While those sessions provided a baseline understanding of HPO principles and helped team members feel empowered to make decisions and engage with leadership, formal training was event-based and sporadic.
The pandemic put a pause on the development of new programs, but in late 2023 the city moved forward with a new training program designed to take a comprehensive approach to team member development.
Largo Learning and the HPO Learning Paths were introduced to the organization earlier this year. The HPO learning paths are an easy-to-follow development plan designed for the unique needs of team members at every level in the organization, from Foundational Team Members to Executive Leaders. The learning paths provide comprehensive training, allowing team members to focus on one of the five HPO competencies (Build Trust, Drive Results, Growth Mindset, Foster Teamwork, Strategic Focus).
Team members partner with their supervisors to select a path based on their strengths and/or development opportunities.
The city developed the curriculum with a mix of on-demand courses created in-house and others licensed through a partnership with the American Management Association. Each learning path has both on-demand and instructor-led classes.
Team members had the opportunity to learn and practice new skills. Emphasis was placed on post-learning activities designed to guide team members and reinforce their learning. The classroom sessions provided an opportunity to interact with cross-functional groups and develop new relationships.
Largo Learning is designed to be flexible, interactive, and practical. Learner feedback is regularly monitored, and the early returns were outstanding. Team members talked about the value of being able to progress at their own pace and the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions with their colleagues during classroom sessions.
As the city continues its HPO journey, Largo Learning is committed to empowering team members to take control of their development, engage with leaders throughout the organization, and develop their own unique skills. For the city, it is a process for regular team member development focused on building engagement and practical application.
As the new fiscal year begins, every team member will be registered for a learning path. The foundation for providing ongoing, focused learning opportunities is in place, and both team members and city leadership are excited about the opportunities for Team Largo to take the next step in the HPO journey.
