Organizational Development for Knowledge Management at Water ...

Project Study # 29
The Directions Program
Project Description: Faced with a major reorganization, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) undertook
a formal Mentoring program to build relationships and develop leadership competencies. It was
called the “Directions Program.” The program’s vision was “To build leadership capacity of
individuals within Seattle Public Utilities and create a culture that will help management and
others lead the Utility into the future.” So the program had an important element of tacit
knowledge transfer by building cultural knowledge. Program participants were matched with a
mentor from senior leadership. Mentoring matches were made based on using 360 assessment
data so areas of weakness were matched with areas of strengths.
Size of Utility: 1,300 employees
Critical Success Factors: Mentor matches were given a one-time optional, no-fault divorce in
the event that the parties were not matched well. The first meeting between mentor and mentee
was facilitated by in-house Human Resources staff. A formal agreement was developed
between the mentor and mentee. The program included a closure exercise for the participants
when the mentoring effort had accomplished its objectives. Staff provided regular follow-ups via
phone calls and emails. Recognizing that the original program was labor intensive for the
Human Resources staff, SPU now focuses on training individuals on how to find the help they
need and initiate a mentoring relationship on their own.
Cost: The cost of the program was $175,000.00.
Alignment: The program was aligned with Seattle Public Utilities’ Strategic Business Plan
focused on human resource development and succession planning. It was our effort to increase
our leadership capacity and to create a sustainable vision, mission and values strategy for the
organization.
Benefits: Mentoring has been consistently the highest rated activity in the Directions Program.
This training has been found to be useful to individuals.
Compiled 2005
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POC:
Joanne Peterson
Seattle Public Utilities
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