Phoenix VA training program bolsters professional and personal growth
One thing the Phoenix VA leadership understands very well is that in order to give the best care to the Veterans, it has to provide the best opportunities for continued growth and development of its staff.
One of the opportunities provided at the VA to help staff learn, grow, and develop is the Leadership Initiative Training for Employees (LITE) program.
“LITE is a very important leadership development program at a key level in employee’s careers that can help propel them to that next level,” said Michael Welsh, Medical Center Deputy Director. “It gives a higher level of leadership understanding and knowledge as well as a system-wide knowledge that truly helps understand the mission and vision of the VA.
The LITE program at the Phoenix VA Health Care System promotes personal growth and professional development by teaching leadership knowledge, skills, and abilities that will have benefits for both the Phoenix VA and in their personal lives.
“This program opened the door for me to look for my own networking opportunities,” said Heidi Kirner, a Medical Support Assistant. “This program helped develop a newly found sense of confidence that I was lacking.”
The LITE program runs only once a year and is available to full-time Phoenix VA employees who are GS-06 through GS-10. They also must have been employed with the Phoenix VA for at least six months, current on all mandatory training, and be recommended by their supervisor and service line chief.
“This program is important to me because it helps others see just how important they are,” said Andy Cathey, Phoenix VA LITE Manager. “Helping others overcome career barriers is wonderful. If one person graduates LITE to become a force for positive change for the VA, then I’ve done my job.”
The training received through the LITE program can result positive change in large part because the course is designed to be rigorous, move students out of their comfort zones, and demonstrate they have the ability to actually make that positive change even before graduation.
LITE participants are required to manage their allocated duties and personal time along with the assignments required by the program. However, while the participants must follow a strict training program, they are each provided with a mentor to walk along with them during this process. These mentors are there to help them have a positive experience while also ensuring it is a challenging experience.
“My most enjoyable time was when we all in the LITE program started to meet up once a month to gather and network as well as share our experiences in the new positions we were interested in pursuing to get up into leadership roles,” said Christopher Bain, who works as a Telehealth Technology Manager. “Challenging parts of the course were doing our projects and standing up doing a presentation in front of your peers and senior leadership.”
Kirner said the challenging part was pretty much everything, but thankfully participants have a mentor that is matched to them.
“A lot of information is presented, and it gets you to notice things in the VA you may not have not paid much attention to in passing,” Kirner said. “The Yellow Belt course helps you focus on a process improvement project. The group collaboration working on a Green Belt project helps expand on the Yellow Belt knowledge but also gives you an opportunity to network within the VA system.”
Through facing the challenges and overcoming them with their mentor, LITE students bolster their self-confidence, and develop their ability to network, while strengthening their relationship skills. As the students gain a better understanding of team dynamics and interpersonal communication, they increase their operational skillsets as well as collaboration base.
“All the LITE students engage in their professional careers and realize their hidden potential,” said Cathey. “Students learn many leadership facets including the need for accountability, proactivity, and working as a team.”
During the LITE program, students will develop individual projects in order to improve processes within their service line or departmental areas. These projects need to demonstrate a positive return on investment.
“These improved skills ultimately relate to better service for our customers,” said Cathey.
“The LITE program has positively impacted my professional life and my personal life,” said Katie Danger, Medical Support Assistant. “I encourage you, if you’re on the fence about applying for this course, to take the leap. You just truly never know what kind of a motivational circle you could get in, and what you’re capable of.”