The Chatter 2021

Building Leaders

By Mark Brooks

The very essence of leadership requires the ability to scan the current horizon to develop a plan to meet the organization’s needs now and in the future, regardless of any challenges that may arise. Though the COVID-19 pandemic may have thrown a wrench into many plans, it did not stop the delivery of leadership programs throughout The Cianbro Companies. Instead, the Cianbro Institute, which hosts these programs, found safe and creative ways to educate team members from A/Z, Cianbro, and Starcon, while being mindful of CDC guidelines.

Instead of seeing COVID-19 as a roadblock, the Institute team leaned into innovation and turned it into an opportunity. The organization has become increasingly tech-savvy, and our team members have quickly adapted to new technology platforms needed for remote education. The team developed a hybrid approach to bring team members together in smaller groups or “learning pods” at various locations throughout the organization. These learning pods used technology to view live presentations streamed out of the Cianbro Institute in Pittsfield, Maine. Utilizing this hybrid format, the Institute created a learning environment where team members could still engage with their peers, view presentations, and ask questions in real-time. Additionally, this approach reduced team members’ travel and gave us a platform to reach a larger audience than we typically could with 100 percent in-person classes.

Fundamentals of Supervision (FOS)

This hybrid approach was also used to deliver four sessions of our FOS program. FOS was offered remotely with learning pods at locations including Falmouth, Maine; Bloomfield, Connecticut; Baltimore, Maryland; Michigan; Florida; Indiana; and Virginia. Throughout the two-day session, participants learned about communication, human resources, environmental, health and safety, productivity, quality management, continuous improvement, diversity and inclusiveness, mental health, daily activity planning, and leadership.

Financial Leadership Development Program (FLDP)

The finance team put a renewed focus on the FLDP in 2021 with an enhanced curriculum designed to provide more structure and growth opportunities. CJ Harney Cianbro Equipment Finance Leader, and Jacob Ramp, Finance Leader, presented the changes to the three-year rotational program in Falmouth, Maine, with a guest audience of current FLDP members, summer interns, and the Board of Directors. The program currently has four members in different stages of the program from across the organizations, along with five graduates serving in various leadership positions within The Cianbro Companies.

Cianbro’s Leadership Initiative (CLI)

Last year, also saw the return of CLI, with the intent to proactively facilitate the development and readiness of team members to ensure they are prepared with the foundational skills to lead others successfully. Participants were nominated by senior leaders of their respective markets or business units. Also utilizing the hybrid model, CLI was broken into four sessions over the year, focusing on building community in the workplace, helping people through change, fostering a highperformance culture, and company success through the team concept.

In addition, participants have the opportunity to apply their learning by compiling and leading a team to help plan and execute a project that will provide value within their market/business unit. Upon the program’s conclusion in December, participants delivered a presentation showcasing their project, the journey, and the outcome.

Cianbro Advanced Leadership Initiative (CALI)

Currently under construction, the Institute is developing a new leadership program currently developing a new leadership program, CALI, which will focus on the skills needed to lead at the highest levels of our organization.

This program will focus on strategic decision-making for executive-level development accomplished by three to four sessions, inclusive of a week-long study of leadership at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania.

Back row (from left): David Folmar, Dr. George Manning, Hannah Bass, Thomas Senior, Robert Richard, Nicole Setzer, Eric Friddle, Francisco Aguilar, Jason Mallet, Jeremy Ladd, Jeff Grey, Bruce Cummings, and Dan Coffey. Front row (from left): Miranda Kinney, Ben Blodgett, Jacob Ramp, Andrea Pelletier, Rachel Carney, Mary Casey-Walsh, Lyndsy Moen, Jarod Cox, Jack Conlon, Mark Brooks, and Aric Dreher.