In January we launched the new professional development guide that introduces a learning topic each month in 2022. This month’s topic is ‘Citizen Impact’ which focuses on service and creating meaningful influence on fellow Missourians. In November, highlight the importance of supporting team members to use the tools learned from Operational Excellence to drive citizen impact.

As State employees, we have a unique position to support Missourians through new initiatives and best practices. Operational Excellence taught us a lot in October. Now, we have an opportunity to put into practice what we learned! Take time to meet with your supervisor, team members, and peers to share thoughts about ways to create a lasting citizen impact.

An emerging idea that resonates well with out work is servant leadership. This is a type of leadership that highlights the desire of a leader to serve. A key influencer of servant leadership, Robert Greenleaf, once said, "The servant-leader is servant first...It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first." A servant-leader is one that places "emphasis on the well-being of those being served." This is what we do while working for the State. Our work has a direct impact on all Missourians. Remember, you do not need a title to be a leader - everyone working at the State has the ability to be a servant-leader.

The new 2022 Learning Framework was developed by State team members, for State team members. Each month, we will highlight a new topic, one directly related to The Missouri Way Training Series. These trainings, along with ENGAGE conversation topics, live educational opportunities, and additional learning resources, are combined into one comprehensive package.

While participation is optional, our goal is to provide just the right amount of education so supervisors can meet their LDR goals, and all team members can meet their individual educational goals.