NACE Excellence Awards 2005
Best Practice or Program—Educational Programming:
Employer Leadership Development Program—Consolidated Graphics
Consolidated Graphics launched its Leadership Development Program (LDP) in 1991 as a recruiting tool to bring new talent to commercial printing. Today, the program has grown to include more than 220 associates nationwide with a more than 60 percent success rate in advancing associates to leadership positions within the company, including 10 company presidents and 30 senior operations managers.
The Houston-based company’s program provides in-depth, formal training focused on developing associates’ strengths and providing the resources necessary to make each new hire successful.
After three years of focused research and needs identification, the focus of the LDP is now on retention. The company has developed four specific programs in its new First-Year Initiative (FYI). They are:
- Leadership development mentor program—New associates receive a mentor the first week they start and “meet” with their mentor in person or by phone twice a month.
- Leadership development orientation weekend—New employees attend this three-day event that helps them adapt to the company.
- CGX (Consolidated /Graphics) University—Associates attend this quarterly conference call training session to help develop soft skills.
- National associates meeting—This meeting provides training and keeps associates focused on their long-term career goals with the company
