Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today

MWI Animal Health’s Future Leaders program gives participants valuable leadership training, cross-functional knowledge and networking opportunities.

For Holly Mills, the timing worked out perfectly. She had just been promoted to a leadership position shortly after joining MWI Animal Health’s Future Leaders program.

Being part of the program supported a smoother transition into her new role, she said, by providing valuable project management skills, facilitating networking and collaboration opportunities with colleagues from other departments, and fostering a culture of cross-functional cooperation and knowledge-sharing.

“The program enhanced my understanding of the processes and procedures at an elevated level, contributing to a successful transition into my new role and equipping me with additional skills to excel in the position,” said Mills, director of strategic initiatives, MWI Animal Health.

Development accelerator

MWI Animal Health’s Future Leaders program is a yearlong program that starts with an in-person kick off session, has a series of virtual sessions throughout the year and ends with an in-person graduation. Throughout the year participants receive training on key leadership competencies, participate in a mentoring relationship, receive career coaching, meet with senior leaders and work on real business projects that they present at the end of the program.

Lesli Denhart Stasiek, senior director, human resources, MWI Animal Health, said the Future Leaders program accelerates the development of top talent to improve the internal succession pipeline and diverse representation in leadership. “It’s a comprehensive development program intended to elevate key talent competencies and provide them access to senior leadership, enabling them to be prepared for future opportunities,” she said.

Mentors of class participants are previous graduates of the program. Through mentoring new class members, mentors learned competencies that are reinforced through application.

Mills said the program presented an excellent opportunity for leadership training, exposure to different processes and procedures that might not be part of her daily responsibilities, and the chance to network with individuals who shared similar aspirations for career growth in leadership roles.

“Throughout the program, different experts hosted valuable training sessions on project planning, coaching, communication and management styles, which enhanced my leadership capabilities and skills,” she said.

The Future Leaders program helped Mills to grow her knowledge of functional areas within the business, including finance, marketing, IT, and logistics, grew. “Understanding how the team works, how they contribute to my success as a team member and to the rest of the organization, and the thought behind why they do what they do has given me the additional context that makes me a stronger leader and peer,” she said.

The program also provided insights into diverse opportunities by allowing participants to explore the career paths of others, enhancing one’s understanding of the opportunities available for future career growth within the organization.

A firm foundation

Stasiek said organizations can support early career talent with capability building that focuses on foundational skills that can be built upon as they grow in their career. “Direct line managers play a significantly influential role in developing young talent through providing continuous feedback, introducing new connections, setting up a mentor relationship and providing new opportunities such as participating in a cross-functional project,” she said. “Finally, young talent needs a culture that enables them to feel safe learning and failing in order to accelerate their development.”

Mills believes that opportunities abound in the organization. Her long-term career goals revolve around advancing in leadership roles within MWI Animal Health. The Future Leaders program aligns with her aspirations by providing the necessary tools and knowledge to excel in future roles.

“It is equipping me with essential leadership training, exposure to diverse functional areas, and opportunities to network with like-minded individuals seeking career growth in leadership capacities,” she said. “These experiences have enhanced my capabilities, preparing me to manage teams more effectively, lead projects successfully and contribute significantly to MWI Animal Health in a larger capacity, whether through managing departments, expanding my current role, or progressing into higher positions in the future.”

Expanding connections

Mills said the motivation to join the Future Leaders program stemmed from a desire to expand her personal and professional development. She wanted to broaden her skills, perspectives and connections within the organization.

Photo credits: istockphoto.com/Jacob Wackerhausen, istockphoto.com/Marco VDM