Dwight D. Eisenhower is quoted as saying, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it." The Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District is re-dedicating itself to nurturing future leaders through its Leadership Development Program (LDP).
 
“If you’re not growing, then the Army is going to have a hard time finding a place for you,” said Col. Thomas H. Magness IV, district commander for the L.A. District. “Everyone should continue to grow.”

To encourage employee growth, the district is conducting year-long LDP courses here. There are several tiers open. Each tier is based on the individual employee’s experience and skill level. The district is looking for about 25 employees for the Tier I program and 10-15 employees for the Tier II program.

“I’m better at teamwork, a better team member and a better team leader now since I’ve come back,” said Huma Nisar, a district employee who completed the LDP course. “We took various personality tests which gave me a better understanding of who I am and how I deal with different situations. It really helped me a lot.”

Employees from across the district can participate in the combination of on-site, Web-based and off-site education opportunities. The off-site opportunities provide an insight into the Corps’ processes that some students might have never considered.
 
“The highlight of the year was the Washington D.C. trip,” said John Taylor, a district employee who works in the Tucson, Ariz. office. “We learned about the process of government, of Congress and the Senate. It gave us a very good overall vision in regard to appropriations and the decision making that we have to understand within the Corps.”
 
Magness said the course is important to the Corps of Engineers and to the district that employees participate in the program. He said the program will benefit the organization and the individuals who take the time to complete LDP.
 
“At the end of this, I will guarantee you a couple of things,” he said. “First of all, this will be the best LDP in the Corps. Secondly, at the end of the year, if we are successful, I’ll be able to look you in the eye and I’ll ask ‘Are you a better leader?’ and you’ll say, ‘Yeah. It changed my life.’”

The deadline for applications for the current LDP program is Dec.1. District employees who would like more information on the program can visit the SharePoint site on the district’s intranet.