Passing the Torch at the First Session of NYCHA’s Coaching and Mentoring Leadership Academy
The first session of NYCHA’s Coaching and Mentoring Leadership Academy (CMLA) wrapped up on June 15 with a call to action to participants, especially the mentees, to pay things forward by mentoring others in the Authority.
Twenty-five supervisory staff from across NYCHA with diverse leadership experiences mentored 25 other staff to help them fulfill their career potential at the Authority. The participants were taken through in-person sessions, direct one-on-one mentoring between mentors and mentees, and virtual NYCHA University training sessions.
Commissioners from the Department for Citywide Administrative Services and the NYC Commissioner for the Mayor’s Office of Equity hosted Diversity, Inclusion and Equity training, NYCHA colleagues from various departments participated on a career panel, members from the Center for Creative Conflict Resolution which is part of the Office of Administrative Trial Hearings facilitated an all-day session on conflict resolution, and other helpful resources took participants through topics such as goal setting, customer service, career development, and workplace mental health.
Speaking at a “passing the torch” ceremony, NYCHA’s Interim CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt congratulated the participants as well as the Employee Engagement team for their efforts. She gave a special shout-out to the mentors for dedicating their time, energy, and service “to making other employees that much better,” adding that “as long as we keep the service going, as long as we keep paying it forward, NYCHA is going to become stronger and stronger.”
Ms. Bova-Hiatt also told the participants that every NYCHA staff person has a vital role in NYCHA’s operations. “I have coffee every month [with staff], and one of the goals of the [get-together] is to make sure everyone knows that the work they do impacts other people in other units; hopefully through this mentoring program you’ll learn that as well,” she said. “Everything we do affects somebody else, and all of that affects our residents.”
Daniel Greene, Executive Vice President of Property Management Operations, described the CMLA as tremendous, adding that “what NYCHA really needs right now is leadership,” and urged participants to understand the agency of their roles as leaders.
“We need to have leaders who are engaged, who see the urgency of some of the conditions that we have in our properties,” said Mr. Greene. “So what I would say [to you] is as you enter your roles as leaders in this agency, get engaged, understand the urgency. When you have a problem in an apartment, it shouldn’t wait; we need to act now to assist residents.”
In her remarks, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Kerri Jew said that “engagement is critical, and engagement needs to be married with learning and development so that we can identify the people who want to grow their professional careers at NYCHA and serve our residents in a broader capacity than they are today in their current jobs.”
Cherry McCutchen, Director of Learning and Development, spoke about the impact and reach of the program, noting that one of the mentees is already mentoring another staff member who was not part of the CMLA; she noted that NYCHA is “hoping to expand the program, repeat it, and make it better.”
Yvette Andino, Vice President for Employee Engagement, told participants that “as you flourish in your career, maintain your focus and composure under some of the most difficult times and conditions; remember to be empathetic, kind, and a good listener to both residents and the colleagues you encounter daily.”
Property Management Vice Presidents from every borough also discussed the need to practice excellent customer service.
Click here to hear from CMLA participants about their experience.
