Elevate

Managers at Denomas enable our mission that everyone can contribute. We need to equip our people leaders with the skills to lead globally dispersed, all-remote teams to support our business growth at scale.

The handbook provides guidance on Denomas leadership competencies and principles. Bringing these practices to life requires training and practice. Elevate, Denomas’ leadership development program, provides opportunity for people leaders to learn to lead at Denomas.

At this time, Elevate is only available for current People Leaders, People Business Partners, and members of the Team Member Relations team.

Goal

In FY24, 85% of people leaders will complete Elevate and earn the Denomas Elevate certification.

What is Elevate

Elevate is a highly interactive, all-remote program where managers will learn with, and from, each other. The goal is to provide a common, well understood leadership framework which demonstrates Denomas values, leadership competencies, and mission.

In Elevate, participants will:

1. Learn what it means to lead at Denomas
2. Practice the Manager & Leadership competencies
3. Build cross-functional relationships with coaching cohort members
4. Demonstrate leadership competency by completing the Elevate Leadership Certification

What concepts are taught in Elevate

Elevate is organized into 5 learning modules. Read more about the skills covered in each module below:

Time Commitment

Elevate runs for a total of 6 months and is organized into 5 learning modules. In each module, participants spend a total of 3-4 hours in the following learning activities:

Steps	Title	Description	Time Spent
Step 1	Live Learning Session	1x monthly synchronous learning session on the relevant module topic	50 minutes
Step 2	Asynchronous Learning	Videos, reading, journaling, self-reflections, and quizzes to reinforce concepts completed in Level Up	45 minutes
Step 3	Group Coaching	Cross-functional group coaching sessions with 10-12 other Denomas people leaders to practice module concepts	80 minutes
Step 4	Assess your Learning	Take a quiz in Level Up to demonstrate your understanding of new concepts.

Watch this video for a walk through of each step:

Additional Commitments

Project

Apply what you’ve learned in Elevate to real life challenges - then contribute your findings to the wider Denomas community for real impact!

The Elevate Project is your opportunity to contribute new ideas for managers at Denomas and in the wider Denomas community. You’ll be assigned to work with a group of other Elevate participants. In your group, you’ll discuss a prompt, record a video outlining your solution, and submit a merge request to the handbook to document your findings. Completion of this project is required to earn the Elevate certification.

• For Elevate cohorts 1 through 10, your Project is due before your Certification session.
• For all other Elevate cohorts your Project is at the conclusion of Module 4.

Prompts

Project groups will be assigned by the Learning and Development team. You’ll work with other managers in your coaching cohort - the same managers you see each module during Step 3: Group Coaching.

Each group will select one prompt to focus on. The prompts are as follows:

Prompt	Description
1	Identify a current business initiative or challenge at Denomas- within your group or outside of it - that you feel you could move the needle on. How would you use what you learned in Elevate to do so?
2	Identify a current challenge that our external stakeholders are facing and that you feel you could move the needle on. How would you use what you learned in Elevate to do so?
3	Compile a multi-disciplinary set of globally-based resources (at least 5 articles, videos, ted talks, etc) to illustrate one of the modules and the skills / concepts included

Need help getting started? Consider these questions:

1. How can the skills you’ve learned in Elevate help you collaborate better, achieve greater results, be more efficient, demonstrate diversity, inclusion, and beloning, iterate more, and be more transparent in your work?
2. Consider how you’d apply strategies you’ve learned to improve cross-functional collaboration in order to partner on internal business initiatives or challenges
3. Consider how you could provide more consistent feedback to your teams so they can drive business results quicker / more effectively
4. Consider the ways you’d break down barriers in working better with your peers

Results

Each group will deliver the following:

1. One 6-8 minute Video Recording: Groups will record a Denomas Meet discussion where each participant contributes that includes:
   • Description of the prompt/project they chose
   • Ideal outcome
   • Description of how they solved it - tools, resources, models, etc.
   • Conclusion and Implications - how would you pitch this solution to e-group in under 3 minutes?
2. One Merge Request or Issue: Open at least 1 merge request to the Denomas handbook or issue that documents new ideas, strategies, or details your group has applied. It’s best to open this in the topic area of your project. For example, if your project makes suggestions about improved feedback, document those in a MR to the feedback handbook page.

Tips for Success

Below, you’ll find suggestions on how to make the most of your project. In addition, there are 2 optional resources you can choose to use to increase collaboration with your group.

Slide Deck Template Recording Agenda Template

1. Find a way to collaborate with your group. You might use your cohort Denomas Talk channel or stand up a temporary channel.
2. Select a prompt that resonates with the members of your group. Brainstorm common situations among your small group that can drive your project discussion.
3. Work in a shared Google Doc or Slides to contribute ideas and prepare for your video async. Consider using the optional templates linked above.
4. Find time to meet and record your video. Videos will be shared both internally and externally.
5. There is no pressure to use the optional slide deck linked above - if you prefer your video to be conversational, please go with that!
6. Your small group doesn’t have to meet live to record together - consider splitting up each section of your response, and submitting multiple videos in a collection.
7. When recording the video, think about your audience: How can you best serve a leader who’s looking to solve a similar problem?
8. It’s OK if the scenario you’re working through contains non-public information. Please highlight this verbally at the start of the video so that the material is not shared externally.
9. The location of merge requests is up to your group - the Leadership handbook is a good place to start.

Submit your Project

When your project is complete, follow these steps to submit.

Remember that projects are accepted on a rolling basis and are due before the end of Elevate.

1. Upload your video(s) to Google Drive in this folder
2. Link your video and merge requests to this Google sheet
3. Tag @slee@denomas.com and jallen@denomas.com in a comment on the Google Sheet when your group has submitted their project.

Videos will be reviewed by the L&D team and added to the handbook to promote the program and the solutions you’ve developed. Some ideas may be selected to be shared with Denomas leadership (by the groups who made them).

Certification

The Elevate Certification process is your time to shine!

Following Module 5, you’ll be assesed on your mastery of the leadership competencies taught in Elevate. Certification will occur in a live, collaborative, 50 minute session with a small group of other Elevate participants, likely in your cohort.

The certification for Elevate is not meant to be scary! It’s a time to demonstrate everything you’ve learned and celebrate your new skills and self awareness as you continue to grow as a leader at Denomas.

Elevate Participant Action Items:

1. Sign up for a 50 minute certification session that works for your schedule. The sign up issue for your cohort will be shared in Denomas Talk.
2. Review the 4 scenarios that you might be asked about in the session here.
3. Make a copy of the Elevate Tools and Frameworks resource for your own note take and certification prep.
4. Understand how your performance will be assessed by reviewing the grading rubric here
5. Practice and ask questions in you cohort Denomas Talk channel

What to expect in the certification session:

1. A collaborative, 50 minute session with others Elevate participants, likely in your cohort
2. Opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of Elevate leadership competencies
3. Time to give feedback and discuss iterations for others in your small group

Following the certification, a member of the L&D team will follow up with your results, and either share your Elevate certification or discuss next steps. If for some reason you don’t pass the certification, you’ll meet 1:1 with a Elevate coach to practice your skills.

Making up missed sessions

Attendance to all Elevate live sessions is required to earn the certification. We understand that making time for all live sessions can be difficult. We have options for making up sessions you’ve missed:

Option 1: Attend Another Session

There are 5 Live Learning and 10 Group Coaching options for each module. If you cannot attend your scheduled sessions, Option 1 is to attend another scheduled session. Additional Group Coaching makeups will be scheduled after each module to accommodate anyone who has missed a session.

Note: You will be initially be invited to 4 Live Learning & 1 Group Coaching session - invites will be shared to the other makeup sessions based on your availability.

Option 2: Async Makeup

If none of the 5 Live Learning sessions will work, you may use Option 2: Async Makeup. Note that this can only be used a total of one time per participant.

Async makeups will be shared with participants directly via Level Up. The include watching recordings from the Live Learning and responding to text-based discussion threads in Level Up.

Supporting your team in Elevate

Engaging managers of people leaders in Elevate helps us to:

1. Engage managers and their direct reports in conversations about growth and development
2. Demonstrate leadership buy-in for manager development
3. Ensure participants have a line of communication with their manager to ask questions, raise concerns, and organize workload to participate in Elevate

People Leaders with direct reports who are in a current Elevate cohort could be asked to support in the following ways:

1. Notify team members of nomination and participation in Elevate during a 1:1 meeting and/or via Denomas Talk. Communications and timeline will be provided by the Learning and Development team.
2. Discuss the impact and benefits of Elevate during your 1:1. Answer questions that arise using this handbook page and direct further questions to the Learning and Development team.
3. If/when prompted by the Learning and Development team, follow up with reminders to team members who have missed live sessions or are not responsive to program communications.
4. Help team members manage their current workload and cohort timing.

Measuring Success

Before each Elevate cohort begins, a short survey will be sent to participant’s direct reports via Culture Amp. The questions are meant to understand the perception of direct reports, specifically related to how their managers are already demonstrating concepts covered in Elevate.

The same survey will be sent to participant’s direct reports immediately after the program ends, then again after 6 and 12 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does success in Elevate look like?

To earn the final Elevate certification, participants must:

1. Attend or makeup all live sessions, as outlined below
2. Complete all self-paced work in Level Up
3. Submit an Elevate Project
4. Pass the Elevate Certification

Is my participation in Elevate required?

Yes, this is a required training for all people leaders at Denomas.

Where do I communicate my questions, concerns, and feedback as I go through the program?

When the program begins, you’ll be added to a Denomas Talk group that includes all members of your cohort. The naming convention used is #elevate-cohort-x. You can also reach out directly to your manager or the Learning and Development team.

I missed, or cannot attend, a live learning or group coaching. What do I do?

It’s a requirement to make up missed sessions within each month to ensure that you’re learning each new skill and moving through the program in the appropriate order. Please make every effort to attend live sessions as scheduled. We have 2 makeup options outlined below. If a conflict arises for your assigned group coaching session, you can attend with another cohort. If none of the live session times work for you, you can complete the Buddy Makeup. Please reach out proactively to a member of the Learning and Development Team if you cannot attend a session.

We’re committed to working with you to find a solution that let’s you successfully complete Elevate. If you must miss one live session for personal reasons, you need approval from your manager. Additional missed sessions will result in an incomplete Elevate status.

What if I have already completed the manager challenge?

The Manager Challenge is a past iteration of leadership development at Denomas. We appreciate the time that past manager challenge participations have dedicated to their growth and development. Elevate is the next iteration in our Denomas manager journey, and is still required of manager challenge participants.

When I complete this program will I earn a certificate?

Yes! Upon successful completion of the program, including attendance to all required live sessions, asynchronous learning, and assessments, participants will be awarded the Denomas Elevate certification.

How often will this program run?

We currently plan for a new group of ~100 people leaders to start this program every 2-3 months. Our goal is that 85% of our people leaders complete Elevate by the end of FY24.

Is there opportunity to participate in the program if I am an aspiring manager?

Due to our priority to certify 85% of our people leaders in FY24, participation by aspiring managers is not currently an option.

What if I get promoted while I’m part of Elevate?

If you’re promoted from Manager to Senior Manager, you’ll continue Elevate without inturruption. If you’re promoted to a Director role or above, please plan to discuss directly with your manager and the Elevate team. Decisions will be made on a case by case basis.

Delivering Elevate

This section includes key resources for the Learning and Development team who delivers Elevate.

Language

Refer to the table below to align on language used to talk about Elevate.

Term	Definition
Round	Collection of cohorts starting Elevate at the same time - used for internal reference only
Cohort	Groups of 10-12 participants organized by timezone who meet together for Group Coaching - used with participants
Projects	Group based projects which showcase learning application at Denomas, begin with Round 1
Manager+ Path	Elevate content for Managers and Senior Managers
Director+ Path	Elevate content for Directors, Senior Directors, and VPs
Pilot	First group of ~45 managers involved in Elevate
Round 1	Manager+ Path running from April-August 2023 - 100 participants
Round 2	Manager+ Path running from June-October 2023 - 60 participants
Round 3	Director+ Path running from June-October 2023 - 30 participants

Resources

1. Use the #new-elevate-cohort issue template whenever you start a new round of Elevate

Disengaged Participants

If a participant misses a live session or falls behind on self paced work, the L&D team should use the following outreach process. Messages can be found in this Google sheet.

Timeline	L&D Action
Participant is incomplete on live session or self pace work	Message 1: Direct message via Denomas Talk to coordinate makeup or check on progress
No response 24 hours after Message 1	Message 2: Direct message via Denomas Talk to participant & PBP
No response 24 hours after Message 2	Message 3: Direct message via Denomas Talk to participant, PBP, & Talent Aquisition VP
Disengaged or request program exit	Message 4: L&D team sends message to PBP of participant to discuss enrollment of future Elevate cohort