Dunn County explains equity pay adjustment and expands 'Fierce Conversations' leadership training

Dunn County officials told the Committee on the Department of Administration that an equity pay adjustment was made for a recently created talent development position, and staff outlined continued use of the Fierce Conversations leadership curriculum with a new local trainer certification to reduce costs.

Jenna, the county's chief financial officer, said the newly created talent development position began in January 2024 and that market comparables showed the current pay placement was below the 50th percentile. "That adjustment is directly in relation to market comparables," Jenna said during the meeting. Supervisors did not object to the adjustment when asked.

Sarah Stansberry, Dunn County's talent development program manager, presented the Fierce Conversations program to the committee. She described it as a modular leadership curriculum that focuses on accountability, conflict management, feedback and coaching. Stansberry said about 70 managers attended an all-day Fierce training in 2023, and voluntary nine-month cohorts in 2024–25 delivered roughly 900 hours of combined classroom and cohort work.

"While no single conversation is guaranteed to change the trajectory of a career... any single conversation can," Stansberry said, summarizing the program's premise. She described planned adjustments for 2025: in-person manager workshops, more flexible single-module options for staff who cannot commit to nine-month cohorts, quarterly "fireside chats" for graduates, and offering some modules to non-managers over time (resilience and foundational courses were specifically mentioned).

Staff emphasized a cost-savings strategy: rather than hiring an outside facilitator (which staff said previously cost about $15,000 for an in-person facilitator), the county is training local staff as Fierce trainers through the company's train‑the‑trainer program. Stansberry and a colleague, Sadie Bigght, are completing a roughly 70-hour certification process; staff said the train‑the‑trainer route cost about $4,000 for two people. Committee members applauded the certification milestone.

Supervisors asked about measuring program effects and whether long-tenured employees reported different experiences; Stansberry said the county's employee satisfaction survey identified gaps around manager accountability, conflict handling and regular feedback — areas Fierce targets. Stansberry acknowledged the county has not yet broken down survey responses by tenure.

There was no formal committee action on compensation or on training beyond the presentation; staff described the pay adjustment as implemented and the training program as ongoing.