Village approves $78,600 executive leadership program with SRSD Consulting LLC

The General Administration and Personnel Committee for the Village of Hoffman Estates approved Feb. 10 a professional services agreement with SRSD Consulting LLC for executive leadership development and coaching in an amount not to exceed $78,600.

Eric (staff member) outlined the rationale for a multi‑month leadership program focused on supervisory and executive-level “soft skills” such as emotional intelligence. He said the proposed program is a 14‑month cohort that will include monthly group sessions, small‑group work and one‑on‑one coaching. "Professional development coaching at an executive level is something that is really starting to take off on the municipal side," Eric said. He identified 11 individuals for initial participation and said the program aims to support succession planning as current department heads near retirement.

Committee members asked about retention risk after training; Eric said there are no guarantees employees will remain, but that investing in staff development increases the pool of qualified internal candidates and that he expects many participants to remain. Trustee Mills and other trustees supported the initiative as a tool for promoting from within.

The motion to approve the SRSD Consulting LLC agreement in an amount not to exceed $78,600 passed on a voice vote; a motion and second were recorded but individual roll-call votes were not listed in the transcript.

Staff said the program could be repeated as subsequent waves of development to build internal capacity over time.