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Oddball boosts collaboration through shared learning

Oddball enrolled its program managers in Electives Membership, resulting in collaboration and improved services for their federal government clients.

The Oddball and Electives logos on a gradient purple backgroundThe Oddball and Electives logos on a gradient purple background

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Insights from Ellen Raim, Founder of People MatterWe focus more on solving than preventing People problems.

Oddball, a “strangely human” digital company revolutionizing federal government services, started as a small team deeply committed to delivering exceptional results to the federal government. As the Oddball team grew, they maintained the human-centric culture that has been the cornerstone of their success.

The opportunity:

Oddball has a diverse team of program managers with extensive leadership experience.  However, due to the nature of their work and the structure of the teams, the Oddball program managers often find themselves siloed, limiting opportunities for collaboration and shared learning.

Oddball needed a leadership development solution that could accommodate the program managers' varied experience levels and complex and demanding schedules.

The solution:

Oddball enrolled their program managers in Electives Membership, allowing each employee to select and attend two live classes per month. This flexible approach to learning and development ensured that each program manager could choose classes that matched their individual needs and interests while fitting into their busy schedules.

The results:

Enrollment in Electives Membership yielded significant benefits for Oddball's program managers and their teams. 

Because all Electives Membership classes are live, they strengthen connections and collaboration. When multiple program managers take the same class, they often engage in internal messaging during the class to discuss how the content applies to their work. This practice fosters camaraderie and creates a shared language and experience among the managers.

Plus, the knowledge gained from Electives Membership classes is disseminated throughout the organization, directly through facilitated discussions and indirectly through the everyday application of new skills and insights. 

“Electives gives me the opportunity to reflect on my leadership style. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to management, so engaging with diverse professionals in a live setting has helped me to solve problems in a different way. Even small changes can lead to big results.” — Melanie Jones, Oddball Program Manager

“Electives has helped me hone in specific areas where I can have the most impact with my teams and within my company. They've helped me identify what I have to offer, how I can leverage my strengths, and how I can collaborate with others along the way to round out what we collectively bring to Oddball”. — Megen Schlesinger, Oddball Program Manager

Oddball’s strategy revolves around nurturing talent and maintaining a human-centric approach to digital solutions. The company’s emphasis on learning and development ensures that it retains the innovative and inclusive spirit that defines it — even as it grows.

The Oddball partnership with Electives highlights how the company’s investment in people continues to drive its success and revolutionize the services it provides. Equipped with new insights, the Oddball program managers are leading their teams more effectively, which is directly translating to improved services for their federal government clients.

Learn more about Oddball at oddball.io.

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