How OVEC strengthened leadership alignment, communication, and employee engagement through strengths-based development
The Opportunity
Like many organizations today, OVEC was navigating the growing complexity that comes with leading people through stress, change, and increasing workplace demands.
Leaders were working hard. Teams were committed. But there was also a growing recognition that sustainable organizational health requires more than execution alone.
It requires self-awareness.
Shared language.
Intentional leadership.
And environments where people feel seen, valued, and understood..
As Jason reflected:
“Conflict is unavoidable in the workplace.”
At the same time, leaders across the organization were carrying significant responsibility and pressure.
“Educators and education leaders, we have a high level of stress right now.”
Rather than approaching these challenges from a deficit-based perspective, OVEC chose to invest in a strengths-based culture rooted in development, communication, and leadership alignment.
The Approach
OVEC partnered with Gallup Strengths coaches, Sara Harvey, MaryAnn Gramig and David Cook from The Coaching Collaborative to integrate CliftonStrengths into leadership development across the organization through:
- executive coaching,
- leadership team coaching,
- manager group coaching,
- and strengths-based culture development.
The goal was not simply to deliver a workshop.
The goal was to create a shared framework leaders could use to better understand themselves, support their teams more intentionally, and lead with greater clarity and alignment.
Jason described one of the most meaningful outcomes this way:
“We’ve communicated care to our entire team.”
Through strengths-based coaching, leaders began learning how to better recognize individual needs, communication styles, and motivations. They saw in themselves ways they could grow
“We use CliftonStrengths to get to know people really well on an individual basis, and then tailor the feedback and support we give to them through their strengths.”
Creating a Shared Leadership Language
One of the most significant shifts was the development of a shared language across teams and leaders.
Instead of viewing workplace tension as simply interpersonal conflict, leaders began understanding the deeper dynamics influencing communication and collaboration.
“CliftonStrengths helps us identify what might be behind some of those conflicts.”
This created space for more productive conversations, stronger working relationships, and greater empathy within teams.
As Jason explained:
“You teach them how to work together in meaningful ways and what they need from each other.”
Over time, strengths-based language became embedded throughout the organization — not as a program, but as part of how leaders and teams interacted every day.
Investing in Leaders
OVEC also recognized that organizational health depends heavily on the health and development of its leaders.
Jason shared:
“I looked around my leadership team and I saw stars.”
Rather than expecting leaders to carry growing demands without support, OVEC intentionally invested in coaching and leadership development at multiple levels of the organization.
“I realized that our success as an organization and my success as an individual leader was riding on them, and I needed to invest in them.”
The coaching process created opportunities for leaders to strengthen communication, deepen trust, and build stronger alignment with one another.
“The coaching helped them bond. They’ve got a language they use with each other.”
Creating Space for Strategic Leadership
Executive coaching also provided something many leaders rarely experience consistently:
Space to think.
Space to reflect.
Space to lead intentionally.
Space to reconnect leadership with purpose rather than constant reaction.
Jason described the impact personally:
“One-on-one coaching has been critical to me, not only as a CEO, but just as a human.”
He also reflected on the value of stepping back from constant execution to lead more strategically:
“Having that break… to think strategically about the work and how to apply my strengths has benefited me on an ongoing basis.”
The Results
As strengths-based leadership became more integrated throughout the organization, OVEC began seeing measurable improvements in engagement and organizational culture.
To assess progress, OVEC implemented the Gallup Employee Engagement Survey.
After intentionally investing in strengths development across the organization, the results were clear.
“On every question of the survey, we saw improvement.”
The organization experienced growth in areas including:
- employee recognition,
- leadership communication,
- engagement,
- and team connection.
Leaders also began integrating strengths more organically into everyday culture and team environments.
“They’re really authentically and creatively using the strengths throughout our organization.”
What began as a leadership initiative evolved into a deeper cultural shift — one grounded in greater self-awareness, stronger relationships, and more intentional leadership.
Key Outcomes
Through this work, OVEC experienced:
- Improved employee engagement survey results across all categories
- Stronger leadership communication and alignment
- More effective conflict resolution
- Alignment with Strengths as a core value
- Increased employee recognition and connection
- Greater leadership self-awareness and adaptability
- A shared organizational language for collaboration and development
Final Reflection
Organizations do not become healthier simply because people work harder.
Healthy cultures are built when leaders better understand themselves, understand one another, and intentionally create environments where people can contribute from their strengths.
OVEC’s experience demonstrates what becomes possible when leadership development moves beyond transactional training and becomes part of the culture itself.
As Jason shared,
“That’s been an overall win for our organization.”
