Last month, we wrapped up the third cohort of our Leaps program with our longtime partner company, Black & Veatch. As I listened to the participants present their final Leap Talks—each sharing the story of their transformative journey—I was moved, and not just by their impressive projects.

It’s something I notice every time I work with B&V, especially when I visit their headquarters in Overland Park. They're entirely employee-owned, one of the largest firms of their kind. At first, I might have thought it was just a business structure—like an LLC or an LLP—but it’s more than that. It shapes their organizational culture. You can feel how invested they are in one another because they are, quite literally, vested in the success of their company.

It’s easy to assume that an employee-owned company might cut corners on things like leadership development, but B&V proves the opposite. The program we run requires a major commitment. Each professional takes nearly two full weeks away from their day-to-day responsibilities and the cost of flights and hotels adds up. And yet, it’s worth it because they understand that developing their leaders is key to their collective success.

While getting to know their leaders, I’ve often heard things like “I’ve been at B&V 19 years”, “my dad worked here his whole career”, “I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else” and “I love my job.” This sense of legacy, pride, and commitment comes from a deep investment in one another.

I’m not suggesting that every company needs to shift to an employee-owned structure. But I am asking: What if you adopted the mindset of one?

While Leaps is one way to foster an ownership mindset, I’ll offer a few lower-lift opportunities.

• Nurture future leaders today: Who are the emerging leaders in your organization? Pair them with mentors, offer stretch assignments, and dedicate time to their development. Could you create a "shadow board" of junior employees to work on strategic projects alongside senior leadership?
  
  

• Foster a culture of shared learning: Encourage team members to share their skills and insights, and create opportunities for peer coaching. Could you create a monthly “Teach-Me-Something" session where employees take turns presenting on their areas of expertise?
  
  

• Celebrate individual wins as team victories: Find ways to celebrate each milestone together, reinforcing that one person’s growth is everyone's success. Try adding a "Success Spotlight" where individuals share recent achievements and how they impact the broader organization to your next large meeting.
  
  

• Encourage a long-term mindset: How are you preparing your people not just for this quarter, but for the next five years? Shift from short-term gains to sustainable growth by developing skills and relationships that will last. Perhaps you try a "Five Year Vision" exercise where employees map out their long-term career goals within the company and identify the skills they need to develop.

You don’t have to be employee-owned to act like it. But the takeaway is to support your people as if your future depends on it—because, ultimately, it does.

**29th Gift Alert **

In honor of Leap Year and all the leaps taken by our Ei community—whether through our programs or on your own—we’re sharing a 25% discount on our Leap Map as this month’s 29th Gift! The Leap Map is all about getting started on your next big move. It guides you through a step-by-step process to bring clarity and structure to your journey.

Not sure what direction to go in yet? No worries—start with the Inspiration List prompts. Already have something in mind? Dive right in to set your course, stay accountable, and track your progress as you go.