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Spirit of 66
By Casey McCurdy, Cohort 66 – Sunlight Peak, Lead Tax Auditor, Denver Department of Finance – August 2017 The City of Denver is a group of folks who are so […]
By Casey McCurdy, Cohort 66 – Sunlight Peak, Lead Tax Auditor, Denver Department of Finance – August 2017
The City of Denver is a group of folks who are so much more than just what they do. I work as a Tax Auditor, but I am a dad of twins (Ruby & Reid), a husband, a veteran, and an aspiring poet. Peak helped me draw from all of those areas to become an agent of change.
Challenging, humbling, frustrating, inspiring. Those are just a few of the multitude of descriptive words that come to mind when I think back on my week in Black Belt at the Denver Peak Academy. The people I met in the class are now valued friends and supporters. We came from various cities and worked different jobs, and all had our ideas of what leadership and innovation were. Five days later we knew the impact we could and would have on our cities, our jobs, and our co-workers.
We found strength in our support for one another. We found creativity and vision in our pursuit of innovation. We found encouragement and hope in the facilitators. In the end, I believe our cohort mirrored the sentiment of former President Barack Obama: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for; we are the change we seek.”
One Week Wasn’t Long Enough
By Casey McCurdy
5 days, 24 people, all different.
Front-line to Director, behind the scenes to the face of the City. Different work, different styles, yet all leaders. Quiet, loud, reserved, spontaneous, calm, outgoing, motivated and charismatic. Outside-the-box thinkers, influencers, and innovators.
We started confused, frustrated, overwhelmed, challenged and asking ourselves why. Pushed to go beyond the surface of ourselves, to find our purpose and our passion. Learning the principles and tools of innovation sparked the embers of change within each one of us.
Inclusive, supportive, focused and linked. Our progressive, dynamic minds coming together. Motivated and energized by passion and purpose. Our thinking elevated, our minds enlightened, and our spirits refreshed. Empowered, inspired, and eager are we.
24 to 1. Embers to flame. Asking everyone else why.
JerraudPeakAcademy
Jerraud Coleman is a creative, data-driven, focused, and positive Deputy Director for the City and County of Denver's Peak Academy.
For the past seven years, alongside an exceptional team of continuous improvement professionals, he helps direct, generate, and facilitate process improvement events throughout Denver, Colorado, and the nation.
He trains employees of government, non-profits, and other enterprises (nationally, abroad and at all levels) in the principles and methods of continuous improvement, performance, and change management tools like Lean, the Four Disciplines of Execution (Covey), & PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act/Adjust).
He also works at promoting and sharing the methods mentioned above via blogs, social media, workshops/improvement events, and conferences.
Jerraud believes that "sharing and talking about continuous improvement tools can help enterprises identify and sustain the elimination of any waste or pain point found within any process or system." Thus, resulting in happier customers, employees, and organizations.
Moreover, regarding his work with the City & County of Denver, Jerraud believes in "creating a world-class place where everybody matters matter," primarily through systems-thinking, more productive, valuable, and efficient processes.
Jerraud holds a BFA (in Integrated Arts) from the University of Colorado, Boulder, a Lean Black Belt certificate from Regis University, and a handful of certifications from Coursera in Data Science tools and methods.
Denver Peak Academy 