Leading the Way: Inspiring a Culture of Continuous Career Development

My journey from a small family-owned construction company in Puerto Rico to the vast corporate landscape of CDM Smith was a transformative experience. The Leadership Academy played a huge role in shaping my understanding of the corporate world, providing valuable insights into both operational and administrative aspects. The Leadership Academy became my guide, offering a comprehensive view of how a global organization like CDM Smith operates. This newfound understanding empowered me with a perspective on how I could help the company succeed.

The Leadership Academy served as a boot camp, rapidly diving into corporate concepts, learning how the different units work together, and networking with people in the different areas of the company. I experienced many realizations that inspired me to assist my colleagues in understanding the bigger picture and appreciating different perspectives. The program fostered relationships with top management and in the vast corporate landscape, this exposure was invaluable for expanding my professional network. 

My Leadership Academy team presented our final project to the Executive Management Committee in early 2023, and I am excited and proud to share that there is a pilot program launching in 2024 as a direct result of the research and solutions we presented. This solidifies to me how the Leadership Academy’s teachings are actively shaping the company’s future initiatives and I, and anyone else, can contribute to the firm’s success.

The Leadership Academy not only reinforced my leadership skills but also provided ongoing oppor­tu­ni­ties to practice and showcase them. I believe in servant leadership and am always willing to support and collaborate with my team. The more people I can help mentor and reach their profes­sional goals, the more I feel that I am a distin­guished leader in our orga­ni­za­tion. Beyond my team, I have established open channels of commu­ni­ca­tion with the ELT and top management through Leadership Academy oppor­tu­ni­ties.

The lessons I’ve learned from the Leadership Academy have translated to some of my proudest achieve­ments, such as being promoted to East Regional Manager for the Project Controls Group. The Leadership Academy provided me with the tools to immediately step into this role, showing its efficacy in real-world situations. This also led to my Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering (AACEi) award, which recognized me in their section “Spotlight on Women in Project Controls” and holds a special signif­i­cance as it gained inter­na­tional recognition. As a woman in STEM from Puerto Rico, I have always felt strongly about DE&I and this global exposure has allowed me to contribute to these initiatives on a broader scale.

My biggest desire is to leave a legacy and help others learn from my experiences. At the end of the day, I always consider myself to be a teacher, hoping to inspire future generations, and I believe the Leadership Academy gave me the skills and oppor­tu­ni­ties to make a bigger impact for the next generation.

Libby J Goyco is a manager of project controls in our Atlanta, Georgia office.