The challenge Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) managers face has been in meeting the new strategic plan and vision of the organization. FHWA plan spells out the need for a customer-focused agency that creates partnerships with its constituents. It calls for an FHWA that plays a process oversight role verses a project manager role with the state DOT's in day-to-day operations. Implementation of the plan included a major reorganization and the need for participative management rather than the more traditional hierarchical methods of the past. FHWA is driven by federal legislation, improved engineering skills at the state level, and a nationwide need to create intermodal transportation systems due to the completion of the Interstate Highway System. This vision and plan requires an emphasis on Quality Management principles, participatory leadership skills for senior managers and a team-based workforce.

Sterling Institute's Managing Change, Coping With Change, Building Effective Teams and Quality Management programs were selected for incorporation into FHWA's training and development strategy in order to meet the goals set forth in its strategic plan. The Managing Change program develops each participant's understanding of what is needed to lead an organizational change effort at the level of the FHWA that he or she represents. All participants review feedback from their direct reports regarding their current level of change management effectiveness. The feedback enables them to specify the personal and organizational changes that would create the conditions mandated by senior management. The Building Effective Teams program helps participants to align their team efforts with customer needs and assist team leaders with start-up activities for team development. Quality Management assists participants in problem solving and process improvement.