Skip navigation

Oddball boosts collaboration through shared learning

Oddball enrolled its program managers in Electives Membership, resulting in collaboration and improved services for their federal government clients.

The Oddball and Electives logos on a gradient purple backgroundThe Oddball and Electives logos on a gradient purple background

Table of contents

Insights from Ellen Raim, Founder of People MatterWe focus more on solving than preventing People problems.

Oddball, a “strangely human” digital company revolutionizing federal government services, started as a small team deeply committed to delivering exceptional results to the federal government. As the Oddball team grew, they maintained the human-centric culture that has been the cornerstone of their success.

The opportunity:

Oddball has a diverse team of program managers with extensive leadership experience.  However, due to the nature of their work and the structure of the teams, the Oddball program managers often find themselves siloed, limiting opportunities for collaboration and shared learning.

Oddball needed a leadership development solution that could accommodate the program managers' varied experience levels and complex and demanding schedules.

The solution:

Oddball enrolled their program managers in Electives Membership, allowing each employee to select and attend two live classes per month. This flexible approach to learning and development ensured that each program manager could choose classes that matched their individual needs and interests while fitting into their busy schedules.

The results:

Enrollment in Electives Membership yielded significant benefits for Oddball's program managers and their teams. 

Because all Electives Membership classes are live, they strengthen connections and collaboration. When multiple program managers take the same class, they often engage in internal messaging during the class to discuss how the content applies to their work. This practice fosters camaraderie and creates a shared language and experience among the managers.

Plus, the knowledge gained from Electives Membership classes is disseminated throughout the organization, directly through facilitated discussions and indirectly through the everyday application of new skills and insights. 

“Electives gives me the opportunity to reflect on my leadership style. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to management, so engaging with diverse professionals in a live setting has helped me to solve problems in a different way. Even small changes can lead to big results.” — Melanie Jones, Oddball Program Manager

“Electives has helped me hone in specific areas where I can have the most impact with my teams and within my company. They've helped me identify what I have to offer, how I can leverage my strengths, and how I can collaborate with others along the way to round out what we collectively bring to Oddball”. — Megen Schlesinger, Oddball Program Manager

Oddball’s strategy revolves around nurturing talent and maintaining a human-centric approach to digital solutions. The company’s emphasis on learning and development ensures that it retains the innovative and inclusive spirit that defines it — even as it grows.

The Oddball partnership with Electives highlights how the company’s investment in people continues to drive its success and revolutionize the services it provides. Equipped with new insights, the Oddball program managers are leading their teams more effectively, which is directly translating to improved services for their federal government clients.

Learn more about Oddball at oddball.io.

Learn live. Adapt faster.

Latest resources

Learn more about creating a culture of learning throughout our resources below.

How to improve time to value (TTV) in skill development
Electives team
 
Apr 14, 2025

How to improve time to value (TTV) in skill development

In the skills economy, value is defined by what people can do—not what’s on their resume. Here’s how organizations and employees can adapt and grow.
Learning best practices
The skills your team needs to navigate change
Electives team
 
Apr 9, 2025

The skills your team needs to navigate change

In a VUCA world, your team needs more than technical skills. Build adaptability, communication and problem-solving to help employees lead through change.
Innovation + productivity
Public speaking: A high-impact skill for modern leaders
Electives team
 
Apr 8, 2025

Public speaking: A high-impact skill for modern leaders

Public speaking helps employees lead more effectively, share ideas clearly and communicate with confidence across the business.
Communication skills
Targeted training vs. broad training investments: How to choose what works
Electives team
 
Apr 3, 2025

Targeted training vs. broad training investments: How to choose what works

Not sure whether to invest in targeted or company-wide training? Here's how to choose the approach that actually supports your goals and gets results.
Learning best practices
How to measure L&D effectiveness and get leadership on board
Electives team
 
Apr 2, 2025

How to measure L&D effectiveness and get leadership on board

With the right approach, you can connect learning to real business outcomes—and get leadership to actually care about it.
Learning best practices
10 creative ways to boost attendance for your next training
Electives team
 
Apr 1, 2025

10 creative ways to boost attendance for your next training

Boost sign-ups and make your next virtual training feel like something worth showing up for.
Learning best practices

View all posts

ENJOYABLE. EASY. EFFECTIVE.

Learning that works.

With live learning + AI simulations, Electives is a learning platform that makes it easy to design, execute and measure effectiveness.

Request a demo

Request a demo

Learn more

Learn more