| The most recent edition of Public Personnel | | | | or community. The format involves a |
| Management, Winter 2004, focused solely on | | | | continuous process of learning and |
| one of the hottest issues facing today's | | | | reflection, built around learning groups of |
| public sector human resource professionals: | | | | colleagues, more often with the aim of |
| workforce and succession planning. During the | | | | getting work-related initiatives |
| 2004 IPMA-HR International Training | | | | accomplished.The City of San Jose is using |
| Conference, numerous sessions focused on the | | | | action learning as part of their new |
| growing need to implement workforce and | | | | leadership development effort. The program |
| succession planning systems in order to | | | | participants are divided into six, |
| address the mass exodus of workers that is | | | | functionally-diverse teams. Each team is |
| anticipated in the next five to ten years. In | | | | assigned one of the city's corporate |
| both Public Personnel Management and at the | | | | priorities which include:- Performance-driven |
| conference, the issue of leadership | | | | government |
| development was cited as a primary tool for | | | | |
| preparing the workforce for the | | | | - Support for effective council |
| future.Numerous agencies are incorporating | | | | policy-making |
| leadership development as an element of their | | | | |
| workforce planning efforts. Notable | | | | - Effective use of technology |
| leadership development programs that have | | | | |
| been documented include those implemented in | | | | - Customer service |
| San Diego County, CA; Henrico County, VA; | | | | |
| Hennepin County, MN; City of Las Vegas, NV; | | | | - City as an employer of choice |
| City of Phoenix, AZ; and City of San Jose, | | | | |
| CA. In my observation, many of the best | | | | - Neighborhood-focused service deliveryTeams |
| practice elements in public sector leadership | | | | are guided by team sponsors, who are all |
| development are consistent between agencies. | | | | members of the City's executive team. Over a |
| The purpose of this article is to share ten | | | | period of six months each team is expected to |
| practices that appear to be common threads | | | | identify a City issue or project that needs |
| among agencies that are developing leaders | | | | attention. The teams research the issue, |
| internally to fill anticipated vacancies in | | | | benchmark approaches with other |
| the future.The following tips are provided as | | | | jurisdictions, propose solutions the City |
| guidance to public sector organizations that | | | | could consider, develop a formal written |
| may be interested in developing their own | | | | report, and make a formal presentation in the |
| leadership development programs.Tip One: Base | | | | City Council chambers as part of their |
| the program on a competency model.Before any | | | | program conclusion. The City Manager and |
| training or development activities can take | | | | other top executives will receive their |
| place, it is critical to identify the skills | | | | presentations and provide feedback to each |
| and competencies that will be developed as a | | | | team. Whenever possible, the team will be |
| result of the effort. As discussed in the | | | | given the authority to implement or |
| Public Personnel Journal, Winter 2004, | | | | participate in the implementation of their |
| Henrico County developed 20 core leadership | | | | recommendations which may have citywide or |
| competencies including communication, | | | | regional implications. As a result, the |
| critical thinking and decision making, | | | | participants are able to practice their |
| organizational astuteness, and personal | | | | communication and team skills as part of the |
| integrity. These competencies provided the | | | | process, receive feedback on their report |
| framework for their development efforts. | | | | writing skills, and practice making |
| Other agencies, including the County of San | | | | presentations in a forum that is new to many |
| Diego base their leadership academy on the | | | | of them. They also have the opportunity to |
| same model as the multi-rater, 360-feedback | | | | showcase their skills related to issues that |
| tool that is used in the program.Whether your | | | | they may not otherwise have the opportunity |
| organization has an established competency | | | | to explore.Tip Six: Use internal and external |
| model that is used throughout your human | | | | resources.As mentioned in Tip Two above, it |
| resource programming or not, it is critical | | | | is important to make full use of your |
| to spend some time defining the skills that | | | | organization's executive leadership team |
| leadership program participants are expected | | | | sessions that directly relate to the |
| to develop. For example, the City of San Jose | | | | organization's strategic plan, culture, and |
| conducted a survey of top managers, followed | | | | expectations. However, other concepts may be |
| by round-table discussions to determine the | | | | better presented by individuals outside of |
| competencies to be developed in their | | | | the organization, who provide an outside or |
| leadership program called The Art and | | | | neutral perspective. You may also find that |
| Practice of Leadership.Tip Two: Allow | | | | your organization does not have the capacity |
| participants to self-select.Each agency must | | | | or expertise to address all the competencies |
| determine for itself the best method for | | | | included in your model. A balance of internal |
| selecting leadership development program | | | | and external presenters provides participants |
| participants. Factors including collective | | | | with the opportunity to compare and contrast |
| bargaining influences, time, and the intended | | | | the agency's approach with practices and |
| target audience may impact the process you | | | | methods used outside of the organization.Tip |
| use to identify participants. Some | | | | Seven: Maximize internal publicity.In every |
| organizations are targeting potential future | | | | case, leadership development program |
| executives only while others are offering | | | | participants dedicate a great amount of time |
| leadership development opportunities | | | | and energy to these kinds of programs. Not |
| organization-wide.In my experience, the | | | | only is it a commitment of the participant's |
| highest levels of success in terms of | | | | time, it is a commitment of their manager and |
| participant commitment result from a | | | | staff's time that cover for the participant |
| competitive process where interested | | | | when they are attending program activities. |
| participants apply to be involved. By | | | | You can communicate the goals and outcomes of |
| self-selecting, rather than by being | | | | the program and recognize the importance of |
| appointed, participants are more likely to | | | | the effort by using internal communicating |
| clarify their purpose for wanting to take | | | | tools like email, newsletters and Intranet |
| part in the program. When participants are | | | | postings. Everyone who is touched by the |
| mandated to attend a leadership development | | | | program should understand its importance to |
| program, they are often reluctant to commit | | | | the organization's goals.Prior to the start |
| the time and energy into their development, | | | | of the program, formally introduce the |
| and oftentimes, they do not fully understand | | | | participants to the organization and |
| why they are being asked to participate.The | | | | encourage each organizational member to |
| selection process you choose will depend upon | | | | support them. After the program, each |
| the target audience for the program (entire | | | | graduate should be recognized using the same |
| workforce vs. middle managers). You may | | | | communication tools (email, newsletters, |
| choose to use a written application, manager | | | | Intranet, etc.) and their managers and staffs |
| nomination, personal interviews, assessment | | | | should be thanked for supporting them. |
| centers, or other means by which participants | | | | Internal publicity can help garner support |
| compete for entrance into the program. | | | | and enthusiasm for the program and its |
| Nevertheless, it is highly recommended that | | | | goals.Tip Eight: Continuously adjust.The |
| participants have a choice in whether or not | | | | first version of any comprehensive program |
| they participate in your leadership | | | | like this is rarely perfect. It is important |
| development efforts.Tip Three: Involve | | | | to continually modify the program based on |
| executives and elected officials in the | | | | the feedback received not only from the |
| development and implementation of the | | | | participants, but from their managers as |
| program.It has been said in numerous articles | | | | well. By continually improving the program, |
| about employee and leadership development | | | | it will meet the needs of the organization, |
| that without the full support and involvement | | | | even as the organization changes. In every |
| from the executive leadership team, the | | | | leadership development program I have |
| program will fail. Top management must be | | | | developed and managed, the agenda and |
| involved in the development of the | | | | curriculum is modified during the program and |
| curriculum, the selection of the attendees, | | | | after graduation to reflect the changing |
| and in the presentation of the program. Their | | | | needs of the participants and the |
| support is critical for the success and | | | | organization. It is critical to be flexible |
| long-term viability of any leadership | | | | and to listen to the program participants and |
| development program.Likewise, many agencies | | | | their managers in order to ensure the program |
| are finding that involvement by an elected | | | | continuously improves and maintains its |
| official can also supplement the curriculum | | | | credibility and relevance.Tip Nine: Celebrate |
| of a public sector leadership development | | | | the achievement.A learning opportunity such |
| program. For example, the City of Las Vegas | | | | as a leadership academy or leadership |
| invited a councilmember and the City of San | | | | development program requires a commitment of |
| Jose invited the Mayor to address their | | | | time and resources, not only on the part of |
| recent leadership academy programs. The | | | | the coordinators, but on the part of |
| official in each case addressed the class of | | | | management and the participants. A graduation |
| leaders for up to one hour. They were asked | | | | or other public celebration is critical to |
| to give their expectations for public sector | | | | recognize the achievements of all the parties |
| leaders, and program participants were | | | | involved. The graduation does not need to be |
| allowed to ask questions. The dialogue | | | | elaborate or lengthy. A brief lunch with |
| created in these forums allowed the | | | | informal presentations will do the trick. |
| organization's future leaders to see the | | | | Nevertheless, finishing a program like this |
| organization through the eyes of an elected | | | | without some recognition is like going to a |
| official. A facilitated conversation that | | | | movie that doesn't include the credits at the |
| followed the presentation encouraged the | | | | end.Tip Ten: Measure and track outcomes.While |
| participants to identify meaningful | | | | each organization determines the level and |
| "take-aways" from the elected official's | | | | extent to which the results of a leadership |
| comments. Because program participants have | | | | development program are measured, a variety |
| not likely interfaced extensively with an | | | | of tools can be used to determine the impact |
| elected official, but will likely be expected | | | | of the program. Such measures include:- |
| to as their leadership responsibilities | | | | Knowledge of leadership concepts as measured |
| increase, this has become a critical element | | | | via a pre- and post-assessment tool- |
| in public sector leadership development | | | | Perceived change in selected leadership |
| programs.Tip Four: Use 360-degree feedback, | | | | skills as measured by a multi-rater, |
| individual development planning, and coaching | | | | 360-degree feedback tool |
| as the core around which other development | | | | |
| opportunities revolve.360-degree survey tools | | | | administered at the beginning of the effort |
| provide feedback enabling leaders to realize | | | | and again one year later- Number of |
| strengths and areas for development based on | | | | participants retained over one, three, and |
| their own and other's perceptions. Typically | | | | five years- Number of participants promoted |
| such feedback comes from the participant's | | | | over one, three, and five years- Perception |
| direct supervisor, direct reports, and peers. | | | | of participant's supervisor related to the |
| Today, such processes can easily be | | | | participant's change in behavior after |
| facilitated on-line and feedback reports are | | | | attending the leadership development program- |
| comprehensive and detailed. Numerous vendors | | | | Reaction to the leadership development |
| can now customize survey tools to reflect | | | | program curriculum as measured by end of |
| your organization's competency model (see Tip | | | | session evaluationsHowever your organization |
| One above).The feedback process, however, is | | | | decides to measure the outcomes of your |
| only the start of the development process. It | | | | development efforts, it is recommended that |
| is recommended that the feedback be delivered | | | | the measurements be established prior to the |
| in conjunction with opportunities for | | | | start of the program and that they be |
| one-on-one coaching, as many participants | | | | monitored closely. Such measures will allow |
| find the feedback difficult to translate into | | | | you to make appropriate adjustments to future |
| everyday behaviors. A trained coach can | | | | programs and will assist you in showing the |
| assist the participant in making sense of the | | | | impact of the effort on your organization's |
| data. In addition, the participant should be | | | | strategic objectives.If your organization has |
| expected to develop their own individual | | | | not yet embarked on a leadership development |
| development plan that addresses competencies | | | | effort, it is likely that you will in the |
| that are highlights in the feedback report. | | | | near future. Changing demographics, an |
| The individual development plan, once | | | | impending "brain drain," and a need to |
| endorsed by the participant's direct | | | | enhance retention levels are driving public |
| supervisor, should then become the blueprint | | | | organizations of all sizes to explore tools |
| for the participant's leadership development | | | | for ensuring the stability of their |
| efforts.Because the feedback process can be | | | | workforce. And, while many organizations are |
| so powerful, it is recommended that any | | | | exploring these efforts, each must find a |
| leadership development program begin with | | | | solution that works best for their |
| this element, as it will provide the | | | | organization's culture and goals. The |
| direction that each participant will need as | | | | elements presented in this article reflect |
| they pursue the program. With their feedback, | | | | the common practices in public sector |
| the participant can customize their | | | | leadership development efforts today.Marnie |
| leadership development experiences to address | | | | E. Green is Principal Consultant of the |
| the identified needs. Because of this | | | | Arizona-based Management Education Group, |
| flexibility, 360-feedback is a highly | | | | Inc. She is the author of Painless |
| recommended and popular tool.Tip Five: | | | | Performance Evaluations: A Practical Approach |
| Implement action learning through project | | | | to Managing Day to Day Employee Performance |
| teams.Another popular tool for enhancing the | | | | (Pearson/Prentice Hall). Green is a speaker, |
| leadership skills within public organizations | | | | author, and consultant who helps |
| is the use of action learning. Action | | | | organizations develop leaders today for the |
| learning is a typical educational approach | | | | workforce of tomorrow. Contact Green at |
| where participants learn by addressing issues | | | | offer this article on a nonexclusive basis. |
| that are unique to their own organization and | | | | |