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