Executive Development Programs for Government Managers

The GovLeaders.org web site is primarily designed as a self-study aide for government managers who wish to improve their leadership and management skills. We thought it would be useful, however, to mention some formal training programs that are available to government managers with the sponsorship of their agencies. These programs are all highly regarded. We recommend becoming familiar with these training opportunities so you will know to seek out them out if/when they become appropriate for (or available to) you.

Public Sector Consortium [PDF]
In collaboration with the Society for Organizational Learning (SOL), the Public Sector Consortium has created an innovative learning curriculum for public leaders. The formal programs are only one part of a system of learning which includes a community of practice, on-site consulting, and coaching. Courses are delivered on-site and can be designed and tailored to meet the needs of your organization. Some of the offerings include: Systems Thinking, Achieving results with Organizations that Learn, Leadership Through Productive Conversation, Managing Your Time as a Leader, Strategies for Facilitative Leaders, and Succeed in Any Conditions Using After Action Reviews. Contact Georgie Bishop for information on how to schedule one of these programs on-site. Also check out the Public Sector Consortium's systems thinking analysis of public leadership, The Leadership Dilemma in a Democratic Society.

American Management Association

AMA offers a wide variety of courses in leadership and management with a curriculum specifically tailored to the needs of government managers. Leadership courses are 2-5 days in duration and are offered at their training center in Washington, DC. They can also provide on-site training at agency locations.

American University/OPM Masters in Public Administration

The highly rated Key Executive MPA program offered by American University and OPM is designed for high potential government employees at approximately the GS-13 level. The 22-month program consists of three 2-week residential sessions at OPM's Eastern Management Development Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and 16 weekends of intensive course-work at American University in Washington, DC.

Annenberg Leadership Institute [PDF]
This innovative new program, announced in June 2007, will work with six Federal agencies dedicated to improving their operations and the quality of their agency's leadership. Five high-potential GS-13s and GS-14s will be selected from each agency to work on high profile projects that will facilitate their leadership development and help improve their agencies. Participants will receive executive coaching, access to agency leaders, experience on a high-profile project, and exposure to innovative management practices (including site visits).

Brookings Institution

Brookings offers a number of one week training programs on public policy and leadership for mid-level government managers and senior executives. They also have a new 10-month executive leadership development program for GS-14s and above, "Mastering the Art of Public Leadership." Participants attend courses for three days per month for the duration of the program.

Center for Creative Leadership
CCL is considered by many to be one of the the top-rated organizations in the world dedicated exclusively to leadership research and executive development. Their programs are built on a developmental model of assessment, challenge and support, using both 360-degree feedback and individual assessment. Many of their courses offer post-program development in the form of a three-month goal setting process and follow-up; an assessment of behavioral change; and/or one-to-one interaction with a certified CCL coach.

Council for Excellence in Government

The year-long Excellence in Government Fellows Program includes 19 days of program content, executive coaching, benchmarking, and networking with executives from other agencies. It is structured in a way that promotes immediate on-the-job application of the course material in order to facilitate leadership learning and achieve real results at the same time. The program primarily targets high-potential GS-14s and GS-15s, but exceptional GS-13s may also apply.

Federal Executive Institute and Management Development Centers

OPM has Management Development Centers (MDCs) in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and Denver, Colorado. They offer a wide range of 1-2 week leadership and management development courses for managers at various levels. Leaders at the GS-15 level and above (including Senior Executive Service and equivalents) may take courses at OPM's Federal Executive Institute (FEI) in Charlottesville, Virginia. Most FEI courses are less than a week long.

Federal Managers Practicum

Management Concepts offers a comprehensive program management course in partnership with the Federal Managers Association. This targeted certificate program consists of nine classes (totaling 29 training days) at the Management Concepts Training Centers in Vienna, Virginia, and Washington, DC. Participants have three years to complete the program, and may earn credit towards a graduate degree.

George Washington University Center for Excellence in Public Leadership
GWU's Senior Executive Development program is designed to prepared candidates for the Senior Executive Service. This 80-hour open enrollment program is designed for senior managers in the Federal government (GS-13 through SES level), military officers, and state and local officials.

Graduate School, USDA Leadership Development Program

The Graduate School, USDA's Leadership Development Program has a number of long-term leadership development training programs for managers (and aspiring managers) at all levels. The very rich course curriculum generally includes team activities, developmental work assignments, and executive shadowing/interviews. There are 3- to 9-month programs for aspiring leaders and new managers, as well as 12-month programs for mid-level managers and executives. These courses require participants to be away from their regular jobs about half the time over the length of the program. Nomination by your supervisor or agency is required for admission to the long-term programs. The Leadership Development Program also has several 1-2 week courses for members of the Senior Executive Service and those who aspire to be.

Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation

Part of American University's School of Public Administration, ISPPI offers a Leadership Certificate program consisting of several 4-day courses on public sector leadership. The coursers are generally held on weekends. ISPPI also has a monthly speaker series, the Leadership Forum, that deals with issues related to public policy implementation.

Kennedy School of Government Center for Public Leadership

Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government offers a number of leadership courses for government managers and executives that range in length from two days to four weeks. Courses are usually given at Harvard, but they also have a number of custom two-day courses that can be taught at government agency locations.

National Institutes of Health Training and Development Branch

NIH offers a wide variety of courses on leadership and management at their training facilities in Bethesda, Frederick and Rockville, Maryland. Most of the courses are 1-3 days, and enrollment is open to employees of all agencies. Subjects include everything from interviewing skills to emotional intelligence.

National Leadership Institute
Part of the University of Maryland University College, NLI offers three and five-day leadership courses based on the curriculum and research of the Center for Creative Leadership. Services include leadership assessment tools and executive coaching.

National League of Cities Leadership Training Institute

The National League of Cities Leadership Training Institute provides seminars for elected local leaders to help them develop practical leadership skills needed to lead change and innovation in their communities. The Leadership Training Institute's main program is its annual Leadership Summit. They also offer a variety of regional training programs that address specific leadership competencies. Participation in these programs can lead to a Certificate of Achievement in Leadership.

National Public Health Leadership Institute

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the National Public Health Leadership Institute in 1991 to enhance leadership in public health at the federal, state, and local level. The 24-month program is run by the Center for Creative Leadership in conjunction with the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's Kenan-Flagler Business School and the UNC School of Public Health. Most of the course-work is done via distance learning, but the program does includes an intensive week-long Leadership Development Program in Chapel Hill.

National War College

The National War College has a 1-year program to prepare future leaders for high-level policy, command, and staff responsibilities. The curriculum emphasizes the joint and inter-agency perspective. Three-quarters of the students are drawn from the military services, and the remaining 25 percent from the Department of State and other foreign affairs agencies. If you work for a participating agency, check with your training or career development officer to find out how to apply.

The Performance Institute

The Performance Institute offers conferences, training, and certification programs for government managers. Their curriculum includes a wide variety of courses related to improving the performance of government, including a course on leadership and change management. The courses are held in a variety of locations in the United States and Canada.

The Rocky Mountain Program

The Graduate School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado at Denver, offers a one-week residence program for elected officials and upper-level managers from the federal, state and local levels of government. The course focuses on enhancing the participants' leadership skills and encourages the use of innovative approaches to governance. Offered twice a year.

Next: Agency-Specific Leadership Development Programs