Leadership program readies federal managers for executive roles

The head of the American Red Cross on Wednesday urged nearly 160 graduates of a yearlong government leadership program to go out and "change the status quo" at their agencies, by setting a positive example for other employees and remaining confident in the face of controversy.

"The reality is that we can't change the world overnight, but we can change ourselves," Marsha Evans, president and chief executive officer of the Red Cross, said in a speech to mid-level federal managers who completed the Council for Excellence in Government's Senior Fellows program. Supervisors should display the positive attitude they would like to see in their employees, she said. "If you reflect a lack of commitment, you're going to get [that] back," she warned.

Managers cannot hope to control every aspect of the work they are responsible for overseeing, Evans said. Instead of micromanaging employees, supervisors should coach them, ensuring that they are adequately trained and believe their jobs are important to the agency's mission.

Through hands-on projects, individual instruction and lectures from managers at private companies, nonprofit organizations and academic organizations, the 15-year-old Excellence in Government Fellows program teaches mid-level federal mangers five skills necessary for senior executive service positions-communicating effectively, setting goals, motivating employees, implementing ideas and following sound business practices. Fellows work full time for their agencies while participating in the program. Agencies cover tuition and travel expenses for fellows.

The program is demanding, but worthwhile, said Timothy Trainor, a cartographer at the Census Bureau who graduated with a specialty in electronic government projects. Trainor and several other leadership fellows worked with the District of Columbia's family services department to build an electronic database that will help match children needing homes with foster parents. The database is not complete yet, but Trainor said he hopes the next group of fellows will pick up where his team left off.

The project brought together fellows from an array of agencies, Trainor said, fostering the type of interagency collaboration that is often missing from government. Trainor added that the program helped him build a network of contacts that should prove helpful as he continues his career at the Census Bureau.

Linda Martin, a policy researcher in the Social Security Administration's Office of Research, Evaluation and Statistics, worked on her own to develop a database of information on an SSA "ticket to work" program for people with disabilities. The database houses statistics on beneficiaries, and will help researchers evaluate whether the program is effective, Martin explained.

The Council for Excellence in Government attempts to accept all qualified candidates for the leadership program, according to Judy Douglas, vice president for leadership at the council. Coursework is geared toward managers at the GS-14 or GS-15 levels, but may be appropriate for high-performing GS-13s as well, she said. Applicants must submit several essays and a reference letter to the council from a senior executive at their agency.

For more information on the program, visit the Council for Excellence in Government Web site.