Overview
As in many federal agencies, succession planning is becoming increasingly crucial for the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). Many of the Department's most talented senior leaders are soon to retire and the DOC recognizes that if it is not prepared, the agency will experience a significant loss of institutional knowledge and management capacity. To help combat the effects of this exodus, the DOC has partnered with the Office of Executive Programs to provide educational support in creating the next-generation leaders who can ensure the continued execution of the Department's mission.

The Executive Leadership Development Program is a competency-based leadership development program that provides education and experiential learning for DOC employees at the GS 13-14 levels. The five-day course is one component of a larger two-year project to prepare DOC candidates for

entry into the Senior Executive Service and core leadership positions in the agency. In addition to the on-campus education, participants receive a weeklong training on Capitol Hill, participate in an Executive Speaker Forum and Mentor Program, and perform a special developmental work assignment.

Program Content
The Executive Leadership Development Program is a five-day, 40-hour course of study, relying on interactive forms of learning. Sessions include discussions led by scholar-practitioners, experiential exercises, small group interactions, assessment data and other forms of feedback, and case studies. The program:

• Assesses individual leadership styles and competencies through a variety of assessment instruments and feedback opportunities.
• Provides workshops and interactive simulations based on OPM's Executive Core Qualifications, with an emphasis upon DOC identified competencies.
• Provides participants with feedback and coaching.
• Assists participants in developing individualized leadership development plans.
• Introduces a variety of leadership tools and techniques to assist in addressing the challenges facing the Department and its Bureaus.

Prior to the five-day program, participants are asked to complete a series of individual leadership and organizational assessment tools. This pre-work may be introduced and partially conducted in a special 2-3 hour "orientation session" facilitated by the School of Public Policy .

Please contact Elizabeth Hinson for additional information on dates, location, and cost.