The goal of the Public Sector Consortium’s Learning Programs is to create a world-class program of leadership and management learning that is relevant and accessible to Municipal, State  and Public Education leaders. The Formal Learning Programs were designed through a partnership between public sector leaders, researchers and educators who have specialized in management and leadership practices. The Public Sector Consortium’s Learning Programs were expressly created to teach the essential skills and tools needed to be an effective public sector leader. Designed to mirror the reality of participants’ work environments, each program includes a series of learning objectives specifically tailored for the unique challenges faced in public sector workplaces.

We have three categories of leadership learning programs: Team Learning and Application, Online Learning, and On-Site Formal Classroom programs.

Our premier Public Leadership Team Learning Program is entitled Leadership Matters.  The program is specifically designed for state and municipal public leaders and educators. Leadership Matters provides training in three phases. The program provides learning opportunities to teams of rising leaders who seek advanced management and leadership skills through classroom instruction, as well as the application of the skills learned to an “innovations project” in their own community. Finally they will participate in a ‘lessons learned’ conference to begin building a culture of collaboration and support across communities.

Online learning our newest offering Systems Thinking for Public Leaders in the Age of Contagious Disease….Lead preemptively to avoid crisis. This offering is designed as an introduction to the use of systems thinking skills to help Public Leaders act preemptively and avoid crisis and loss. This module will introduce you and your fellow leaders to the skills needed to map the current reality, educate the public (our partners) and lead preemptively to avoid major public health and economic crisis now and in the future. More information on this course can be found below.

A list of our On-Site Formal Classroom programs follows on this web page. During this pandemic we have suspended all formal on-site classroom learning.  

Team Learning Programs

Leadership Matters

The Leadership Matters program supports a new approach to democratic governance and sustainability in the United States. It promises new classroom learning opportunities, the application of skills to an innovations project (with professional support), and sharing of best practices with other municipalities and organizations. Perhaps most importantly, Leadership Matters develops leaders armed with the knowledge and skills of a new model of public leadership. Click here to learn more about this program.

Online Learning Program

Systems Thinking for Public Leaders in the Age of Contagious Disease…
Lead Preemptively to Avoid Crisis

This offering is designed as an introduction to the use of systems thinking skills to help Public Leaders to act preemptively and avoid crisis and loss. This learning experience focuses on Systems Thinking skills which are vital to the profession of Public Leadership and encourages your use of these skills in all aspects of your work. The focus of this program will be the application of Systems Thinking to the public health crisis we are experiencing today.

Since 1981 Public Leaders all over the world have dealt with AIDS, SARS, MERS, Ebola, Dengue Fever, Equine Encephalitis, Zika, tick borne illnesses, sexually transmitted diseases and new spikes in Measles and Tuberculosis. Given the changes in our planet, the growth of international travel, the easier transmission of disease from animals to humans and climate change public leaders will find themselves needing more advanced skills and more effective ways to use limited resources.

This Systems Thinking module will introduce you and your fellow leaders to the skills needed to map the current reality, educate the public (our partners) and lead preemptively to avoid major public health and economic crisis now and in the future.

Learning Objectives

• work with colleagues and stakeholders to map the system which is producing your current reality
• understand and share complex systems more effectively
• Identify the underlying structures of the system and the rate of growth so you can effectively brief stakeholders
• build the political support to act preemptively and avoid crisis completely or contain it quickly move from blame to understanding
• invest resources at the highest point of leverage in the system to achieve the most effective desired outcomes
• analyze the intended and unintended consequences of your decisions and plan to manage both

Pre-work Assignments

Prior to attending the course, and in order to participate meaningfully, you are expected to:

• Read the article The Big Picture by Brien Friel (~15 mins; click here)
• View the film Spillover (~60 mins; click here)
• Review the Ground Rules & Norms (see the tab below)

Public Service Practices for Leaders

Public Servants often encounter resistance, misunderstanding, strong emotions and limited information which can often lead to less than effective outcomes. It is critically important for public servants to have the professional service skills to deal with all of these challenges effectively.

In this the five hour online workshop, you will have the opportunity to practice scenarios which come directly from public servants.

You will learn and practice new tools specifically designed to:

• Practice and acquire the skills that help you: build working norms to protect effectiveness and civility, deal with resistance, intervene on low maturity behaviors, avoid or intervene on hostile behaviors, lower stress, apologize appropriately in public, help citizens re-solve their own issues and assure long term constructive relationships
• Recognize that in any interaction the only behavior you have control over is your own
• Recognize how your mental models (thoughts and assumptions) affect your behaviors and the outcomes you get
• Help you productively interact with customers and end users in a way that is positive and builds long term relationships

Pre-work Assignments

1. Prior to the course, log into your Homeroom and check for additional instructions, readings, slides and exercises to print, etc.
2. Please describe a work situation where you have introduced one of the following: a new idea, change in policy, changes in services, change in procedure, etc. that resulted in your having to deal with resistance from one or more people.
   
   OR
   
   Describe a situation where you had an interaction with a resident of your community who was resisting your advice/comments/response/solution to an issue you were trying to help them resolve.

Classroom Learning Programs

The Learning Programs are grouped below into four themes in order to assist in navigating the myriad topics covered. Each of the programs can be designed and tailored to meet the needs of your organization. For further information on how to schedule one of these programs on site or to participate in the Community of Practice, please email info@public-sector.org.

Click on the categories below to view program titles and links to full course descriptions, or click here for an alphabetical listing of the Public Sector Consortium’s Learning Programs.

Specialized Services

On-Site Consulting

The Public Sector Consortium is happy to offer organizations multiple approaches to introducing essential leadership practices into their work setting. We work with leaders and human resource specialists to design tailored programs and retreats. Teams come together to address workplace challenges and learn new leadership tools and competencies at the same time. This direct application approach can be one of the most successful ways to integrate Systems Thinking, Facilitative Leadership, After Action Reviews and other skills into the workforce.

Coaching Services

The Public Sector Consortium believes that leadership capacity has to be developed at all organizational levels in order for the public sector to really thrive. To this end, the program Leadership Coaching for Peers… Building a Culture of Leadership was created to teach ongoing leadership practices and capability throughout an organization. Groups that do this shift the organizational paradigm from reactive to anticipatory, which is far more dynamic and productive.