The classroom is practice for life
In 2005, the Government of Canada introduced the Key Leadership Competencies, which articulate effective management and leadership behaviours that are universally required regardless of department or portfolio. These were written with the public service in mind, but are largely or wholly applicable to any management context.
Reading the whole list can be intimidating. Expectations are high. Does anyone model all of these all of the time? Probably not. But it does represent best practices and ideals that we can and should strive for, work on, and develop.
Recently, I took the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) course Core Management Skills for Managers. This course is designed around the key leadership competencies and gives some pratice using concrete tools that relate to each competency.
One strategic thinking exercise includes a team challenge. With prescribed materials and a deadline, we were asked to design a device to complete a particular task. The teams then raced their devices. As we de-briefed the exercise, the class identified which elements of strategic thinking were demonstrated: exploration of options, creation of plans and backup plans, testing & adjustments, and developing effective solutions.
I also noticed many of the ineffective behaviours were demonstrated. In some groups, two participants put their heads together and plowed ahead without input from the rest of the group (Depends on a narrow range of expertise and opinion, Excludes other levels or partners in framing strategy). Some participants’ ideas were dismissed without any actual discussion or debate of their merits (Refuses to consider and incorporate the views of others). One participant grabbed materials and started irreversible assembly without any discussion at all (Acts as sole decision-maker, Alienates others through over-confidence).
The central challenge of the key leadership competencies is to integrate them into all that we do. If we drop engagement every time there is deadline, or if we compromise ethical principles because there's an exceptional circumstance “this time” then we aren't demonstrating the competencies at all. Anyone can do these things when it's easy. But how we rise to a pressure situation is when it really counts.
The pressure in this situation was extremely minimal. It was a classroom exercise without even a nominal prize up for grabs. The workplace challenges of hierarchies and interpersonal histories were not at play. Yet some participants were not able to solve the problem in a way that drew on all the competencies, even in that low pressure situation.
If you can't do it in the classroom, how will you do it in the workplace?
The classroom is a perfect opportunity to practice integrating the competencies, to "try on" one you're not as comfortable with, and to gain feedback in a situation where the stakes are low. If you're a public service manager, or an aspiring one, take these opportunities to stretch yourself and become more well-rounded. Isn't that the point of training?
Reading the whole list can be intimidating. Expectations are high. Does anyone model all of these all of the time? Probably not. But it does represent best practices and ideals that we can and should strive for, work on, and develop.
Recently, I took the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) course Core Management Skills for Managers. This course is designed around the key leadership competencies and gives some pratice using concrete tools that relate to each competency.
One strategic thinking exercise includes a team challenge. With prescribed materials and a deadline, we were asked to design a device to complete a particular task. The teams then raced their devices. As we de-briefed the exercise, the class identified which elements of strategic thinking were demonstrated: exploration of options, creation of plans and backup plans, testing & adjustments, and developing effective solutions.
I also noticed many of the ineffective behaviours were demonstrated. In some groups, two participants put their heads together and plowed ahead without input from the rest of the group (Depends on a narrow range of expertise and opinion, Excludes other levels or partners in framing strategy). Some participants’ ideas were dismissed without any actual discussion or debate of their merits (Refuses to consider and incorporate the views of others). One participant grabbed materials and started irreversible assembly without any discussion at all (Acts as sole decision-maker, Alienates others through over-confidence).
The central challenge of the key leadership competencies is to integrate them into all that we do. If we drop engagement every time there is deadline, or if we compromise ethical principles because there's an exceptional circumstance “this time” then we aren't demonstrating the competencies at all. Anyone can do these things when it's easy. But how we rise to a pressure situation is when it really counts.
The pressure in this situation was extremely minimal. It was a classroom exercise without even a nominal prize up for grabs. The workplace challenges of hierarchies and interpersonal histories were not at play. Yet some participants were not able to solve the problem in a way that drew on all the competencies, even in that low pressure situation.
If you can't do it in the classroom, how will you do it in the workplace?
The classroom is a perfect opportunity to practice integrating the competencies, to "try on" one you're not as comfortable with, and to gain feedback in a situation where the stakes are low. If you're a public service manager, or an aspiring one, take these opportunities to stretch yourself and become more well-rounded. Isn't that the point of training?
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