Preparing to Lead Quick Details Location Virtual Duration 29 total hours | 5 months Dates January to May 2025 7 days in session Cost $3,500 Audience GS-7 to GS-11 federal employees Apply byDec. 13, 2024, at 5 p.m. EST For more information, contact: Jennifer Benbow at jbenbow@ourpublicservice.org or (202) 495-3339 Preparing to Lead The Preparing to Lead program is a professional development opportunity for federal employees who are interested in pursuing a career in leadership at their agencies. Participants practice strategies to help them become more effective employees and develop critical leadership skills they will be able to use throughout their careers. Through the course of this five-month program, participants will: Aspire to continue a career in government service Begin to develop essential leadership attributes Develop a better understanding of self Understand how to build and utilize relationships to more effectively manage responsibilities Think strategically about how to deliver results and contribute to maximum impact on their agency’s mission Apply by Dec. 13, at 5 p.m. EST Program details PDF Sign up for email updates to learn more about Preparing to Lead How to Apply Completed applications must include your personal information, professional experience and objectives, up-to-date resume and supervisor approval form. You do not need to complete the application in one session. You can save it and return to it later. Please note, many agencies have specific application guidelines for their employees. Before submitting your application, please make sure that you are following your agency’s internal guidelines and that you have permission from your agency’s leadership to participate in this program. If you have further questions, please see the FAQ section. Program Structure The program consists of five virtual sessions conducted via Zoom for Government over the course of five months. The first and last sessions will take place over two days, while the rest will be one-day sessions. Each session day is 3.5 hours long, from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. EST. The program also includes a two-hour long virtual orientation session conducted via Zoom for Government. In these virtual sessions, experienced instructors engage participants in conversations and activities around key course concepts. Participants will also work in teams to make a digital, group presentation on a leadership concept of their choice. This assignment will give participants an opportunity to hone their virtual presentation capabilities, an important skill to develop as federal employees must learn to work with an increasingly remote workforce. Orientation Session: Jan. 15, from 1 to 3 p.m. EST Session 1: Jan. 22 – 23, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. EST Becoming Self-Aware Understanding emotional intelligence, motivation, and continuous learning Objectives: Explore the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace. Commit to a continuous learning experience within the Preparing to Lead program. Session 2: Feb. 19, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. EST Engaging Others Trust, self-advocacy, and managing conversations. Objectives: Learn the tools of self-advocacy in the workplace. Understand the system of your organization. Identify how to build trust with colleagues. Session 3: March 19, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. EST Achieving Results Human Centered Design, day-to-day innovation, and problem solving Objectives: Apply techniques to find the root cause of problems. Define opportunities for day-to-day innovation. Understand process management to effectively implement solutions. Session 4: April 23, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. EST Leading Change Adaptability, influencing styles, and making a pitch Objectives: Explore the forms of workplace ambiguity and how it can be handled. Understand your spheres of concern and control at work. Identify best practices for increasing your influence at work. Session 5: May 21 – 22, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. EST Stewardship of Public Trust / Commitment to Public Good Evidenced-based decision-making, effective feedback, final goal presentations, and graduation Objectives: Understand data literacy and visualization basics. Present your achievement as an effective pitch. Plan future actions for your federal career. Staff Members from the Partnership staff will work with you throughout the Preparing to Lead program to ensure that your experience goes smoothly. Thumbnail for Asher Shaw-Smith Gendelman Asher Shaw-Smith Gendelman Manager Thumbnail for Jennifer Benbow Jennifer Benbow Manager FAQs Q: Who is eligible to apply? The Preparing to Lead Program is designed for federal employees at the GS-7 to GS-11 levels. Q: What application materials must I provide to be eligible? You are required to submit a copy of your resume with all your professional work experience, both inside and outside of government. You must also submit a supervisor approval form. Q: How will I know if I’m accepted? The Partnership accepts applicants on a rolling basis until the application deadline. You will receive an email from enroll@ourpublicservice.org usually within one week of submitting your application. Q: I’m no longer able to attend, will I receive a refund? The program is non-refundable if you have participated in one or more sessions. You may defer your attendance for up to one year. Q: Can I reapply if I am not accepted into the program? Yes, you are able to reapply as long as you meet the program’s minimum qualifications. Q: Is there an application fee? No. Q: How much is tuition? Tuition is $3,500 and covers all course materials, including articles and management tools; online collaboration tools for team projects; and access to the Partnership’s resources, expertise and networks. Q: When is the tuition deadline, and what are the options for tuition payment? Payment should be arranged prior to the program start date (the specific date will be provided in the first program communication to accepted applicants). Your agency is responsible for paying tuition. We do not accept payment from individual applicants. We accept the following forms of payment: credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express), purchase order or Standard Form 182 (SF-182). The Tuition Form will provide instructions to request a purchase order that can be paid by your agency through Automated Clearing House transfer or check. We will work directly with an agency contact—such as a training coordinator or human resources specialist—who is responsible for paying tuition, and we will need you to provide us with a contact’s name, email and phone number. Requests for tuition status updates should go through that contact. You are committed to paying the full tuition once you begin the program. Q: What should I do if I have to miss parts of a session or an entire session? Do you offer make-up sessions? Participants can make up a session the next time the program is offered. Q: Where will the sessions take place? All classroom sessions will take place online via Zoom for Government. Back to course catalog
