Investing in and supporting senior leadership training and development “can pay dividends in how employees view senior leadership,” which is a key measure in the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey results, MSPB has said.
Where training and development is readily available, senior leadership can benefit the agency as well as themselves by engaging in it, a recent publication said. Using FEVS and other data, MSPB said that senior leaders fall into five categories regarding their career development. In MSPB’s words:
* Committed Self-Developers will likely have attended residential and short-term executive development programs; have had a 360-degree assessment; and have mentors and development plans.
* Resident Mentors are likely to have and be mentors; do a 360- degree assessment; be formally coached; and attend short-term/online training. They are less likely to take sabbaticals, attend remote executive training, or engage in long-term developmental assignments.
* Casual Self-Developers are likely only to have taken online training and may also have had a 360-degree assessment and possibly coaching and short-term executive development. They are less likely to have mentors or engage in long-term developmental assignments or residential training programs.
* Resident Trainees are likely to attend short-term or online training and have development plans. They are less likely to have had coaching/mentors or attend remote or long-term training.
* Minimalists are likely only to serve as mentors but may also do a 360-degree assessment or an occasional short-term/online training program.
It found that employees had higher opinions of senior leadership in agencies with higher percentages of committed self-developers and resident mentors. Agencies where employees had relatively low regard for leadership had more minimalists and resident trainees.
Similar patterns exist regarding employee engagement levels and perceptions of their agency’s talent management efforts–and those patterns continue over time, MSPB added.
