A panel of federal experts convened for a symposium on
key issues in federal leadership development has
concluded that leaders need to develop new competencies,
federal agencies need to find a way to transfer
successful military leadership practices to civilian
leadership development, and that new personnel authorities
are needed to enhance government leadership development
programs.
The National Academy of Public Administration recently
issued a report stemming from the symposium, which took
place last summer. The report said federal leaders today
must lead their own civil servants, but also be able to
influence the work of a large number of employees — the
millions of contractors and non-governmental organizations
that out number federal employees ten to one but aren’t
directly employed by the government.
The panel said managing such a complex multi-sectored
workforce requires new competencies, including the ability
to manage diverse networks that are the result of agencies
merging their missions with a range of entities and
increasing collaboration.
A high tolerance for ambiguity is also something federal
managers will need to have, according to the panel. It said
leaders need the ability to literally be dropped into an
organizational situation, reconnoiter and have an impact
quickly and operate with a clean slate.
Panelists also discussed the role that a crisis can bring
about in leadership, and observed that it is easier to make
the transformation as a new leader when there is chaos and
uncertainty, something both organizations and new leaders
should take advantage of.
