Namibia 2007 - Leadership Development for Senior Public Servants

CESPAM, in conjunction with the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) and the Institute for Public Administration of Canada (IPAC), was pleased to offer an important new leadership development programme for senior officials from SADC countries. The programme was conducted from 13-16 February 2007, in Namibia at the Safari Court Hotel in Windhoek.

Programme

Leadership is one of the key issues in public sector reform, and increased attention is being given to leadership development as one of the key catalysts for successful reform. As the focus of reform moves to support for good governance, and improved performance in implementation and delivery of Government Programmes, effective leadership is being recognized as one of the key contributors for the future.

Public Service Leaders in African countries face significant challenges as they work to realize the planned achievements set out in the Millennium Development Goals, and to realize the potential of NEPAD. Moreover, the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan of SADC has identified good economic, political and corporate governance as essential for the realization of deeper integration and poverty eradication in the SADC Region. The development of the requisite skills of public service managers to lead and enable these objectives is a key corporate priority.

The focus of this seminar is on developing the special skills leaders need to lead the public service in the SADC region. It recognizes that while there are certain generic skill and attributes common to all leaders, one size in fact does not fit all and that leaders in different organizations require different skill sets. This is particularly true in the SADC context where the leaders have to be sensitive to the cultural milieu in which they work. Approaches which may be appropriate in other regions and environments may not be acceptable in the SADC countries. The seminar identifies the arenas in which leaders need to operate and the individual modules target leadership issues and practical approaches in each of these areas.

This programme will review the foundations of leadership as they apply in the public sector and discuss the key competencies and skill sets involved. It will open up for discussion emerging issues in leadership, and the responsibilities involved in leading a Ministry and pursuing an effective strategy. It will present key issues arising in the context of the political-administrative interface, and a range of issues linked with improved service delivery and implementation of government Programmes.

Objectives

• To identify key leadership issues for the Public Services in the SADC region;
• To review and analyze the critical competencies , attributes, skill sets and characteristics needed by Public Service Managers;
• To identify and review what public sector managers need to provide leadership in the SADC public services in:
• negotiating nationally, regionally and internationally
• leading the change management process
• leading a ministry
• working with the political leadership and the political process
• conceptualizing and implementing the policies and plans of government

Seminar Content

Topics that will be covered during the seminar include:

• The Foundation of Leadership in the Public Sector
• Challenges in the context of Political-Administrative Interface;
• Leading implementation and ensuring service delivery effectiveness;
• Handling Change, Service Delivery and Personal Effectiveness;
• Ethics, values and legal issues