Experienced Leader Program

Leadership and Mission Support Academy
American University's Leadership Development Program

This program is for Experienced Leaders (long-time GS-14 or GS-15) who may not have had formal leadership development opportunities or who have but wish to update their skills.

The program is scheduled for two weeks with a break between the first and second week to enable participants to apply what they have learned and then reconvene to discuss their experiences.

 

Dates and Registration

All FY22 courses will be conducted virtually.  Any courses that were previously advertised as in-person have been converted to virtual.  We will reassess the possibility of resuming in-person classes when we develop the FY23 schedule.

Registration for CIGIE Leadership Programs at American University is made directly with American University via the Register button at the bottom of this page.  We recommend that you register as early as possible, as these courses tend to fill up quickly.  We also recommend that you follow your OIG’s training approval policies and procedures prior to registering.

Per CIGIE Training Institute policy, registration is limited to 3 students per OIG per class unless space is available after registration closes 60 days prior to the start of the course.  Registrations above 3 per OIG will go on a waitlist until registration closes, and then if there is space available they will be moved from the waitlist.  The registration deadline may be extended if a class is not full, but no registrations will be accepted after 30 days prior to the start of a course.

Experienced Leader 40 (Virtual):

  • Week 1: Feb 23-25 & Feb 28 - Mar 4, 2022
  • Week 2: April 18-22, 2022

Experienced Leader 41 (Virtual):

  • Week 1: April 27-29 & May 2-6, 2022
  • Week 2: June 13-17, 2022

Experienced Leader 42 (Virtual):

  • Week 1: July 6-8 & 11-15, 2022
  • Week 2: August 22-26, 2022

 

Register

Program Costs

The cost of tuition for the sponsoring OIG will be $3,900 per student, with CIGIE covering the remainder of the cost ($2,600 per student).

360° Evaluations and Coaching:

  • Option 1 is included in the program at no additional cost.  Participants will receive a 360° evaluation using the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory (ESCI) and a session with a coach to explain the 360° evaluation
  • Option 2 includes the 360° evaluation and session to explain the 360° evaluation, plus three additional coaching sessions for an added charge of $1,225.

Class Times and Location

All classes are typically held in the Spring Valley Building on the American University campus in Washington, DC, but are being conducted virtually via Zoom until it is deemed safe to resume in-class training. All classes are scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Course Descriptions

Week 1 (5 day OR 8 day session--see note at (*) below):

Leadership Development: Transforming from Managing to Leading

This course will focus on managing conflict for positive results-lively interesting meetings, extracting ideas from all team members, solving real problems quickly, minimizing politics, and putting critical topics on the table for discussion. The module also focuses on the need for systems analysis and systems thinking-seeing interrelationships and patterns of change in complex situations as critical elements to becoming extraordinary leaders. (One Day)

(*) Note: Individuals who have not taken the New Leader Program will be scheduled to take the New Leader version of this course immediately preceding the Experienced Leader Program. (Three Days)

Leading Organizational Change for Results

The goal of this course is to strengthen personal mastery and systems thinking in order to move beyond resistance when leading change efforts. It emphasizes leadership competencies such as understanding behavior styles and systems thinking as they relate to leading organizational change efforts and building organizational capacity to deal with ongoing change. The course will build on material covered in the course for OIG New Leaders regarding change readiness and leading organizational change efforts, increase personal mastery through understanding of self and others' behavior styles as they relate to change, and increase ability to move beyond resistance by exploring barriers to change from within oneself, from others, and from the organizational environment. (Two Days)

Executive Communication

This course examines basic principles for successful strategic workplace communications. Participants learn how to create personal messages, memoranda, and policy documents and how to present effective briefings that are heard and acted upon. (One Day)

Political Process

This course examines the relationship of the legislative process, congressional oversight, and EOP/OMB review and approval to the administration of government policy. Participants study how best to respond to pressure groups, clientele groups, and the general public. They also address their relationship to political executives, and the political basis of government organization. In addition, the module reviews how the Inspector General community fits into the political process from the perspective of its obligations to Congress and agencies, and from the perspective of attempting to influence its budget and operations. (One Day)

Week 2 (5 day session):

Leader as Team Builder and Facilitator

Participants will facilitate the cohort through a real time team building exercise. Each facilitation team will address the essential elements of building a team charter including defining the purpose, clarifying the roles, addressing the norms/procedures and improving relationships. After each facilitation team finishes, they will receive feedback from the group. The course will conclude with a review of each individual's learning goals and an action plan to apply the tools and skills they have learned back in the workplace and throughout the OIG community. (Two Days)

Budget Creation and Execution

This course explores the use of the executive budget as a device for management planning and control. The participants develop their skills in understanding different budgetary systems, the elements of budget review and execution, and various strategies and tactics employed by participants in the budgetary process. (One Day)

Network Management

Participants examine their own networks, understand the power of social networks to assist in the implementation of public policy, and learn how to create and nurture networks across their own organizations, stakeholder organizations, and multi-governmental entities to share information, make better decisions, and more promptly implement programmatic changes. (Two Days)

Student Feedback

Course Strengths

  • Good theory combined with practical exercises.
  • Helped me see how much the political process is part of my job.
  • The group exercises were a great way to allow students to experience and learn what they were being taught. The submarine, World War II story was a good illustration of concept being taught.
  • Made me think about my leadership style and how it should/can be improved.
  • The course material presented was [more] directly applicable to the challenges and opportunities of a manager.
  • Very helpful techniques for managers to use in coaching employees.
  • The group exercises were very useful in allowing us to put the "theory" into practice and experience its real world implications. It also helped us get to know each other.
  • Interactive course wherein the instructor facilitates and encourages student to self-reflect.

Instructor Strengths

  • Very well versed instructor/well-prepared, knowledgeable, conveyed course material in an interesting manner!
  • Extremely knowledgeable and well organized. Took interest in the students' understanding of material and participation in course.
  • Lightly playful. Extremely knowledgeable - pleasant demeanor. Smart.
  • Respected students and expressed sincere interest in their comments and concerns.
  • Bob did an excellent job of allowing free discussion but providing the application to the tool or strategy.
  • The instructor really engaged the students, which kept everyone really involved.
  • Instructor encourages students and encouraged independent thinking as well as thinking outside the box.

 

Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Credits

The following memoranda may be used for students desiring Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits for the New and Experienced Leadership courses:

Graduate Credit Options at American University

  • Students who complete the program may receive a discount in tuition toward a Master's Degree in Public Administration at American University.

Program Application and Cancellation Policy

Application Deadline

  • Early application: OIG agencies are encouraged to identify applicants at any time for any session posted on the ignet AU/CIGIE training schedule up to 60 days prior to the first day of the first week of class
  • Late application: Applications will not be accepted later than 30 days prior to the first day of the first week of class

Cancellation Policy

  • If for any reason a student begins the first day of training and is unable to complete every class in the session, he or she may join any of the future cohorts to make up the missing days.
  • In the event that a participant withdraws from the training program, an agency may apply to send another participant as a replacement. Replacement candidates must be received no later than 30 days prior to first day of the first week of class.
  • OIG agencies are obligated to pay for student cancellations less than 30 days prior to the first day of the first week of class.