Becoming a Policy Leader

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

Are you ready to be a public policy leader? We know that good leadership is essential to policy success, especially in the volatile and uncertain environment we face. This course recognizes that anyone can learn the skills necessary to be a leader. There is no need to wait until achieving a particular grade or position to make positive leadership contributions in the workplace or to lead policy change. This course provides the foundations of being, thinking, and doing that make a talented policy professional a leader, better prepared for new roles and greater responsibilities. Part I introduces models, tools, frameworks, and approaches for building self-awareness and for influencing up, down, and across the organization. Emphasis on the current policy environment highlights the benefits of approaching tasks with creativity rather than just reacting. Insights into individual preferences, facilitating meetings, professionalism, motivation techniques, strategies to leverage individual differences, and teaming approaches lay a strong foundation for being an effective policy leader. Part II focuses on leading successful policy change. Emphasis on leading the people side of change moves beyond traditional change management approaches. Insights into why people resist change, communications techniques, ways of thinking, social networks, how to build collaboration across boundaries, planning for change, and gauging success prepare you to make change happen. Throughout the course, you will have multiple opportunities for self-reflection and for planning your professional growth as a policy leader.