"My experience in the Senior Executives in State and
Local Government Program was truly amazing. The coursework offered fresh ideas
and new perspectives to those of us committed to public service. It made us
realize what we are truly able to accomplish on behalf of the people we represent.
I believe the friendships and associations that were developed in those three
weeks will last a lifetime."--Chris Castillian,
Deputy Chief of Staff,Governor Bill Owens, class of June 2003.
Today’s elected and appointed Senior Executives in state and local government are under more pressure than ever to take on increasingly complex problems with fewer resources and a greater degree of public scrutiny. In order to get people in organizations and communities to face these difficult challenges, public officials must strengthen their ability to exercise effective leadership in rapidly changing political and social environments, hone their diagnostic skills about complicated social and group dynamics, and find the confidence to speak about the difficult realities of economics, race, resources and politics that we all face.
The Senior Executives in State and Local Government
program at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government provides
experiences for participants both inside and outside the classroom to ensure
that public officials are equipped on a daily basis to manage and lead results-driven
government agencies and non-profit organizations. In particular, this program
provides an opportunity to:
- Develop new conceptual frameworks for addressing program and policy issues
- Explore the relationship between citizens and their government
- Examine the ethical and professional responsibilities of leadership
- Exchange ideas with experienced faculty as well as a extremely diverse
group of participants
This three-week program is designed specifically to challenge assumptions about how you can exercise leadership in the public sector. During the course of this program, you will learn strategies for establishing meaningful, attainable organizational objectives. You will also investigate the process of developing and evaluating policy alternatives and consider your options for organizing and deploying resources to achieve these objectives.
One of the most frequently cited problems of public officials is how to create and engage in public discourse about difficult subjects – religion, race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation. Using our classroom as a laboratory, you will be in an environment where you are encouraged to raise difficult issues, and practice how you create and maintain a conversation that leads to change.
