Background
The Leaders for Tomorrow programme, which started in 1995, provides middle managers with the opportunity to develop their leadership skills. The programme is designed and implemented through a collaborative arrangement between the Northern Ireland Civil Service, the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Aim of the Programme
The main programme objectives are to enhance leadership skills, specifically:
- strategic management;
- policy development;
- the fundamentals of risk management;
- cultivating innovation, challenging and improving current working practices by learning from and challenging senior leaders in high profile Boston organisations; and
- development of effective working relations and engagement with stakeholders.
The programme will also provide the opportunity for participants to:
- learn from the leadership experiences of those in the public and private sectors;
- develop professional relationships on a cross border and international basis; and
- increase self confidence and self awareness, and improve team working and communication skills.
Target Group
The programme is open to the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Northern Ireland Office, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Irish Civil Service and Northern Ireland private sector. It is aimed at middle managers with clear potential to achieve senior management positions within their organisations.
Members of the voluntary and community sector are not eligible to apply.
Approach
- two weeks of study at the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA;
- third week of programme to be completed in Northern Ireland/Ireland.
The purpose of the third week of the programme is to help participants consolidate and apply learning from the first two weeks in Harvard by exploring some of the concepts considered there, in the context of real challenges faced by key players in the public, private and voluntary sectors in Ireland.
Following return from the programme, participants will undertake a Leadership Challenge which will include monthly meetings with a small group of fellow members. These working groups will be assisted by mentors.
Around six months after return, there will be a 2-day module of classes held in Belfast, at which Kennedy School faculty will be represented.
Applications
The programme will be advertised to the private sector in the business sections of the Belfast Telegraph, Irish News and Newsletter in early September 2009.
