Staff Development and Training for Managers in the German Federal Administration

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Staff Development and Training for Managers in
the German Federal Administration

• A General Review

By Joachim VollmuthV 1.0 - 9/29/2003
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Instruments of Staff Development

• Introduction of New Staff
• Staff development planning
• Personnel Dialogue
• Performance Evaluation
• Transparent Selection of Leaders
• Training Programmes

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Transparent Selection of Leaders

• Increased periods to prove leadership capacity in
  the Federal Career Regulation
• Advertising posts for promotion
• Assessment procedure for the promotion in higher
  career categories probationary appointment.

4
Personnel Dialogue

• Diagnosis of the employees performance
• Analysis of measures for development and
  promotion of the employee
• Agreement on objectives

5
Performance Evaluation

• Evaluation of past performance
• Evaluation of personnel potential, future
  competencies and suitable uses.

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Evaluation criteria for performance evaluation

• Backward performance evaluation
• Work results quality and usability, quantity of
  work and meeting deadlines, ratio of inputs"
  with regard to output
• Professional knowledge up-to-date and soundness
• Working method initiative, representation of
  working area, service-orientation
• Social competence readiness to accept
  responsibility, reliability, behaviour in
  conflict situations.
• Evaluation of competence and future uses
• Capability to comprehend and to make sound
  judgements
• Decision-making capability and capability to
  assert oneself
• Conceptual work
• Ability to express orally and in writing
• Capacity for leadership tasks
• Ability to put up with stress
• Organisational skills, etc.

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Introduction of New Staff

• Sector-specific introduction / Seminars Tasks
  and functioning of federal ministries and
  agencies (Orientation phase).
• Training programmes Framework of
  administrative tasks / Economics, Public law
  / Budget / Management skills
  (Interdisciplinary co-operation).
• Seminars Training and team work, Leadership
  and co-operation (Promotion of key
  qualifications).

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Staff development planning

• Promote generalists
• Support flexibility
• Promote leadership experience

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Training Programmes

• Improve the effectiveness of the work
• Qualify for higher posts
• Provide systematic qualification programmes
• Build up on competency frameworks(key
  qualifications)

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Programme of the Federal Academy for Public
Administration

• Leadership training and training of future
  managers
• Important cross-cutting functions personnel,
  organisation, budget, IT, reporting
• Law making
• International activities, foreign languages
• Competency in European matters.

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Leadership Training at the Federal LevelFour
Phase System

• 1. Phase Competency training for future managers
• Seminars in communication (negotiations,
  rhetoric),Co-operation, Teamwork
• 2. Phase Qualification for leadership tasks
• 4-week courses to train future leaders
• Knowledge and capabilities for management /
  Leadership drawing on psychology, organisational
  theory and social sciences / Analysis of own
  work and leadership behaviour / Computer based
  simulation of administrative decisions /
  Follow-up seminars.
• 3. Phase Development of advanced leadership
  skills
• 3-week internship in the private sector /
  Training to enhance European competence and
  international co-operation / Follow-up
  seminars.
• 4. Phase Special knowledge, exchange of
  experience
• Forums of directors and presidents /
  Individual coaching for top and senior positions
  / Media training

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Leadership Trainingby the Leadership Academy
Baden-Württemberg

• 15 month course for up to ten participants
  organisation 3 months basic course work / 3
  months internship in a private enterprise or in a
  public agency abroad / 4 month intensive studies.
• The participants are granted special leave and
  are seconded to the Leadership Academy.
• Condition to enter evaluations above-average,
  time spent in public service 3-5 years on two
  posts.
• The participants are deemed to be future
  managers, the average age being 36 years.
• Selection of participants Proposals by superiors
  or personal application.
• Selection through assessment centres, evaluation
  by senior civil servants.
• No legal guarantee for promotion after the
  leadership training.