Attention

Nominations are closed!

Program Overview

Leadership is all about engaging others in conversations that move people to action. The core focus of the CCSF and MEA Leadership Development program is to help City leaders build skills to successfully engage with key stakeholders, colleagues, the boss, the team and the individual team members. As part of an 8 week cohort, leaders take part in a workshop series to learn and practice models for communicating in a variety of situations.

Program Requirements

An MEA City manager/supervisor or an unrepresented manager/supervisor may be nominated by their department, by MEA or by self-nomination. Nominee requirements are:

  1. MEA-represented manager, or unrepresented manager (an unrepresented manager is typically an executive level manager that is not represented by any union) with direct reports.
  2. Completion of a basic supervision program with 24 contact hours. Examples of acceptable programs: 24 PLUS or equivalent programs, including performance management programs 1. offered at Public Works, ADM, AIR, PUC or HSA.
  3. Commitment to attend all sessions, with an interest in the topics being presented.
  4. Have at least one direct report.
  5. Sign off by Department Head or designee and manager to support nomination and attendance.

Workshop Topics

Each program workshop meets for multiple sessions so participants have time to apply key concepts to their own real work issues and get feedback from their cohort colleagues. Below is a list of workshop topics, the attached brochure has the schedule:

Leadership and Communicating for Success

Leaders discuss and practice strategies for communicating with stakeholders on controversial issues. City Leaders will present case studies and the art of storytelling will be discussed.

Unleash Your Team’s Potential Through Coaching / Successful Conflict Conversations

Leaders learn a practical coaching model to conduct development conversations and address performance gaps with employees. Tools for having difficult conversations are practiced within the workshop and independently.

Facilitation Skills: A Leader's Toolkit

Leaders learn and practice how to coordinate both people and processes to bring out the best in individual players, while orchestrating group efforts.

The Cohort Experience

The program is offered one time per year with a maximum of 26 attendees per cohort. The Fall cohort runs from mid-September through mid-November. See the above brochure for exact dates for in person and virtual sessions.

Leaders will have the opportunity to develop relationships with other City leaders. The following program components will allow cohort members to support one another throughout the program and beyond:

Leadership Forum

Leaders will attend a forum in which a panel of City Leaders will share their career paths and lessons learned.

Peer Coaching

Leaders will take part in coaching practice sessions with other participants in order to practice new coaching methods, while developing their own abilities to problem solve key management issues. Leaders may also receive coaching from an Alumni-Coach on any workshop topic.

Alumni Opportunities

Those who complete the program will have the opportunity to attend future forums and serve as a coach to future cohort members.

Departmental Support

Department managers will be asked to work with participants to create a plan for covering the participant’s work on training and meeting days. Managers are also expected to meet periodically with the participant to discuss applying what they are learning on the job. The importance of departmental support for the participating leader cannot be emphasized enough.

Technical Support

Facilitator-led sessions will be held via Zoom, an interactive online platform that uses both video and audio features. Accessible equipment is mandatory for the program. Please ensure training is in a private space, as potentially confidential information is discussed. If a private space is not available, use of a headset with microphone function is highly encouraged.

Program Cost

The full cost of the program is covered by a joint agreement between MEA and DHR. Departments may be charged the full cost of the program if a departmental participant is absent from any portion of the program.

How to Apply

Nominations are closed. Certain departments have established an internal review process for nominations, so please contact your manager for more information prior to submitting the nomination form (see above).

Frequently Asked Questions

I am a manager, but I am not in MEA. Can you I still attend?

The program was developed as a result of an agreement between the Municipal Executives Association and the Department of Human Resources. Funding for the program is part of the contract negotiated for MEA members. Therefore, at this time, only MEA members are eligible. (Non-represented managers, who are not represented by any union may also apply). Managers and supervisors that are not MEA members can participate in the Emerging City Leaders program.

I would love to attend, but I need to miss a part of a session. Is this OK? 

No. Anyone applying to the program must be available to attend each session in its entirety. Attending meetings, other trainings, or taking vacations are considered unexcused absences and participants may be asked to leave the program for this type of absence. Nominees must consider whether they will be able to commit to attending all sessions before applying. Due to the interactive structure of the program and the limited number of spaces, we need to be strict about these guidelines to be fair to all nominees.