Best management practices and organizational leadership will be the focus of upcoming CSAC Institute courses.
The CSAC Institute for Excellence in County Government is offering three timely and valuable courses in October, providing county officials with unique opportunities to enhance their knowledge, hear from experts and hone strategies in critical areas.
Performance Measurement
Friday, October 2, 2009, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
CSAC Conference Center, Sacramento
$75/CSAC member; 3 credits; geared toward supervisors and staff
To enroll, click here
This class provides an overview of performance measurement, including techniques and how to share with the community what residents are getting for their money. The discussion will highlight the benefits and costs of performance measurement, how it can be of value to counties, how to design and implement a measurement system, and pitfalls to avoid. The session also examines resources available, such as the ICMA Center for Performance Measurement.
Expert Faculty: Billy Hamilton, a consultant in government business strategy and performance measurement, and an adjunct professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas. He served as Chief Deputy Comptroller of Public Accounts of Texas. Mr. Hamilton served on special assignment as Co-Executive Director of the California Performance Review for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. To learn more about this course, click here.
The Art and Practice of Organizational Leadership
Friday, October 9, 2009, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
San Diego County
$75/CSAC members; 3 credits; geared toward executive staff
To enroll, click here
Held earlier this year in Sacramento, this popular course is being repeated in Southern California to reduce expenses for interested attendees. This interactive course explores the art and practice of leadership in creating a high-performing county organization – especially in tough financial times.
Topics include key practices in formal and informal leadership, particularly in promoting change; employee engagement and team-building strategies; leadership when you’re not in charge; and techniques for developing a vital workplace culture that supports organizational members.
Expert Faculty: Dr. Frank Benest Until August 2008, Dr. Benest served as the City Manager of Palo Alto, California. He is a noted consultant and trainer on rightsizing public organizations, entrepreneurial government, civic engagement, leadership development and succession planning. Dr. Benest is past president of the California City Managers Department and past Vice President of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). He teaches at Stanford University and has been inducted into the National Academy of Public Administration. To learn more about this course, click here.
Problem Solving and Decision Making
Friday, October 23, 2009, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
CSAC Conference Center, Sacramento
$75/CSAC members; 3 credits; geared toward county officials and staff.
To enroll, click here.
This best practice course will help you gain insight into how values and past experience guide one in perceiving facts when engaged in decision making. It will demonstrate ways to apply rational problem-solving and decision-making techniques to the challenges faced in working with others in your communities.
Counties are often faced with complex and cumbersome processes and procedures. This course examines a step-by-step approach to problem solving and introduces participants to some handy problem-solving and decision-making tools to address those challenging procedures.
Expert Faculty: Dr. Ron Gilbert Dr. Ron Gilbert is a professor of management and faculty director of the international executive MBA program, Jamaica for the Graduate School of Business Administration, Florida International University, Miami, Florida. He has worked with more than 1,000 organizations in the United States and abroad. He specializes in performance improvement through the use of his assessment tools, customer service, strategic and tactical planning, team building and systems analysis. To learn more about this course, click here.
To review the entire summer/fall course schedule, click here.
Space is limited in all classes. To register for courses or to learn more about the Institute, credential programs, and courses, please visit www.csacinstitute.org, or email csacinstitute@counties.org and request an informational packet.
Let us know how you feel about the CSAC Institute and what courses you would like to see be offered by completing this short survey. Your input is invaluable.
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