Canada School of Public Service Training
Program area |
Subjects |
Course examples |
Orientation and certification |
- introduction to the public service
- financial regulations
- human resource regulations
|
Orientation to the Public Service
Who We Work For
How Ottawa Works
Canada in the World: An Introduction
Orientation to Financial Management
Introduction to Human Resources
|
Management and professional development |
- auditing
- communication
- corporate planning
- finance
- human resources
- information technology
- policy
- procurement
- remuneration
- security
- service delivery
- staffing
|
Accounting 101
Communication Essentials
Internal Policy Development
Business Analysis
Human Resources Planning
Information Management: Legal and Policy Framework
Integrated Planning in the Public Service: An Overview
Fundamentals 1: Introduction to Procurement
Introduction to Public Policy Development
Service Excellence for Citizens
Principles and Practices of Labour Relations for Supervisors and Managers
|
Leadership development |
- strengthening competencies
- responding to priorities
- building communities
- strengthening leadership networks
|
Core Management Skills for Managers
Becoming Leaders: A Workshop for Women in the Federal Science and Technology Community
Coaching for Effective Leadership
Leading in Times of Crisis
Organizational Capacity: Project Complexity and Risk Assessment
Orientation for Assistant Deputy Ministers
Courage to Lead in the Public Service
Leadership through Values and Ethics
|
Second-language training |
- French-language acquisition
- French-language maintenance
- English-language acquisition
- English-language maintenance
|
French Makes Sense Levels, 1, 2, 3
French Conversation Lunch, Levels B, C
English Makes Sense, Levels 1, 2, 3
English Grammar at Your Own Pace
|
Source: Canada School of Public Service, Courses, http://www.csps-efpc.gc.ca/.
Case Study: Canada’s Greatest Prime Minister
Dispatch Box: Assessing Prime Ministerial Initiatives
1. Identify and discuss ten key factors of leadership failure.
These concepts are fully explained in the text:
- wasting resources;
- clinging to outworn traditions;
- thinking narrowly;
- underestimating problems and overestimating solutions;
- believing in simple solutions to complex problems;
- persisting despite evidence;
- discouraging critical thinking;
- suppressing or distorting bad news;
- alternating between indecision and frenzy; and
- looking for scapegoats and conspiracies.
When studying a particular example of failed leadership, identify which of these concepts offer worthwhile explanations of how and why failure ensued. You may not draw on all 10, but some will certainly shed light on the issue.
Explain why these factors and not others contributed to the failure, and assess what the failure teaches us about government and political failures in general. As Norman Dixon (1979) suggests, every leadership failure provides clues about leadership success.
2. Analyze the key elements of successful political leadership.
The following key elements of successful political leadership are all explained in the text:
- forethought;
- clear vision and the ability to articulate it;
- ability to engage in complex thought;
- ability to recognize and reject prejudice and stereotypical thinking;
- deep interest in problem solving;
- understanding the positions and strengths of adversaries;
- intellectual flexibility coupled with the courage to persist with sound plans;
- concern for human, financial, and material resources;
- ability to motivate others;
- wisdom and decisiveness in times of crisis;
- a strong theoretical and practical foundation on which to base decisions;
- willingness to embrace new ideas;
- openness to self-criticism;
- engagement in critical analysis;
- ability to learn from others; and
- ability to admit mistakes.
Choose a real-life example of successful leadership in action and assess which of these characteristics apply. You’ll probably find many, though not all, of them. How have they led to the particular success? What do such successes teach us about leadership and how governments can promote better leadership?
3. Talk about the three pillars of management.
Your answer should include an explanation of each of the three pillars of management:
1. A bureaucratic pathology is
- a. a white-collar crime
- b. a form of organizational incompetence
- c. an excess of red tape
- d. none of the above
2. Which of the following does the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer not have in its mandate?
- a. developing indicators to measure staff performance
- b. developing indicators to measure financial efficiency
- c. promoting pride in the work of the public service
- d. developing staff training programs
3. Which of the following is not on the Chief Human Resources Officer’s list of leadership skills?
- a. sharing information vertically and horizontally
- b. promoting collaboration among supervisors
- c. providing regular feedback
- d. promoting employees who show talent
4. Which of the following is not a quality of effective leadership?
- a. forethought
- b. ability to compel obedience
- c. ability to recognize and reject prejudice
- d. willingness to admit mistakes
5. Which of the following is not bureaucratic pathology?
- a. clinging to outworn traditions
- b. overestimating problems and underestimating solutions
- c. thinking narrowly
- d. suppressing bad news
6. Which of the following are pillars of management according to Ingstrup and Crookall?
- a. connections
- b. delegation
- c. character
- d. all of the above
7. What is inconsistent with good followership?
- a. accepting decisions of leaders
- b. being knowledgeable about public affairs
- c. studying the trade-offs in public policy decision making
- d. being critical of political and governmental leaders
8. The paradox of Canadian public administration is that
- a. Many citizens are happy with Canadian governments yet dislike most government policies.
- b. Many citizens are critical of Canadian governments yet like most government policies.
- c. Many citizens believe they have more freedoms than they do.
- d. Many citizens believe they have fewer freedoms than they do.
9. This paradox can be resolved by
- a. ignoring it
- b. educating citizens
- c. accepting that the paradox fosters government accountability
- d. accepting that the paradox fosters social change
10. By demanding high standards of accountability, citizens can foster
- a. responsible government
- b. responsive government
- c. better public services
- d. all of the above
Chapter 10 Answer Key
- 1. b
- 2. b
- 3. d
- 4. b
- 5. b
- 6. c
- 7. a
- 8. b
- 9. c
- 10. d