One of the aims of the CLP’s Leadership Development Programme (LDP) is to develop leaders who will then have a positive impact in their organisations and the wider public service. One of the means by which this occurs is through the development and implementation of Leadership Stretch Projects (LSPs) by participants. In this article, we celebrate the successful implementation of one such LSP within the Government of Antigua and Barbuda. This LSP was spearheaded by Miguelle Christopher, Deputy Permanent Secretary/Chief Training Officer and a Caribbean Leadership Project (CLP) Cohort 6 Alumna. At the start of this LSP project there were serious concerns in many quarters about the quality of leadership in many ministries and statutory bodies. Another concern was that the Government of Antigua and Barbuda (like many other public services in the Caribbean region) will see the exit of a large number of Permanent Secretaries and other senior leaders within the next few years due to retirement. In addition, the question arose if successors are adequately developed to assume these leadership roles. A few key problems needed to be solved to change this gloomy picture. First, there needed to be a comprehensive management/ leadership development programme that would prepare persons for appointment to the most senior level management/ leadership positions. This would result in a growing cadre of persons prepared for leadership; thus, creating a pool from which candidates to fill vacancies may be selected. Of equal importance was the need to change the current prevailing perception of the position of Permanent Secretary as administrator of the status quo, to seeing this post as one critical to the development and transforParticipants from the first Cohort of the Leadership and Management Programme for the Government of Antigua and Barbuda that was launched in April, with lead facilitator from CARICAD, Mr. Franklyn Michael (4th from left) and Mrs. Miguelle Christopher, Deputy Permanent Secretary/Chief Training Officer (5th from left) who spearheaded the development of this programme. mation of the public service. This LSP became an opportunity for the Training Division to demonstrate its strategic value to the public service in creating a new brand of public sector leaders, as well as, improve the image and credibility of the Training Division. The Division would be accepted as a valuable partner in the transformation of the public service into one that is progressive, responsive, effective and citizen-centred. We were able to secure approval and obtain support for the project from key stakeholders such as: Ministers of Government, the Cabinet Secretary, the Committee of Permanent Secretaries, Training and Development colleagues, among others. A key achievement during this initial phase was the Cabinet approval of an additional EC$1 million for the implementation of this project, and other management programmes across the public service. We were also able to collaborate with national and regional resources such as the Management Institute of National Development, Jamaica, the Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management, CARICAD, the CLP, the Association of HR Pro8 fessionals of Antigua and Barbuda, and other regional public service training entities. In addition, we obtained the commitment from experienced leadership development facilitators from the region, who committed their time and talent to the design and delivery of this homegrown leadership development programme. This programme was heavily influenced by the design and delivery methods of the CLP LDP, but it also includes management components such as Project Management and Strategic Planning, based on the specific learning needs identified in the Antigua and Barbuda public service. We, therefore, take great pride to report that the 1st Cohort of the Leadership and Management Programme for the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, was launched in April 2017 and is slated to be completed in September 2017, with a cohort of 14 participants. SOURCE: Miguelle Christopher, Deputy Permanent Secretary/Chief Training Officer and a Caribbean Leadership Project (CLP) Cohort 6 Alumna. The full article can be accessed here.
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