Accelerator
Short Courses
Stand-alone modules that explore the most popular parts of the full course.
MEETA GANDHI
RICK GOLDRING
Director of Communications, Diversity & Inclusion, Town of East Gwillimbury, ON
Former Mayor Burlington, ON
JOY CRAMER
CEO Southern Chiefs and Former DM, MB
Overview
Become the best leader you can be.
Inside Public Sector Leadership Accelerators showcase conversations between current and former public sector leaders, politicians, academics, and media experts focusing on a single-topic learning module from the Full Course, plus bonus material. Hearing these powerful stories and lived experiences from Master Mentors helps leaders better understand and navigate the unwritten rules of Canadian public sector leadership and build your political acumen.
Designed for experienced and emerging public sector leaders in Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments, our alumni feel more inspired, confident, and effective after taking the course.
Accelerators
Single-topic learning modules.
Situational Awareness
Strategic agility and anticipation.
Two sessions
2.5 hours total
Resource room access
Bonus session - Intro to Political Acumen
Mentors share how they learned to anticipate and recognize the impact of political, bureaucratic or cultural themes that can have a direct or indirect impact on the ability to carry out the mandate.
Session 1
ALLAN SECKEL - Former DAG and DM to the Premier, BC
BOB DE FAYE - Former DM Aboriginal Affairs, BC
DAPHNE MEREDITH - Former Federal DM
Session 2
JOY CRAMER - CEO Southern Chiefs and Former DM, MB
THERESA OSWALD - Former Provincial Politician, MB NDP
LYNDA TARRAS - Former Public Service Agency Head, BC
Culture, Conflict & Controversy
The search for common ground.
Two sessions
3 hours total
Resource room access
Bonus session - Intro to Political Acumen
Master Mentors share their ideas and opinions about navigating interpersonal conflict between colleagues, managing long standing disagreements, anticipating conflicts and the importance of psychological safety.
Session 1
JAMES MOORE - Former Federal Politician Conservative
ALISON PAINE - Mediator & Conflict Resolution Expert, Former ADM, BC
GAIL STEPHENS - Former CAO Winnipeg and City Manager Victoria
Session 2
JOY CRAMER - CEO Southern Chiefs and Former DM, MB
GEORGE ABBOTT - Former Politician BC Liberals
DEBRA CHRISTMAS - IT adviser, former municipal leader, ON
New to Government
The not-so-basic guide to working in the public sector.
Four sessions
4 hours total
Resource room access
Bonus session - Intro to Political Acumen
Master Mentors share stories and tips on executive roles, going from election to operational reality, and navigating the halls of government for municipal, provincial and federal leaders.
These panel conversations are designed to make your entry into the public sector from the private sector much easier and may even spare you some costly mistakes.
Session 1 - Executive Roles
JAN SANDERSON - Former DM Children and Youth, MB
SCOTT THOMPSON - Former CEO IPAC & Provincial DM, ON and YK
DR DAVID ZUSSMAN - Public Administration Professor, University of Victoria and University of Ottawa
Session 2 - From Election to Operational Reality
THERESA OSWALD - Former Provincial Politician, MB NDP
CHRIS TRUMPY - Former DM Finance, BC
JANICE BAKER - CAO, Peel Region, ON
Session 3 - Navigating the Halls of Government
MARGARET BIGGS - Former President CIDA and Professor in Global Public Policy, Queen’s University ON
GEORGE ABBOTT - Former Politician BC Liberals
RICHARD DICERNI - Former Federal & Provincial DM, AB & ON
Session 4 - Defining Political Acumen
Dr. JARED WESLEY - ‘Pracademic’, University of Alberta
Dr. PETER CONSTANTINOU - ‘Pracademic’ York University, ON
Speaking Truth to Power
Political Presence.
Two sessions
2.75 hours total
Resource room access
Bonus session - Intro to Political Acumen
Mentors explore how you can tell your superiors that, in your professional opinion, the options to achieve their goals are slim or costly. In other words, how do you tell them what they don’t want to hear, but what they need to know.
Session 1
CAROL BELLRINGER - Former Auditor General, BC and MB
JAMES MOORE - Former Federal Politician, Conservatives
CASSIE DOYLE - Former Federal & Provincial DM, BC
Session 2
GEORGE ABBOTT - Former Politician BC Liberals
GAIL STEPHENS - Former CAO Winnipeg and City Manager Victoria
DAPHNE MEREDITH - Former Federal DM
Issues Management & Public Engagement
The inside and outside story.
Two sessions
3 hours total
Resource room access
Bonus session - Intro to Political Acumen
Mentors share their perspectives on how leaders in government (federal, provincial and municipal) can manage issues in a 24/7 news cycle including advice on working with traditional media & social media, and the evolution of public engagement today.
Session 1
LYNDA TARRAS - Former Public Service Agency Head, BC
WAYNE WOUTERS - Former Clerk of the Privy Council, Federal
TRISH MANDEWO - Councilor, City of Coquitlam, BC
Session 2
MEETA GANDHI - Director of Communication, Diversity & Inclusion, Town of East Gwillimbury, ON
BRIAN LAMBIE - Strategic Communications Expert, ON
RICK GOLDRING - Former Mayor of Burlington, ON
Features
Each Accelerator includes
3-4 on-demand
mentor discussions
Unlimited access to resource room learning materials for 6 months
An executive coaching
tip sheet
Access lessons via video or audio so you can learn while you’re on the go
Course delivery style
A conversational approach to learning that’s available via video or audio.
Who the accelerators are forInside Public Sector Leadership is designed for emerging and established leaders who work in, or with, public sector organisations, giving participants the tools and the confidence to do their job better.
Aspiring
Leaders
Continuous learners and leaders looking for opportunities to develop and grow in thier career.
New to
Government
Leaders transitioning from the private sector to the public sector. Understand the differences and pivot your style for greater impact.
Management
Team Leaders
Experienced leaders looking for a program that they can use to upskill and develop their leadership team.
Consultants &
Coaches
Consultants and coaches who need to understand the mechanics of government decision making so they can better support public sector organisations and employees.
Our alumni
