Executive Leadership Program

Description

Cohort 17 | Registration is now open.

Hybrid Delivery:
COHORT 16:

•      In Person Sessions at IOG Office, Ottawa:
               -Executive Retreat: March 18 + 19, 2025
               -June 11 + 12, 2025
               -Final Sessions: October 8 + 9, 2025

•      All other sessions are virtual over Zoom (3 sessions monthly: 2 full afternoons + 1 late afternoon session, 1.5 hrs)

•      Registration for this cohort is now closed - for late registrations, please email registration@iog.ca

COHORT 17:

•      In Person Sessions at IOG Office, Ottawa:
               -Executive Retreat: June 25 + 26, 2025
               -October 21 +22, 2025
               -Final Sessions: January 13 + 14, 2025

•      All other sessions are virtual over Zoom (3 sessions monthly: 2 full afternoons + 1 late afternoon session, 1.5 hrs)

•      Registration Deadline: Monday, June 16, 2025
  

For future cohorts, please express your interest here. 

Our Executive Leadership Program (ELP) prepares public sector leaders across departments and jurisdictions tasked to navigate the deep and rapid changes of our times.

Program Curriculum

The Executive Leadership Program (ELP) offers a rich curriculum encompassing Trust in Institutions, International Relations, Digital Leadership, and Intercultural Competence. It emphasizes Sustainable Development and Change Management, focusing on strategic thinking and leadership in a global context. This program equips executives with skills for navigating complex challenges, fostering innovation, and driving transformational change in the public sector. It emphasizes ethical and sustainable business practices in an increasingly diverse, interconnected and digitalized world.

Program Benefits

•   You will discuss the latest, citizen-centric thinking on governance in the post-pandemic 'new normal'

•   You will be able to cut through the 'noise' of the current times to make critical decisions on resource allocation and to get results for audiences that matter

•   You will emerge more confident in your abilities as a people-leader and better able to respond to the leadership challenges you will face as your career progresses 

Program fee: $18,000

*As a not-for-profit, the IOG does not collect HST
**Includes tuition, all course materials and online tools used during the course as well as access to course resources after the program is completed. The IOG will offer the rental of a computer with all required software installed for participants. Any equipment being provided to participants will be loaned to you in-person during the Executive Retreat. The IOG will organize and cover the cost of equipment return at the end of the program.

For further inquiry or support please contact us at registration@iog.ca.

Participant Testimonials

“I am a better public servant from my time spent learning and connecting with my peers in the IOG's virtual Executive Leadership Program. My peers brought in-depth, informed and unique perspectives to the discussions we had in the program that were prompted by the excellent speakers and interesting topics we explored. The program facilitators and IOG staff brought together an incredible learning experience for us while also responding to my and my peers' needs throughout. The depth of knowledge and experience that the facilitators brought was inspirational. I couldn’t have asked for better facilitators.” 

“I would absolutely encourage everyone, not just those looking to move up but just to become better in the role they are in, because everyone can be a leader. I think it is a very important program. It really does open up the perspectives and provides some insight into how senior executives approach work and what their expectations might be. It helps to disarm senior executives from my perspective. It allowed me to get better insight into some of the more difficult topics that exist in the Public Service today. Certainly very valuable.”

“I was really happy with the quality of the speakers from the other departments. They really came from the whole array of issues that the Government of Canada is wrestling with these days. We had people talking about business transformation, which I found really really interesting and useful. The exposure to these files were really valuable.”

“I have recommended other colleagues to participate [...] I do think back on these things somewhat routinely. I just did a competition. I pull out the IOG material and refresh on subjects that I forgot. I refer to those materials for interviews. I found it useful and I continue finding it useful.”

Facilitators

Participants will benefit from the guidance and experience of the mentioned facilitators per cohort:

Peter Bruce
Faculty, ELP Facilitator

Peter Bruce is a Senior Associate for Leadership and Learning at the Institute on  Governance (IOG).  Since 2017, he has been facilitating the IOG’s Executive   Leadership Program. He has also provided advice on digital strategies for  government organizations both in Canada and internationally.  After 32 years of Public Service at the federal and provincial levels Mr. Bruce retired from the position of Senior ADM Strategy at Shared Services Canada in 2016. During his time in the Public Service, he worked in increasingly complex and interesting roles including VP/CIO/CTO at the Department of Justice, Library and Archives Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and as Deputy CIO and Interim CIO for the Government of Canada at Treasury Board Secretariat. Mr. Bruce also has extensive governance experience collaborating internationally, across Canadian jurisdictions, across the federal government, and with the private sector. He has been the elected or appointed chair of several organizations including the ICA (the International CIO Council), the PSCIOC (Canadian Public Sector CIO Council) and DPI (The Association of Public Sector Information Professionals). He currently serves on the Board of the charity Kids Up Front Ottawa on the Advisory Board for DPI.  He holds a degree in Computer Science from the University of Ottawa and an MBA from Queen's University. Mr. Bruce has also studied cognitive science and continues to explore leadership and the transformational possibilities created by advances in information and communications technology including artificial intelligence.

Francie Ducros 
Faculty, ELP Facilitator

Francoise (Francie) Ducros retired from the federal Public Service in 2020 where she  served as Assistant Secretary, Social and Cultural Programs  for 4 years. Prior to that  Francie served as Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy, and Assistant Deputy  Minister, Education and Social Programs and Partnerships at the Department Affairs  Aboriginal and Northern Affairs and Vice-President, Afghanistan-Pakistan Policy and  Programs at the Canadian International Development Agency. Francie also served in several political positions including Chief of Staff to the Ministers of Fisheries and Oceans, and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Director of Communications to the Prime Minister.

Francois Gagnon 
Faculty, ELP Facilitator

Formerly the Vice-President of the Learning & Leadership, Francois Gagnon is now an associate at the IOG. He brings rich experience in the area of public sector learning and leadership.

Mr. Gagnon worked in the Public Service of Canada for 25 years, including 13 years as executive. He had the privilege to organize national ministerial consultations, to negotiate international and federal-provincial agreements and to lead national Grants and Contribution programs. At the Canada School of Public Service, he developed a change management and coaching practice. As Senior Director of Leadership Development, he led and oversaw the review of the entire suite of the School’s Leadership Development products for the Government of Canada. 

In 2014, Mr. Gagnon founded Lead-Action, a firm specialized in Leadership Development. He joined the Institute on Governance in 2019 where he had used his knowledge and expertise to build on the IOG’s strong reputation in this area. 

Mr. Gagnon has a Degree in Computer Science and a Masters in Project Management during which he specialized in Leadership and Change Management. Over the last 20 years, he was lecturing in Leadership and Change at the University of Ottawa and Université du Québec en Outaouais. He completed required certifications to teach and administer a large range of psychometric instruments including products from the Center for Creative Leadership, Insights Discovery and two emotional intelligence instruments. He has facilitated and has managed the delivery of a large number of Leadership Development products and courses, including organizational 360-degree feedback processes and executive coaching in a large number of organizations in Canada and abroad. Mr. Gagnon was also invited to teach Leadership and Change Management at the University of Moscow and at the Russian Academy of Public Administration and has led the development of a Leadership Development program for Deputy Ministers of the Government of Ukraine. Through his work at Lead Action, he also contributed to leadership development projects in Indonesia, Belize and Mexico. 

In addition to his professional activities, Mr. Gagnon holds a Private Pilot license and is a classically trained pianist who performs regularly in the region.