ELP is in the ‘How’ of Everyday – An alumni shares her Experiences with the IOGs Executive Leadership Program

2 minute read

Author: Rebecca Hollett, Marketing and Communications

Fourth Quarter is often when employees in the federal public service turn their thoughts to that of continued education, and the IOG’s Executive Leadership Program plays an important role at this time. With leadership training in mind, we are delighted to take this opportunity to share with you the experience of Magda Hovjacky, Director General for Ministerial Services and Access to Information at Public Services and Procurement Canada, and one of the program’s alumna, as she describes how the ELP has impacted her career and leadership capability.

As public servants we often frame leadership from an output-oriented perspective. We focus on what we have delivered in the past and stay in our comfort zone in looking ahead.

I felt tremendously blessed to be part of the IOG’s Executive Leadership Program 14^thCohort. The Institute’s reach into government and access to subject matter experts provided us with a unique window into public policy issues. This enabled us to step out of the siloes of our department’s operations and think more broadly as public sector leaders.

However, establishing a relationship with a cohort of peers from across government was fundamental to my learning journey at the IOG. Whether we were exchanging views on policy or sharing experiences from our careers thus far, I benefited tremendously from an incredible group of dedicated public servants who quickly became friends.

My time at the IOG has forever shaped how I approach leadership in the public service. It’s in the ‘how’ of everyday: How I approach issues critically and ask the right questions before taking action;how I am empowered to leverage the authorities of my position to make decisions; how I delegate to my team and challenge them to demonstrate their value-added each and every day.

As Director General for Ministerial Services and Access to Information at Public Services and Procurement Canada, this approach to leadership not only allows me to succeed in the day-to-day, but to shape and inspire the public service leaders of the future.

The Executive Leadership Program, Public Sector Governance and Leadership in a Complex World, is designed for executives at the EX-1 level or equivalent who are committed to public service excellence and who desire to continue improving their leadership skills and abilities. The participants spend eleven months participating in three modules (Public Sector Leadership in a Digital World, Evolving Public Sector Governance, and Toward Better Public-Sector Leadership: Responding to Change), listening to relevant guest speakers, travelling to Northern Canada on a study tour, and accessing our large library of leadership tools and resources.

The ELP has been a staple of our leadership training as well as a valued asset in the new executive training toolkit for Canadian governments. We are preparing to launch our 22^ndcohort this March; the graduates of this cohort will join over 300 alumni of the program. These 300 graduates represent about 10% of the Ex-1’s in the federal public service.

At the IOG, we say that the ELP is an investment not just in the individual participant, but also in the future of the public service; we prepare leaders to respond to drivers of change that all governments are facing; and we give our participants the tools to respond to a complex and changing world. The next cohort launches on March 25^th—Registration Deadline is March 15^th.