Leadership Skills for Programme Support and Administrative Functions
The UN System Leadership Framework acknowledges that leadership skills are not only for those who manage people or teams; they are essential for all staff to efficiently manage processes, make decisions, and communicate with others.
The framework provides common guidelines for staff across the UN system on how to approach their work. This workshop focuses on how General Service, Programme Support and Administrative Professionals can use these principles to strengthen their impact.
Introduction
The 2030 Agenda challenges the UN system to change the way it does business. This requires transforming the UN’s organizational culture.
Towards this transformation, the UN System Leadership Framework, adopted by the CEB in April 2016 and embraced by the Secretary-General in his report on management reforms of the UN Secretariat, provides the blueprint for the desired organizational culture at the UN, and of the underpinning leadership characteristics. Because leadership can and should be exercised not only by formally designated leaders but by all staff, the framework applies to UN staff, at all levels, in all functions, and in all locations.
Objectives
Upon successfully completing this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Discuss the practical application of the UN Leadership Framework for programme support and administrative services
- Explain the characteristics of UN leadership – Norm-based, principled, inclusive, accountable, multidimensional, transformational, collaborative, self-applied
- Apply systems thinking for administrative efficiency in implementing the UN leadership framework
- Focus on impact and accountability
- Develop self-leadership skills
- Enable and support change
- Apply design-thinking approach to their own work
- Support transformational change
Course Methodology
The workshop employs an adult learning approach characterized by a participatory and interactive training style. It engages participants in practical exercises and group work. Case studies and best practices allow the application of the UN leadership framework to real-life situations.
The online component will last for three weeks, three webinars spread over five weeks, 25 Oct – 26 November 2021. The webinar is every other week. Each webinar week, participants go through assigned modules and reading materials, complete assignments and exercises. They also post to discussion forums to share experiences, questions and comments, and receive feedback from the instructors.
Webinar details
The webinar sessions will be conducted on the Zoom online platform. Self-paced modules and discussion forum for each week of the course will be designed and structured on the UNKampus, UNSSC’s Learning Platform.
Participants need a computer (or mobile device), a reliable internet connection and either headset with microphone to connect to the audio through the computer, or a telephone. We recommend accessing audio through the computer. No special software is required, but participants must be able to access Zoom so please check the admin rights on your computer. We will send instructions for Zoom access to registered participants. We recommend you download the application and test your access in advance.
The first online live webinar sessions are from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Rome-time (8:00 am – 10:00 am New York-time).
The half-day second online sessions are from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm Rome-time (8:00 am – 11:00 am New York-time)
Course Contents
This programme builds upon and complements other UNSSC courses for administrative assistants with the following activities:
Online sessions (3 weeks spread over 5 weeks)
Week 1: UN Leadership Framework: New ways of working in the context of the 2030 Agenda
This session focuses on understanding the characteristics of UN leadership which are –Norm-based, principled, inclusive, accountable, multidimensional, transformational, collaborative and self-applied.
It also covers the four key ways in which leadership behaviours manifest themselves in support of the 2030 Agenda. These include, Focus on impact; Driving transformational change; Systems-thinking; and Co-creation.
Leadership, Accountability and Results Driven:Taking responsibility and ownership for decisions, actions and results. Being accountable for what is accomplished and how.
Week 3: Leadership Charisma: Emotional Intelligence and Leadership behaviour
Operationalizing the universal leadership characteristics, behaviours, principles and mindsets envisioned in the UN leadership framework. This session covers the effect of emotional intelligence on leadership effectiveness,self-leadership and self-management. It also covers how the way we deal with our emotions shapes our actions, careers, relationships, health and happiness.
Week 5: Leadership and System-Thinking - Leadership Culture
To achieve a leadership culture, the power of systems thinking needs to spread throughout the organization. Thinking in terms of systems gives people the ability to enable and support change where it is most needed.
Virtual Face-to-Face workshop (3.5 hours per day for 7 days)
The virtual face-to-face workshop is designed to take participants through practical exercises and case studies, enabling them to practice what they learned in the first online component and develop their leadership capacity.
Topics covered in the virtual face-to-face include:
Module 1: A review of the UN Leadership Framework
- Identify expected leadership behaviours for all UN staff
- Identify required leadership qualities
Module 2: Understanding Leadership
- Apply practical techniques to improve leadership skills and
- Strategies for encouraging creativity and innovation
Module 3: Leadership skills and Systems thinking for administrative efficiency
Module 4: Developing as a leader
- Leadership practices inventory (LPI)
- The practices of exemplary leaders
- Leadership styles
- Leadership and core values (valued-based leadership)
- Leading Without Authority (influence)
Module 5: Co-creation - creative leadership
- Design thinking and innovation - Using the Human-centered Design Thinking approach for workplace performance. This session allows participants to experiment with creative problem-solving approaches.
- Wrap-up and closing
Target Audience
General Service programme support and administrative professionals.
Cost of participation
The course fee of $2000 covers all tuition-related costs, including learning materials, access to online platforms, etc. The fee does not cover participants' travel, accommodation and meals.
