NOAA Workforce Management Office

Serving NOAA's Most Valuable Asset - People

NOAA Supervisory Resource Guide

What is the NOAA Leadership Competencies Development Program (LCDP)?

Typical Scenario: You have a GS-13, GS-14, or GS-15 employee or equivalent in grade level that has a strong desire to further develop their leadership skills, wants to know more about the NOAA Leadership Competencies Development Program (LCDP) and what it has to offer those individuals with senior leadership potential.

LCDP Overview: The LCDP is a competitive, 18-month, intermittent NOAA leadership development program. It provides a series of training and learning experiences for a cadre of NOAA employees who have high potential for assuming greater leadership responsibilities in the agency. The program promotes cross-line, multidisciplinary experiences that broaden participants' understanding of NOAA's strategic vision, mission, and goals, as well as its business processes. The LCDP, a key component of NOAA's Strategic Human Capital Management Plan, is the agency's premier succession planning initiative.

The LCDP is expected to be an important source of candidates for NOAA senior and/or executive level positions. Successful completion of the program, however, does NOT guarantee selection for such jobs, nor is it a substitute for the Department of Commerce Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (DOC SES CDP). LCDP graduates interested in future senior or executive level positions may compete for them under merit promotion procedures when openings occur.

Eligibility: Applications will be accepted from all qualified individuals during the announcement period. Applications must be received online by the closing date.

The next call for LCDP applications is planned for September of 2007.

Applicants must meet the qualification requirements as outlined in this announcement to be considered for selection into the LCDP. An applicant must be a full-time NOAA employee for at least two years as of the closing date of this announcement. Also, an applicant may not be a participant in any other long-term developmental program funded by NOAA (that is, a program lasting 12-months or longer).

Applicants must currently be at one of the following grade levels:

• GS/GM-13, GS/GM-14, or GS/GM-15; or
• Pay Band ZA-4, ZA-5, ZP-4, ZP-5, or ZT-5; or
• Commissioned Officer O-4, O-5, or O-6.

Program Purpose:

The purpose of the LCDP is to identify and develop potential future senior leaders of NOAA. This is accomplished by:

• Expanding the participant's knowledge, and understanding of the One NOAA vision, mission, and goals;
• Developing the participant's leadership competencies by providing him or her customized leadership training and professional development opportunities;
• Strengthening the participant's ability to communicate in and across NOAA; and
• Encouraging and fostering the participant's contribution to managing diversity in the workplace.

Learning Objectives:

The learning objectives for the LCDP participant are to:

• Develop a set of core leadership competencies based on NOAA's and the participant's needs;
• Develop a subset of individually selected leadership competencies as determined by a participant's learning goals;
• Gain knowledge of, and experience with, the agency's business processes for creating a corporate NOAA and for working successfully with Congress;
• Gain knowledge of NOAA's current environment and challenges, and the need for working together across organizational lines; and
• Expand the participant's network of professional associates inside and outside of NOAA.

Leadership competencies developed are selected from the Office of Personnel Management's Executive Core Qualifications (OPM's ECQ's). Refer to http://www.opm.gov/ses/competencies.asp for definitions of ECQ's and the related leadership competencies.

Benefits to Line/Staff Offices and Participants:

Line/Staff Office Benefits

The LCDP provides Line/Staff Offices with:

• Program participants who can bring new approaches to their permanent positions as well as to their developmental activities;
• Employees who possess exceptional leadership skills;
• Employees capable of assuming broader NOAA leadership roles; and
• Potential candidates for filling critical positions within the organization.

Participant Benefits

The LCDP participant has the opportunity to:

• Participate in a formal, NOAA-wide leadership development program with a cross-agency cohort group;
• Perform a variety of developmental activities to further grow his or her NOAA leadership competencies;
• Gain increased visibility within his or her Line/Staff Office and across NOAA; and
• Achieve enhanced responsibility in his or her current job or in a new position.

LCDP graduates interested in future senior or executive level positions may compete for them under merit promotion procedures when openings occur.

Key Developmental Components:

The LCDP provides the following key developmental components:

• A formal mentoring relationship with a NOAA senior leader who provides guidance throughout the program;
• An individual 360-degree assessment to determine leadership development needs;
• An Individual Development Plan (IDP) to lay the groundwork and plan how the participant will gain appropriate skills and experience;
• A formal core leadership training program covering a range of subjects and issues facing NOAA leaders;
• A series of career-broadening developmental assignments and activities; and
• An opportunity to participate in specific corporate NOAA and Line Office initiatives.

Program Structure (Mentors, Formal Core Leadership Training, Developmental Assignments, and Other Developmental Activities):

Mentors

Each participant is paired with a NOAA mentor (at a GS-15, SES, or equivalent level) who provides advice and evaluates progress throughout the program. In addition, an expert in executive development, currently from the Federal Executive Institute (FEI), facilitates the formal core leadership training and provides coaching and feedback sessions for participants and mentors.

Formal Core Leadership Training

Mandatory core leadership training includes a minimum of 4-5 weeks at the FEI in Charlottesville, Virginia. NOAA-specific customized training, which varies slightly from class to class as needed, emphasizes a range of topics and issues facing today's leaders.

LCDP class members are also expected to participate in specific NOAA leadership training sessions conducted outside of FEI [for example, the NOAA Leadership Seminar (see http://www.wfm.noaa.gov/NLS/) and the LCDP Congressional Seminar].

Developmental Assignments

During the 18-month LCDP program, each participant is expected to be involved in 2 or 3 developmental (rotational) assignments, each lasting from 3 to 4 months. These opportunities may be in other parts of NOAA, the DOC, other agencies, or appropriate public/private sector organizations. At least one of these assignments should be in a NOAA Office outside of the participant's Line/Staff Office.

Other Developmental Activities

Additional leadership development activities are based on a candidate's needs and are documented in his or her IDP. Activities may include, for example, specific NOAA-wide or Line/Staff Office projects, shadowing higher-level NOAA leaders, readings on leadership development, and other training as appropriate.

Role of the Supervisor:

Supervisor support is critical for success in the LCDP, as full participation in the program requires a significant amount of time away from the home office (see "Program Structure" above for expected time commitments). A participant's supervisor, along with his or her mentor, plays a key role in guiding and supporting the employee in the creation and implementation of the IDP. A statement of supervisory support from an LCDP applicant's immediate supervisor is requested as part of the application process (see Supervisor Statement below).

Online Application Process and Supervisor Statement:

Online Application Process

Interested individuals must complete and submit the Online Application Form. The online form is only active during the announcement period.

Applications must be submitted online by the close of the application period. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

An applicant will be notified by email that the application was received, and his or her supervisor will be copied. The email will include instructions requesting the supervisor to complete and submit an online Supervisor Statement for the applicant.

Applicants are encouraged to discuss their LCDP applications with their supervisors.

Supervisor Statement

A statement of supervisory support from an LCDP applicant's immediate supervisor is requested as part of the application process. The purpose of this statement is for the supervisor to indicate his or her:

• Assessment of the applicant's qualifications for participation in the LCDP;
• Approval of the time required for the applicant to fully participate in the program; and
• Agreement of the funding required for the applicant to participate in the LCDP (see Program Funding below for estimated costs).

The supervisor will be notified by email that the Supervisor Statement was received and the applicant will be copied.

Selection Criteria and NOAA Leadership Competencies:

LCDP selection is based on NOAA's criteria and follows merit principles. These criteria address the applicant's potential for achieving 6 NOAA Leadership Competencies critical to senior leadership positions within the organization. Each of these competencies must be addressed in writing by an applicant to demonstrate how his or her background, experience, and potential meet these criteria (see Tips for Writing a Quality Response below for additional information).

The 6 NOAA Leadership Competencies are:

Competency 1 - Leads People

Demonstrates skill or potential for leading people, such as:

• Fosters a culture of teamwork and respect with internal and external customers that:
        - Improves results, and/or
        - Achieves goals;
• Resolves conflicts effectively;
• Reflects organizational core values through clear and consistent actions;
• Promotes diversity goals and/or outreach efforts;
• Leads initiatives across NOAA to identify scientific issues to be researched.

Competency 2 - Continuous Learner

Demonstrates skill or potential for leading people, such as:

• Fosters a culture of teamwork and respect with internal and external customers that:
        - Improves results, and/or
        - Achieves goals;
• Resolves conflicts effectively;
• Reflects organizational core values through clear and consistent actions;
• Promotes diversity goals and/or outreach efforts;
• Leads initiatives across NOAA to identify scientific issues to be researched.

Competency 3 - Business Proficiency

Demonstrates skill or potential for business proficiency, such as:

• Aligns financial planning with performance goals;
• Ensures procurement and acquisition procedures are properly used;
• Understands budget formulation and execution processes; or
• Plans and integrates new technology proactively to meet organizational and customer needs.
• Leads initiatives across NOAA to identify scientific issues to be researched.

Competency 4 - Problem Solver

Demonstrates skill or potential for complex problem solving, such as:

• Anticipates, identifies, and diagnoses barriers to a goal;
• Develops innovative alternatives to existing operations;
• Creates contingency plans to ensure a goal is met;
• Integrates disparate concepts and/or issues; or
• Solves complex research problems at the national or regional level by:
        - Leading teams, and/or
        - Building scientific coalitions with universities and other partners.

Competency 5 - Strategic Thinker

Demonstrates skill or potential for strategic thinking, such as:

• Understands the roles and relationships of a variety of organizational functions and missions;
• Develops strategies for integrating diverse interests of multiple stakeholders;
• Identifies and integrates key political, economic, social, scientific, and technological issues affecting the organization;
• Advocates change to meet anticipated customer demands or to promote the use of new technologies in the office;
• Participates in complex research or operational problems/activities; or
• Develops strategies for approaching or resolving short and long-term problems.

Competency 6 - Communicator

Demonstrates communication skills, such as:

• Delivers clear and convincing oral presentations to individuals and groups within and outside the office;
• Writes reports and other documents that reflect the position and work of the organization in a clear, convincing, and organized manner;
• Establishes and maintains working relationships with internal organizational units;
• Engages in cross-functional activities;
• Develops and enhances alliances with external groups;
• Considers and responds appropriately to the needs, feelings, and capabilities of different people in different situations; or
• Gains cooperation from others to obtain information and accomplish goals.

Tips for Writing a Quality Response

It is highly recommended that applicants follow the "Challenge-Context-Action-Result" (CCAR) model in documenting their qualifications under each NOAA Leadership Competency.

Components of the CCAR model are:

• Challenge - describe a specific problem or goal;
• Context - describe the individuals/groups you worked with and/or the environment in which you worked to tackle a particular challenge;
• Action - discuss specific actions you took to address the challenge; and
• Result - give specific examples of the results of the actions you took to demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills.

The CCAR is a results-oriented approach that requires applicants to focus on the leadership skills needed to manage programs, processes, and people. This approach provides a more complete picture of each applicant's leadership competencies and what specific role he/she played in an organization's success. The focus is on what the applicant accomplished, not what the organization accomplished.

Candidates may use all of their past experience to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and abilities. This can include professional experience in the public and private sectors as well as volunteer experience, education and training, awards, and other accomplishments.

Selection Process:

Applications will be rated and ranked and the best qualified applicants will be interviewed. A candidate's supervisor may be contacted during the selection process to discuss his or her evaluation of the applicant's potential for participation in the LCDP. Final selections will be made by the NOAA Deputy Under Secretary. Candidates will be notified of their selection, or non-selection, in the LCDP.

Program Funding:

For clarification on how the LCDP is funded in your Office, please contact your LCDP Line/Staff Office Coordinator (see Additional Information below for coordinator details).

The estimated cost of an employee's LCDP participation is twofold:

• The required leadership development training at the Federal Executive Institute (FEI)) - a 4 to 5 week split session - is approximately $17.5K. In addition to the training, this cost includes the LCDP orientation, FEI graduation, as well as all lodging and meals at FEI. However, travel to and from FEI is not included in this cost.
• Additional costs (estimated at $10K) are variable and highly dependent upon both the location/duration of the participant's developmental assignments and the participant's additional training expenses. These costs include:
  • All participant travel;
  • Additional training (other than FEI); and
  • Per diem (lodging and meals) associated with
    developmental assignments and additional training (other than FEI).

Additional Information:

A broad range of LCDP topics are on the program website at http://lcdp.noaa.gov/. For questions on how the LCDP is funded by your Office, please contact your LCDP Line/Staff Program Coordinator.

The NOAA LCDP does not discriminate in selection on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, martial status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor.

Click here to view NOAA Leadership Competency Development Program (LCDP) Comparison to the DOC ELDP and SES CDP Programs.

Participant Feedback:

The following are direct quotes from past LCDP participants:

"In retrospect, I see the LCDP experience as a wonderful opportunity to develop relationships with a broad range of individuals, including classmates, leadership coaches, peers in your own organization and other line offices, and senior NOAA officials. The learning community you cultivate is much more important than any one individual." --Rich Lataitis, LCDP Class I

"The most important things I got out of the LCDP; an opportunity to broaden my exposure to different principles and theories of leadership, an opportunity to apply those lessons to a variety of real world settings in NOAA, and a close relationship with LCDP colleagues who are a constant resource for ideas and inspiration." --Jon Kurland, LCDP Class II

"Anyone with an interest in personal growth and a desire to be more effective in their leadership role should seriously consider the LCDP. Completion of the program should not be considered a destination, but rather the beginning of a journey, one that will last your whole lifetime." --CDR Rob Poston, LCDP Class III

Page last edited: January 25, 2008

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