Four one-week seminars offered over 18 months for directors, senior administrators, and emerging leaders of vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs

The National Rehabilitation Leadership Institute is committed to developing and expanding the leadership capacity of senior executives in state vocational rehabilitation (VR) and tribal rehabilitation agencies. The Institute conducts a four-part Executive Leadership Seminar over an 18-month period in Washington, DC and San Diego, CA. Each participant completes a pre- and post-360-degree assessment and receives extensive executive coaching. All educational curriculum offerings use distance education and communication technologies pioneered by SDSU and GW.

Applicants must hold a leadership position in a state VR or tribal rehabilitation agency. The applicant's agency must support their participation with financial resources, access to the Internet, time for the on-campus portions of the seminar and the ability to use the agency for completion of educational tasks. Individuals who, by their personal example, serve as strong role models for underrepresented groups (i.e., people with disabilities, members of diverse ethnic groups, and women) will be given the highest priority for selection.

Description of Executive Leadership Seminar

The Seminar is conducted over an 18-month period, beginning with a one-week seminar in San Diego, California, followed by a one-week seminar Washington, D.C., and the two remaining seminars in San Diego. The seminars build sequentially on one another and serve as a four-part developmental learning process. The one-on-one executive coaching component, provided throughout the course of the NRLI experience, allows participants to customize their learning around the 360 feedback information and the goals identified in their Leadership Development Plan.

Executive Seminar Topics

1. Fiscal and Legal Systems (San Diego State University; San Diego, CA)
   This session builds on the participants' skills and capacities to create high performance cultures by enhancing their understanding of legal and financial systems, and the implications for leaders in the State and Tribal VR programs. Presenters include RSA personnel, legal counsel from state agencies, and representatives of tribal government. Topics include:

   • Responsibility of the Designated State Unit and state and federal regulatory requirements
   • State matching funds, third-party match, and linkages with One-Stop Career Centers related to resource sharing and cost allocation
   • Financial monitoring, audits and audit findings, cost-sharing with other partners, and indirect costs
   • Fair hearings, union agreements, and workers' compensation
   • Development of cooperative agreements, memoranda of understanding, and service agreements
   • Evaluation standards and performance indicators, programmatic audits and performance reviews

 

2. Leadership and Organizational Issues in a Cross-Cultural Environment (San Diego State University; San Diego, CA) 

This session examines the need for organizations to respond to the demands of our changing demographics, and increasing multi-cultural and diverse work force. Participants build on their understanding of public policy as they explore strategies for organizational and systems change to promote culturally competent services that lead to improved quality employment outcomes for all consumers. Topics overed in this session include:

• Understanding diversity and multi-cultural issues
• Cultural Competence in Service Delivery
• Re-framing Organizations (systems change model)
• Leading Change Initiatives in Organizations
• Data driven analysis to promote goal setting
• Creating a High Performance Culture (Leaders as coaches)
• Results Based Accountability (quality outcomes)

 

     3.  Public Policy and Constituency-Building in Rehabilitation

(The George Washington University; Washington, DC)

This session examines national issues relevant to state and tribal rehabilitation programs. Participants visit Congress, attend selected Congressional hearings, and visit the RSA and other relevant federal and constituency offices. Topics covered in the session include:

• Understanding and Assessment of Disability Policy
• Empowerment for Consumers in Public Policy
• State Councils and Consumer Participation
• Professional, Legal and Personal Ethics in Rehabilitation
• Public Policy in Disability and Aging
• The Public Program and Privatization Challenges
• Career Assessments as Part of Transition
• WIA: How does it work at the state and local levels?
• Independent Living: Outlook for the Future

 

    4.   Integration of Strategic Systems

(San Diego State University; San Diego, CA)
The fourth seminar is a culminating learning experience that requires participants to apply the skills and information gained throughout the seminar series. They analyze current organizational and leadership theories and learn to transform strategic systems into empowering rehabilitation programs.

Participants focus their analysis and planning on issues such as: increasing the number and quality of competitive employment outcomes; streamlining service delivery processes; current and projected demographic trends of consumer populations; human resource development initiatives; and, qualitative and quantitative procedures for diagnosing current organizational structures. Additional issues may include factors that impact rehabilitation service delivery systems such as:

• Collaboration and capacity-building
• Local and state economic and employment trends
• Governance and policy development analysis
• Entrepreneurship for consumers
• Advances in rehabilitation technologies
• Program development, management, and evaluation

Personalized Executive Leadership Development Planning— Executive Coaching

A vital part of the seminar series is the development of an individual leadership assessment plan supported by personalized executive coaching. At the beginning of the seminar experience, a 360-degree "feedback-learning loop" is used to obtain information about the participant's behavior as viewed by multiple sources, including self, supervisors, subordinates, peers, and, as appropriate, consumers. By combining their own perception with the perceptions of others, participants are able to create a powerful, personalized, detailed leadership development plan.

Throughout the leadership seminar experience, trained leadership coaches provide participants with assistance in achieving their executive leadership goals. At the end of the seminar, a follow-up feedback session affords participants the opportunity to discuss changes and revise their development plans to foster continued growth well beyond the conclusion of the executive leadership seminar experience.  Coaching is available for an additional 12 months, based upon participant interest, following the fourth and final seminar.

Cohort 5: NRLI Executive Leadership Seminar dates:

Seminar 1: March 10-14, 2008

•  Fiscal and Legal Systems
• Location:  San Diego State University in San Diego, CA

Seminar 2: September 8-12, 2008

•  Leadership and Organizational Issues in a Cross-Cultural Environment
• Location:  San Diego State University in San Diego, CA

Seminar 3: February 2-6, 2009

• Public Policy and Consitiuency Building in Rehabilitation
• Location:  The George Washington University in Washington, DC

Seminar 4: June 1-5, 2009

•  Integration of Strategic Systems
• Location:  San Diego State University in San Diego, CA

Cohort 6: NRLI Executive Leadership Seminar dates:

Seminar 1: March 9-13, 2009

•  Fiscal and Legal Systems
• Location:  San Diego State University in San Diego, CA

Seminar 2: September 14-18, 2009

• Public Policy and Consitiuency Building in Rehabilitation
• Location:  The George Washington University in Washington, DC

Seminar 3: February (2010)

•  Leadership and Organizational Issues in a Cross-Cultural Environment
• Location:  San Diego State University in San Diego, CA

Seminar 4: June (2010)

•  Integration of Strategic Systems
• Location:  San Diego State University in San Diego, CA

Hotel Accommodations: Registered participants are responsible for scheduling (and canceling) their own reservations with the hotel.

Travel: Registered participants are responsible for scheduling (and canceling) their own travel reservations.

Expenses: Hotel, travel, and incidentials are not covered by The National Rehabilitation Leadership Institute, The George Washington University, or San Diego State University.

• Fee: $750.00 per one-week session (total of 4 sequential sessions = $3,000 for complete Seminar Series)

Applications are now being accepted for Cohort 6.

Application Deadline:  December 1, 2008

Click here for the Application form for the The Executive Leadership Seminar