HOW IT WORKS?
EXCEL participants select a developmental opportunity of their choice from the NASA Pre-selected Listing of Programs and focus on developing any one of the competencies identified in the NASA Leadership Model or the ECQ's.  A primary requirement is that the desired learning
activity must be tied to the Employee's Performance Plan, and the employee's Individual
Development Plan (IDP). EXCEL is based on the principles of self-directed learning where the
employee takes personal responsibility for targeting performance areas and planning,
structuring, and identifying opportunities that will enable the employee to learn at her or his fullest.

About the Core Competencies
The NASA Leadership Model defines the competencies and characteristics needed to build a
corporate culture that drives for results, serves customers, and builds successful teams and
coalitions within NASA.  The Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ's) define the competencies and characteristics needed to build a federal corporate culture that drives for results, serves customers, and builds successful teams and coalitions within and outside the organizations.  The ECQ's are required for entry into the Senior Executive Service (SES) and are used by NASA in its performance management and leadership development for management and executive positions. 

Candidate Selection Process
Candidates for EXCEL are selected on a competitive basis by an Executive Review Panel.  The panel is convened each winter and fall.  Accordingly, it is important to nominate employees who have demonstrated the potential to manage and lead the Agency in the future.  Early involvement and guidance from top management can facilitate the identification of employees who have the greatest potential for impacting NASA's performance.  To ensure that all qualified individuals have the opportunity to be considered, supervisors are strongly encouraged to consider the diversity of your organization when selecting and endorsing nominees.

Program Funding
All training related fees will be covered by the Headquarters Training Office and will not be charged to the participant's Code training allocation (many programs include lodging and meals in the program tuition).  However, all travel costs will be the responsibility of the participant's Code.

Program Requirements
Once approved to participate in the EXCEL program, candidates are required to:

1. Participate in a brief orientation that explains the components and requirements of the program, as well as
2. Attend the approved developmental program once registered by the Headquarters Corporate
3. Training Office.  (If the participant does not show up for the approved developmental program, the participant's Office will be responsible for all training-related expenses incurred by the Headquarters Corporate Training Office.  A participant who cannot attend training should contact the Headquarters Corporate Training Office immediately.)

The Headquarters Corporate Training Office will fund only those developmental programs approved by the Executive Review Panel. Participants cannot change the developmental program identified on their nomination form after confirmation of acceptance into EXCEL, without advance approval.

Nomination Process

1. Through the Individual Development Planning (IDP) process, the employee identifies at least one competency that the employee will focus on developing, assuring that it aligns with an aspect of the NASA Leadership Model or the OPM ECQ's. 

• NASA Headquarters Career Counselors are available to assist with the IDP process.

2. Employee aligns development of competency with key personal and organizational business goals.
3. Employee identifies a program of interest from the EXCEL Pre-selected Listing of Programs.

• IMPORTANT:  The selected program must have a minimum dollar value of $7,500.
  Programs valued at $2,500 to $7,500 must be applied for through the Headquarters Corporate Launching Into Leadership Program process.

4. Employee discusses his/her interest and the benefits of participating in EXCEL with his/her supervisor(s) as it relates to impacting the organization's performance.
5. Employee completes the EXCEL Nomination Form along with the IDP form.
6. Request for Training Form (NF 1735) should be submitted through the SATERN web site.
7. Employee forwards the completed EXCEL nomination and IDP Form through their Office for approval.
   
8. Employee submits the nomination and IDP forms to Donna Williams, Manager for Leadership and Supervisory Development, in the Headquarters Training Office (Goddard Space Flight Center, Mailstop 114.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771)
9. Headquarters Corporate Training Office convenes an Executive Review Panel whose role is to evaluate nominations and make final selection recommendations.
10. Headquarters Corporate Training Office notifies workforce of final candidates accepted into the EXCEL Program.

Pre-selected Excel Programs
EXCEL applicants may select any executive or leadership development program from the institutions listed below that relate to any competency area of the NASA Leadership Model or the OPM ECQ's.  The selected program must have a minimum dollar value of $7,500. Programs valued at $2,500 to $7,500 must be applied for through the Headquarters Corporate Launching Into Leadership Program. Applicants may also select a program from an institution not listed below as long as the program ties to any competency area of the NASA Leadership Model or the OPM ECQ's:

• The Aspen Institute
• The Brookings Institution's Executive Education Programs
• Carnegie Mellon Executive Education
• Center for Creative Leadership
• Council for Excellence in Government
• Federal Executive Institute (FEI)
• George Washington Univ. School of Business & Public Mgmt. Contemporary Executive Development Prg.
• Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government Executive Programs
• Maxwell School of Syracuse University's Executive Education Programs
• MIT Sloan Management Education Program-Executive Education Programs
• Office of Personnel Management-Management Development Centers
• University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business-Executive Education
• Yale University's School of Management-Executive Programs
• University of Maryland University College-National Leadership Institute
• U. S. Department of Agriculture's USDA Graduate School

EXCEL applicants may select from other programs and institutions not depicted in this pre-selected listing. Selected program must tie to a competency in the NASA Leadership Model or the OPM ECQ's.

Nomination packages can be faxed to 301-286-0845 or forwarded to the Headquarters Training Office, at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Mailstop 114.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771. For more information, please contact Donna Williams, Manager for Leadership and Supervisory Development at the Headquarters Corporate Training Office, at 301-286-5834.
 

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