SUPERVISORY DEVELOPMENT

TRAINING GUIDELINES AND RECOMMENDED TRAINING FOR NASA CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS SUPERVISORS

Supervisors play a pivotal role in the success of NASA, particularly in the areas of performance and organizational effectiveness.  Additionally, supervisors face a number of challenges in the influence arena and when managing for results.  They are supervising greater numbers of employees, using broader delegations of authority, helping more employees balance work and family demands, responding to increasing demands for customer service, and handling more requests for work product.  It is important that supervisors have the knowledge and resources to aid in their success.

NPD 3410.2D requires supervisors to complete 40 hours of supervisory and management training within the first six months of their initial appointment and 80 hours within the first two years. In meeting the minimal requirements of NPD 3410.2D, the following seminars are recommended as part of the supervisor's individual development planning portfolio:

RECOMMENDED SEMINARS/PROGRAMS FOR THE NEWLY APPOINTED SUPERVISOR:
(also includes newly appointed executive supervisors)

• Human Capital Management Seminar for Supervisors -- Offered by the Headquarters Corporate Training Office
• Management Education Program (MEP) -- Offered by the Agency Training & Development Office
• Strategic Diversity: A Business Necessity (Building and Managing a Diverse Workforce) -- Offered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
  • This seminar is for individuals who have responsibility for supervising or managing an inclusive workforce, and who want a better understanding of how to build and manage a high-performing workforce. The seminar focuses on how to treat diversity and inclusion as an important organizational advantage for public organizations.
• Supervisory Leadership Seminar: Learning to Lead -- Offered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
  • This seminar provides the new Government supervisor with basic administrative, human resources management, and leadership knowledge and skills to become highly successful. The course is designed for first-line supervisors. Seminar topics include: Managing within the Merit System; Performance Management; Principles and Styles of Leadership; Effective Communication; Building Successful Teams; Managing Conflict; Delegation and Accountability; Coaching, Feedback, and Counseling; and Creativity.
• Supervisory Development Seminar -- Offered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
  • This is a very focused seminar that draws on the “Supervisory Leadership Seminar: Learning to Lead.”  The content focuses on giving effective feedback, resolving conflicts, communicating effectively, delegating tasks, time-management, and evaluating personal strengths and how to use them.
• Executive Supervisory Skills Seminar -- Offered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
  • This seminar prepares high-level managers to assume the supervisory role and make a successful transition from individual contributor to the leader of an inspired, productive Federal work group.)

• NASA SENIOR OFFICIAL ORIENTATION:  This orientation is designed for NASA Senior Officials only.  Through one-on-one information sharing dialogues, designated discussion leaders share important Agency information with newly selected/assigned NASA Associate and Assistant Administrators and their Deputies and NASA Center Directors and their Deputies during the first two to three weeks of employment.  The Discussion Leaders cover important NASA agendas, strategies, political and professional protocols for interfacing with senior management, members of Congress, and officials of the Administration.  The Director of Career Management will initiate the NASA Senior Official Orientation process.  After which, the new Associate or Assistant Administrator and their Deputies, Center Directors and their Deputies schedule meetings with each Discussion Leader within the first two to three weeks of their appointment.  For more information, contact Vicki Thorne, Director of Career Management, at 202-358-2339.
   

GENERAL SUPERVISORY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES:

• Business Education Program (BEP) -- Offered by the Agency Training & Development Office
• Strategic Business Management (SBM) -- Offered by the Agency Training & Development Office
• Maximizing Human Capital -- Offered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
  • This seminar examines how the organization may improve its ability to survive and prosper in the years ahead by successfully developing its most key asset: its employees or human capital. Participants learn new skills in human capital management, including strategic workforce planning and approaches to recruit, retain, train and reward employees. These skills will create a high-performing workforce that will deliver sustained excellence now and in the future.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO KNOW
Supervisors are not required nor mandated to take the listed seminars/programs. The listing serves as a reference guide for supervisors when preparing the supervisor's individual development planning portfolio. Seminars and programs in the listing for newly appointed supervisors are strongly encouraged.  Additionally, supervisors are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the NASA Leadership Model and the OPM Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ'S).

Supervisory Funding Support
Most supervisory training-related fees between the cost of $2,500 and $7,500 can be covered by the Headquarters Corporate Training Office and not be charged to the Supervisor’s Office training allocation.  Such programs can be centrally funded through the “Launching into Leadership Program.”

For more information, please contact Donna Williams, Manager for Leadership and Supervisory Development at the Headquarters Corporate Training Office, at 301-286-5834.