Making yourself a priority in 2019 – advancing in the Public Sector

Posted on 4 February, 2019

It’s a common scenario at this time of year.

You return to your office after the Christmas break determined to prioritise your career and achieve more this year than last.

You think about where you’d like to go in your department, what it will take to get there, and you promise yourself to make time for professional and personal development.

But then your overflowing email inbox blinks at you from the screen and the pressing needs of deadlines and demands take over. That leadership program you’ve had your eye on for the last two years takes a backseat to your new set of deadlines and somehow you lose your professional development momentum.

Jane Marburg understands just how easily this can happen.

Jane Marburg, Managing Director of Define Potential.

An HR consultant for nearly 20 years and the Managing Director of Define Potential, Jane helps public servants prioritise and improve their leadership and performance potential amid the ever-present demands of work and family life.

With a consulting staff of 15 experienced public sector management specialists and former senior public servants, the Define Potential team provides expert guidance for people at all stages of their public service career.

Based in Canberra, the company understands the city well and covers both the ACT and federal public service. Define Potential works in direct partnership with the public sector to deliver targeted and individualised programs to promote leadership capabilities and create networking opportunities.

According to Jane “this time of year presents a really good opportunity to devote that attention to the challenges ahead. It is a time to take stock of where you want to go, and to lock in place some development opportunities to nurture that untapped potential you need to get there.”

Define Potential runs three specific and personalised courses, supported by executive coaching and other career-building tools:

• The Accelerate Program is designed for emerging leaders (at the APS5/6 level federally) to develop an awareness of their own leadership style, recognise the role of accountability within the public sector, learn collaboration and influencing skills, understand team dynamics and handle change management.
• Leadership for New Managers is designed for new managers and supervisors. It recognises that this stage of development can be hard, and new managers are not always provided with a great deal of organisational support to make this transition. This course enables new managers to strike a balance between people, strategy and tasks while considering the impact on the workforce and building confidence to lead professionally.
• Leadership Futures Program invites middle managers (EL1/EL2 level) to a nine-month program which builds confidence and capability at a senior level. In this program, leaders share learnings and network with peers by participating in learning circles with leading-edge tools, professional development and executive coaching.

The first two programs are delivered in two-day courses while the Leadership Futures Program operates in concentrated modules over the nine-month period.

“It doesn’t sound like a big time commitment, but we can achieve things in two days you can put into practice immediately in the workplace. This includes helping you understand your own leadership style, giving you new skills in communicating and negotiating, and improving your confidence,” said Jane.

Define Potential’s Principal Executive Coach Kate Neser, who may be familiar to HerCanberra readers for articles such as this timely piece, said that by taking the initiative and engaging in professional development, “re-entering the workplace at the start of the year can be a more positive and empowering experience where you know you have invested in your future and your personal growth.”

Kate Neser, Define Potential’s Principal Executive Coach.

Both women recognised that today’s public sector environment is a demanding and challenging one – requiring high-level skills and capabilities in communication, collaboration, co-design and people stewardship.  It needs its people to be resilient and responsive to the pressures of rapid change.

“We encourage public servants to take control of their career through articulating and managing their own leadership goals, to build long-lasting networks, to build a public-sector specific skill set that targets the current needs of the complex needs of government sector agencies.  We’re strongly committed to providing practical support to reinforce this learning in the workplace,” said Jane.

If you are keen to prioritise your development in 2019, attend one of Define Potential’s programs. Please note that many public sector Departments and Agencies will consider supporting your participation in these programs.

You can get more details about each course on the website or email directly at admin@definepotential.com.au.

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