Leadership Awakened By Program

Insisting that she never would have run for governor of Oregon had she not been a participant in the Kennedy School’s State and Local (S&L) program, Barbara Roberts S&L 1989 feels passionately about executive programs as critical tools for the improvement of state and local government. “The State and Local program at KSG literally awakened my own sense of leadership,” says Roberts.

Her Kennedy School education, says Roberts, gave her the will to run for governor in her home state of Oregon, where she put those critical skills to work. During her four-year term (1991 to 1995) as the state’s first female governor, she encouraged innovation, overseeing the expansion of the state’s benchmarks program and the launching of a new initiative called “Conversations with Oregon.”

The benchmarks program, which measured the state’s effectiveness in dealing with such issues as childhood inoculations, prison recidivism, high school drop-out rates, and clean water, succeeded in having “broad-based impact” on state operations. Adopted by several states as a model, the program was recognized by the National Governor’s Association.

“Conversations with Oregon” was also acknowledged for its success. After Oregon passed a ballot measure to significantly cut taxes, Roberts traveled throughout the state talking with citizens about the consequences of the ballot’s passage. She met face to face with residents to discuss the state’s priorities and the hard choices that needed to be made. “It was participatory democracy at its best,” says Roberts.

Each of these programs took some “political risk-taking,” says Roberts, “but you can’t be a leader if you’re not willing to take risks. It’s absolutely necessary to
get things done.”

Executive Program Focuses on Security

NISM brings top-level security analysts to campus

Participants in the executive program’s National and International Security program (NISM) were given the following scenario: “There were multiple signs that something was afoot. Throughout the summer of 2001, there had been a steady drumbeat of warnings about terrorist attacks, which the U.S. government treated with utmost seriousness. American travelers abroad, U.S. embassies, business and military installations were all in a heightened state of alert.”

Called “Credible Warnings or False Alarms? What the U.S. Knew on September 10, 2001,” the case study helped the senior-level security experts enrolled in
the program discuss a variety of possible responses to the events leading up to September 11.

One of scores of cases in the 25-year-old program, this case study is the keystone of a curriculum that includes formal classes, discussion groups, exercises, guest speakers, and informal talks. Based on actual situations in public-sector organizations, these case studies challenge participants to cast themselves in the roles of key figures in the scenarios described.

At the very heart of NISM is its focus on equipping the upper echelons of the national and international security community with practical solutions for communicating with virtually anyone involved in national or international security, from military officers to senior civilians, from members of Congress to the media.

“The obvious objective is to educate participants on international security issues,” says General Tad Oelstrom (ret.), director of National Security Programs. “We focus on the issues people hear about in the news every day: Israel-Palestine, Iraq, NATO expansion, Pakistan-India.

“It’s easy to come up with subjects,” says Oelstrom, who served in the Air Force for 35 years before heading up the NISM program, which runs every August for an intensive two weeks and now caters to about 40 percent international and 60 percent U.S. participants.

From regional securities in the Middle East, Russia, and China to ethical and professional responsibility considerations, this program affords participants an opportunity to learn from Kennedy School faculty members such as Dean Joseph S. Nye, Jr., Graham Allison, Roger Porter, and David Gergen.

What Malaysia’s Chief of Defense General Zahidi Zainuddin NISM 2002 found most valuable about the National and International Security Program was the chance to learn about the U.S. security system and to make connections with others in his field — connections he is sure will endure throughout his career.

New Programs

Women and Power: Leadership in a New World
May 4–9, 2003

Focuses on honing the skills of senior executive women so that they can move between the public, nonprofit, and corporate worlds to create successful alliances and build enduring partnerships.

The Practice of Trade Policy: Economics, Negotiations, and Rules
September 28–October 10, 2003

Gives those with a stake in global trade a greater understanding of both economics and trade rules, plus a higher level of negotiating skills. Participants will include representatives of governments, regional trade organizations, multinational corporations, development banks, and non-governmental organizations.

Crisis Management: Leadership in Extraordinary Times
Spring and Fall, 2003

Helps people in senior management positions prepare themselves for rapid decision making and intensive internal and external leadership that are critical in crisis situations.

For more information about programs, call 617-496-0484, extension 275; fax 617-495-3090; e-mail KSG_ExecEd@harvard.edu; or visit the Web site www.execprog.org.