The CSAC Institute for Excellence in County Government has an awesome fall schedule of classes for your professional development. September and October highlights include great leadership courses such as: Communication with Influence, How to be Human at Work, and Storytelling. Highlights on the policy and governance side include: Labor Relations this month, and in October – Capital Improvement Planning and Funding, County Budgeting and Financial Planning, and Unraveling Public Pensions and Retirement Benefits. Check out all our upcoming classes for September and get registered! They fill up fast. September also marks the launching of our new campuses in Orange County (Santa Ana) and Tulare County (Visalia)! For all our upcoming classes download the updated July-December Course Guide and Schedule.

The CSAC Institute provide county officials, senior executives and managers with consummate opportunities to expand your capacity to exercise leadership and governance in volatile and uncertain times. Classes are open to all county staff and elected officials. They are an affordable $149 each and include instruction, class materials and lunch.

September Classes

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Leadership and Change: Practices to Move People and Organizations

Thursday, Sept 13 – 10:00 to 3:30 – Shasta/Tehama Campus
Friday, Sept 21 – 10:00 to 3:30 – Tulare County Campus

County officials and managers discuss the need for change in their organizations, yet struggle when change is difficult to accomplish within the depths of the organization. This course helps participants move past technical solutions to the practices for approaching adoptive challenges. Discussion highlights why some changes happen relatively quickly while others are stymied. Participants explore change from the perspective of those whom the change affects. Practical discussions focus on design of a change process; practices to diagnose, interpret and select interventions; barriers; and creating an environment in which people can expand their capacity to address adaptive change.

Instructor is Bill Chiat, Dean of CSAC Institute. For the last 35 years he has worked with hundreds of local agencies in crafting change. 

Communication with Influence

Friday, Sept. 14 – 10:00 to 3:30
Sacramento Campus

NOTE: Course is full
The ability to have quality conversations, including techniques to engage stakeholders at all levels and build relationships, depends upon one’s ability to communicate effectively. The class explores your preferred communication style and its impact on others to improve your ability to communicate with clarity, impact and confidence. This highly interactive day will enhance your ability to have quality conversations with individuals, teams and key stakeholders. You will learn how to identify people’s preferred communication style and how to relate to differing styles to build rapport, create and lead conversations with maximum impact and effectiveness.

Instructors are Angela Giacoumis, CEO of Careerlink, and works at the nexus of business and neuroscience; and John Dare, who transforms organizations to thrive in accelerating change as a Silicon Valley entrepreneur. 

Storytelling and Other Leadership Practices in the Art of Persuasion

Friday, Sept. 14 – 10:00 to 3:30
Orange County Campus

Persuasion is interpreted as an attempt to evoke a voluntary change in the attitude or behavior of another person. Effective leaders are able to tell stories that speak to others and markedly influence their behaviors. Through hands-on exercises the class explores elements of storytelling and how to construct and use stories in the practice of leadership. Participants examine case studies and experiences to develop their own stories. Other practices examined include metaphors, humor, reciprocation, contrast and conformity. These tools are placed in the context of enhancing the transaction between leader and follower and authentically hearing the needs of listeners.
Instructor is Bill Chiat, Dean of CSAC Institute and a practitioner of leadership (and storytelling) for 40-some years.

Labor Relations and Negotiations in Local Government

Thursday, Sept. 20 – 10:00 to 3:30
Contra Costa County Campus

The class examines the basics of labor relations in the county environment. Laws and regulations affecting public-sector employment and labor relations in California are examined along with techniques to build and maintain effective and productive relationships with employee groups. The class explores the various roles in labor relations and labor negotiations along with pitfalls to avoid in working with labor representatives. Techniques are examined for maintaining productive relationships with employee organizations during difficult times. Eligible for MCLE credits for members of the Bar.

Instructors include Liebert Cassidy Whitmore partners Richard Whitmore, Richard Bolanos and Gage Dungy, all of whom work extensively with local governments on labor relations. 

How to be Human at Work

Friday, Sept. 21 – 10:00 to 3:30
Sacramento Campus

NEW! Until robots take over the world of work, we will still be showing up with all of our “human-ness” every day. Contrary to popular thought, nobody really compartmentalizes or keeps the parts of our lives separate. We bring our best and our baggage. In this class we explore what makes us human, how our emotions impact our work lives, practical advice for managing difficult people and situations, empathy and its role in the workplace, and what it means to tend to our personal well-being at work. Workshop exercises, assessments, and tools provide new ways of thriving at work and helping others do the same.

Instructor is Laree Kiely, Ph.D., president and CEO of We Will, Inc. and former professor at the USC Marshall School of Business.

Realignment 101: The Basics of 1991 and 2011 Realignments 

Thursday-Friday, Sept. 27-28 
Sacramento Campus

NOTE: Course is full – watch for future sessions
This two-day course examines the history and rationale for establishing it in 1991, why programs were included, what was learned, and the expansion to realignment in 2011 – all updated with program and funding changes through 2016. Participants first examine the establishment and programs of the 1991 realignment. Discussion details health and human services and mental health programs. Participants explore individual programs, how they work, funding and current status. The course examines the 2011 realignment – including AB 109 – with an emphasis on public safety programs. Details on the realigned programs, changes to 1991 realignment services, implementation, funding and how counties are implementing the 2011 realignment are all discussed. The second day features a detailed examination of fiscal issues: structure and allocation of local funds; flow of funds in human services, public safety, health, behavioral health, and other programs; forecasting and tracking realignment, VLF and Prop 172 funds; fund growth; and other fiscal issues.

Instructors include Diane Cummins, Special Advisor to the Governor on State and Local Realignment; Andrew Pease, Finance Director, San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency; Robert Manchia, Budget Director, San Mateo County; and Bruce Wagstaff, Deputy County Executive Officer for Social Services, Sacramento County.