Continue your professional development through the courses offered exclusively for California counties from the CSAC Institute for Excellence in County Government. The classes expand your capacity to manage, lead and govern in complex and ambiguous times. From understanding pension systems and county finances to recruiting senior executives and leading organizations through crises … some great classes are ahead at the Institute in April.  Read on for details!

Download the Course Schedule and Guide for more details. 

Register Now or visit www.csacinstitute.org for details and a complete schedule of classes. Classes open to all county staff and elected officials. Most classes are an affordable $129 each and include class materials and lunch. Discounts for multiple registrations.

Gather the right information to design the right systems

Information Technology Business Analysis

Friday, April 7, 2016 – 10:00 to 3:30 - Sacramento

In today’s world technology drives organizational innovation. For county leaders this new reality means constantly finding innovative ways technology can advance their interests. County IT leaders must proactively create services that enable this innovation. This capability starts with effective requirements gathering, and is further enabled by high-quality project management programs and processes that focus on tracing business needs from initial request to final output. This facilitative course is designed to equip county IT leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to optimize requirements gathering in a way that drives the most organizational value. Participants will also have access to provide practical tools and templates that help to automate IT’s requirements gathering and project management activities, ensuring projects that deliver on expectations and avoid unnecessary rework. 

Deployment and leadership of high-performance teams

Building and Maintaining a Team Environment

Friday, April 8, 2016 – 10:00 to 3:30 – San Diego

Counties use teams as a method to get work done. It takes a certain organizational culture to support teams. This course examines the culture and attributes of high-performing teams in the public sector. Strategies, tools and resources are shared along with team leadership practices, and how to transition to a team culture. Participants examine the group dynamics required for team success, define team responsibilities and accountability, how to evaluate team performance against mission, and the leadership practices to lead and sponsor teams. 

Instructor: Dr. Jerry Estenson, Professor of Organizational Behavior at CSU, Sacramento.  

“Emerging Issues” policy conversation

Homelessness in Our Communities

Thursday, April 14, 2016 – 10:00 to 3:30 - Sacramento

Homelessness has proven to be an enduring and complex modern problem which crosses many disciplines, populations, and boundaries. It does not respect political boundaries and responsibilities cross and intersect with many county and city departments, and even state and federal agencies. Within counties, the issue intersects public safety, social services, public health, behavioral health, and even public works. Yet a number of counties are taking on homelessness through a variety of collaborative approaches – both in policy and practice. This class will explore many facets of homelessness, from decriminalization to treatment of root causes to prevention, and how counties are thinking about policies and collaborative programs to address it. Several case studies will be examined. 

Facilitators of the session: Humboldt County Supervisor Virginia Bass and Yolo County Supervisor Oscar Villegas.

We depend on it .. How does that state budget process work?

State Budget 101: What Counties Need to Know

Friday, April 15, 2016 – 10:00 to 3:30 - Merced (Class is Full)
Friday, May 20, 2016 – 10:00 to 3:30 - Sacramento — at CSAC Legislative Conference(Space Available)

Did you ever wonder how the Governor made that budget decision or why it changed it in May? Or how the Legislature changes the Governor’s proposal and how counties can influence the Governor or the Legislature? This is the class where you can learn the budget basics and answers to those questions and so much more. Learn about who influences – and how they do it – the state budget process, policy and politics. It’s an inside look at a complex process which influences virtually every aspect of county operations. Learn about how to find and interpret budget information and a few tips about influencing budget decisions. 

Instructors: Diane Cummins, Special Assistant to the Governor for state and local finances; and Jean Hurst, Principal with HBE Advocacy and long-time legislative advocate on local government finance.   

Effective visual display of complex information

Communicating and Presenting Complex Issues and Data

Thursday, April 21, 2016 – 10:00 to 3:30 - Martinez (Class Full — Additional session scheduled for Thursday, July 21, in Sacramento)

Counties present complex and detailed information to decision-makers and the public, and may fall into the trap of overwhelming the audience with too much content or complexity. This course provides strategies and techniques for presenting data, complex issues and analytical information in a way an audience can understand and apply. Participants explore balancing content with clarity, effective use of tools such as PowerPoint, and determining what evidence to present. Using their own examples, participants examine how to present statistical data, key elements of visual design, and creation of presentations which communicate multifaceted ideas in a clear manner. 

Instructor: Dr. Mary Kirlin, associate professor of Public Policy and Administration at CSU-Sacramento.   

Characteristics and practice of top performers in leadership

Leading with Emotional Intelligence

Friday, April 22, 2016 – 10:00 to 3:30 - Sacramento (Limited Space Available)

Every organization has individuals who consistently outshine others. What are the characteristics and practices that distinguish great performers from good performers? What evidence based practices should be part of your daily routine to be a great performer? We will answer these questions as we dive into the four areas of Emotional Intelligence (EI): 1) Understanding Yourself, 2) Managing Yourself, 3) Understanding Others and 4) Managing Others. You will take an assessment to determine your EI strengths and create a direct report. Hands on tools to enhance your EI will be explained and practiced. Emotional Intelligence has been researched to be the prime factor contributed to top 10% performance and one’s success when compared to Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and technical expertise. Business simulations, practices sessions, videos and group discussions will help participants enjoy, engage and learn more. 

Relly Nadler, Psy.D, founder of True North Leadership, Inc. and author of Leading with Emotional Intelligence.  

Achieve outcomes in everyone’s best interest

Negotiations and Collaboration in Complex Environments

Friday, April 29, 2016 – 10:00 to 3:30 - Sacramento 

Negotiation is “a back and forth interaction among two or more people who wish to arrive at a mutually agreeable outcome where the parties have some interests in common and some that are opposed.” This definition from Fisher and Ury’s book Getting to Yes describes most “Public Good” negotiations. Solution-Based Negotiation teaches participants how to achieve the most beneficial outcomes for all negotiating parties while ensuring the outcomes are in the best interest of the public while the negotiating parties’ relationships end positively. This course covers the most current tried and tested behaviors in the field of negotiation and gives you tools that will be immediately useful in your work. Best of all, it can help you serve your constituents in the best possible ways without needless compromise. 

Instructor: Dr. Laree Kiely, president of the Kiely Group, and professor at the USC Marshall School of Business.