Check out the great line-up of county professional development classes coming up in June from the CSAC Institute for Excellence in County Government: procurement — emotional intelligence — negotiations — local governance … and more! Read on for details, and register now. Some classes are already full. 

The Institute expands the capacity and capability of county elected officials, senior executives and managers to provide extraordinary services to their communities. Classes are open to all county staff and elected officials. They are an affordable $129 each and include instruction, class materials and lunch. Discounts available when registering for three or more classes. 

Information Technology Service Management

Thursday, June 1, 2017 – 10:00 to 3:30 – Sacramento Campus

IT exists in large measure to support other parts of the county-our internal customers. However, many IT departments do not approach IT delivery through a customer-service lens. Instead they focus on maintaining performance levels and reacting to requests. As cloud services proliferate, county leaders have more options available to procure IT services. By taking an “order taker” posture in this dynamic, IT functions risk being outsourced altogether, compromising the unique value they can provide the organization. This course will enable county IT leaders to properly position themselves against these external options, by helping them identify their current level of IT customer-service sophistication, and instilling the knowledge, tools, and templates required to institute a proactive IT service management operation.  

Building and Maintaining a Team Culture

Friday, June 2, 2017 – 10:00 to 3:30 – Sacramento Campus
Class is full; waiting list only

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. Hands on simulations demonstrate team strategies. 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 is Dr. Jerry Estenson, Professor of Organizational Behavior at CSU, Sacramento. 

World Class Contracting, Contract Management and Procurement

Thursday, June 8, 2017 – 10:00 to 3:30 – Sacramento Campus

Every County or public entity requires the effective procurement of goods and services in order to successfully achieve its mission, business objectives and meet the needs of its constituents. This class provides insight into fundamental principles of public contracting and procurement, the role of contracting and procurement within your organization, as well as, best in class strategies which lead to effectively and efficiently meeting your requirements. Discussion will cover the principles and key elements of contract management and procurement process, and will provide participants a broad understanding of various contracting approaches, best practices, and will discuss practical examples of contract monitoring tools and templates. Prior and during this session, participants will be invited to submit specific contracting and procurement situations and questions, which they would like to be discussed during the session. Instructor is Jack Pellegrino, CPCM, Director of Purchasing and Contracting for the County of San Diego and Instructor at San Diego State University.  

Leading with Emotional Intelligence

Friday, June 9, 2017 – 10:00 to 3:30 – Riverside County
Only one seat remaining!

What characteristics and practices distinguish great from good performers? What evidence based practices should be part of your daily routine to be a high performer? We will answer these questions from a 30 year data base and research of top performance as we dive into the four areas of Emotional Intelligence (EI): 1) Under-standing Yourself, 2) Managing Yourself, 3) Understanding Others and 4) Managing Others. You will take an assessment to determine your EI strengths. Hands on tools to enhance your EI will be explored. Emotional Intelligence is a prime factor to 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. Instructor is Relly Nadler, Psy.D., founder of True North Leadership, Inc. and author of “Leading with Emotional Intelligence.” 

Effective Use of Social Media and Electronic Communications

Thursday, June 15, 2017 – 10:00 to 3:30 – Contra Costa County
Class is full

Confused about social media, which platforms are right for you, how to find time to manage it, what to post? This fast-moving workshop will help you understand what to focus on, how to implement it, and ways to quickly create compelling content using the latest photo, audio and video techniques! You will get updates on current popular social media sites and upcoming platforms to watch, along with concrete tips, tools, apps and hands-on interaction that will help you become a social media Ninja (or at least have a lot more confidence!). Even those who don’t consider themselves to be social media- or tech-savvy will come away with newly developed knowledge, skills and techniques to begin implementing immediately. This will be valuable whether you’re a social media newbie or a seasoned practitioner. Instructor is Kerry Shearer, former Sacramento County Public Information Officer and a consultant specializing in social media. 

Negotiations and Collaboration in Complex Environments

Friday, June 16, 2017 – 10:00 to 3:30 – Merced County

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

Local Governance in California: All those Agencies!

Thursday, June 22, 2017 – 10:00 to 3:30 – Sacramento Campus

California has a complex system of providing services through local governments. This course provides an overview of local government structure and responsibilities in California. You’ll learn the basics of all the local agencies and how they interrelate with county responsibilities. A brief history of California governance is followed by a review of the roles and responsibilities of the state, cities, counties, special districts and an alphabet soup of other local agencies. Discussion highlights the authority and responsibilities of the county as it relates to other agencies through a county case study on the interrelationships of all these local agencies. Instructor is Bill Chiat, CSAC Institute Dean, former executive director of the California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions and experienced executive in county, district and city governments.