Two Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT) federal employees were recently selected and are now attending a three-day orientation of the first offering of the Florida Leadership Development Program (FLDP) in Miami, Fla., Oct. 23-25.

The two CIWT participants are Jacqueline Henry, CIWT’s comptroller, and Jim Murphy, a program analyst for CIWT’s Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture directorate. Henry has faithfully served as a federal employee for 25 years, and Murphy has for nearly eight.

“I thought when I received my executive MBA, I was finished with school until the Florida Leadership Development Program came along,” shared Henry. “And during Vice Adm. Browns recent all hands call, he responded to a student and told him, ‘We should always continue learning.’ His response confirmed my commitment to the FLDP. In today's work environment, challenges can arise at any time. And to be an effective leader, I want to be able to respond to those challenges with intelligence, strategy and expertise.”

The 36 total participants in the program represent an expansive cross-section of civilian and military agencies and organizations. This inter-agency perspective provides participants with an opportunity to network with and gain peer support from professionals from other agencies to enhance the learning process and the value of the FLDP experience.

The program is part of a group of very successful regional programs already offered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), beginning with the Colorado Leadership Development Program in 2000. It is designed to meet the leadership development needs of select federal professionals at the general schedule (GS) 14, GS-13, and GS-12 levels or equivalent, who work in federal, state, or local government organizations located in the state of Florida.

According to the program’s overview, “This six-month program is based on a ‘whole person’ model comprised of four dimensions: intellectual, emotional, physical, and behavioral. The curriculum applies this model through specific monthly sessions taught by highly-skilled professional facilitators who focus on the development of the OPM leadership competencies or executive core qualifications. Research shows that development of these competencies is essential to success in senior-level public-sector leadership positions.”

“I'm grateful for the command's investment in my professional development,” said Murphy. “There are a lot of worthy candidates for this type of training, so I am humbled by the selection.  The 'whole person' concept and multi-faceted delivery of the program offer a unique and valuable experience. The knowledge and skills I receive from this program should benefit the command and those I serve through community involvement.”

The program format begins with an intense three-day orientation focused on self-awareness and understanding. During orientation, psychological and behavioral assessments, experiential activities, discussion groups and presentations provide participants with an opportunity to explore and develop awareness of their strengths and areas for potential development.

Throughout the remainder of the program, monthly facilitated topic sessions are focused on delivery of content and activities designed to build on strengths and develop challenge areas. A number of additional assessments are conducted throughout the program to explore aspects of emotional intelligence, conflict management, and peak performance among others, to further explore self-awareness and promote opportunities for personal growth and development.

Four one-on-one individual consultations with a professional executive coach are also conducted to guide development over the course of the program.

The six-month program concludes with a two-day meeting where participants will engage in a career development session and a culminating event encompassing all aspects of the program. Henry and Murphy will graduate April 17, 2019.

“We are very proud of our workforce, and continuous investment in their professional development, growth and education is paramount to the entire CIWT domain,” said Jim Hagy, CIWT’s executive director. “This program presents a tremendous opportunity that I feel will help contribute to organizational leadership capabilities, career development, and personal growth for both Mrs. Henry and Mr. Murphy.”

Past program feedback outlines, “The program has provided participants with transformative benefits not experienced in their prior professional development training. These include greater flexibility in leadership style; increased skill in recognizing the differences between individuals in the workplace; the ability to see things from different perspectives and to successfully take action; greater risk taking initiative; and unique opportunities to integrate prior training experiences.”

CIWT delivers trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services, enabling optimal performance of information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations.

Get more information about the Navy from US Navy Facebook or Twitter.

For more news from Center for Information Warfare Training, visit www.navy.mil/.