Federal Ministry of the Interior - Division D I 4 –
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Staff Development and Training for
Managers in the German Federal
Administration
A General Review
By Joachim Vollmuth
V 1.0 - 9/29/2003
STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING FOR
MANAGERS IN THE GERMAN FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATIONMuster Präsentation
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Instruments of Staff
Development
 Introduction of New Staff
 Staff development planning
 Personnel Dialogue
 Performance Evaluation
 Transparent Selection of Leaders
 Training Programmes
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Transparent Selection of Leaders

Increased periods to prove leadership capacity in
the Federal Career Regulation

Advertising posts for promotion

Assessment procedure for the promotion in higher
career categories; probationary appointment.
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Personnel Dialogue

Diagnosis of the employee’s performance

Analysis of measures for development and
promotion of the employee

Agreement on objectives
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Performance Evaluation

Evaluation of past performance

Evaluation of personnel potential, future
competencies and suitable uses.
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Evaluation criteria for performance
evaluation

Backward performance evaluation:

Work results: quality and usability, quantity of work and meeting
deadlines, ratio of “inputs" with regard to output;
Professional knowledge: up-to-date and soundness;
Working method: initiative, representation of working area,
service-orientation;
Social competence: readiness to accept responsibility, reliability,
behaviour in conflict situations.




Evaluation of competence and future uses:







Capability to comprehend and to make sound judgements
Decision-making capability and capability to assert oneself
Conceptual work
Ability to express orally and in writing
Capacity for leadership tasks
Ability to put up with stress
Organisational skills, etc.
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Introduction of New Staff

Sector-specific introduction / Seminars “Tasks and
functioning of federal ministries and agencies”
(Orientation phase).

Training programmes “Framework of administrative
tasks” / “Economics”, “Public law” / “Budget” /
“Management skills” (Interdisciplinary co-operation).

Seminars “Training and team work”, “Leadership
and co-operation” (Promotion of “key
qualifications”).
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Staff development planning

Promote generalists

Support flexibility

Promote leadership experience
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Training Programmes

Improve the effectiveness of the work

Qualify for higher posts

Provide systematic qualification programmes

Build up on competency frameworks
(“key qualifications”)
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Programme of the Federal Academy
for Public Administration

Leadership training and training of future managers;

Important cross-cutting functions: personnel,
organisation, budget, IT, reporting;

Law making;

International activities, foreign languages;

Competency in European matters.
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Leadership Training at the Federal Level:
Four Phase System

1. Phase: Competency training for future managers
Seminars in communication (negotiations, rhetoric),
Co-operation, Teamwork

2. Phase: Qualification for leadership tasks
4-week courses to train future leaders:
Knowledge and capabilities for management / Leadership
drawing on psychology, organisational theory and social sciences
/ Analysis of own work and leadership behaviour / Computer
based simulation of administrative decisions / Follow-up
seminars.

3. Phase: Development of advanced leadership skills
3-week internship in the private sector / Training to
enhance European competence and international cooperation / Follow-up seminars.

4. Phase: Special knowledge, exchange of experience
Forums of directors and presidents / Individual coaching
for top and senior positions / Media training
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Leadership Training
by the Leadership Academy BadenWürttemberg

15 month course for up to ten participants; organisation: 3
months basic course work / 3 months internship in a
private enterprise or in a public agency abroad / 4 month
intensive studies.

The participants are granted special leave and are
seconded to the Leadership Academy.

Condition to enter: evaluations above-average, time spent
in public service: 3-5 years on two posts.

The participants are deemed to be future managers, the
average age being 36 years.

Selection of participants: Proposals by superiors or
personal application.

Selection through assessment centres, evaluation by
senior civil servants.

No legal guarantee for promotion after the leadership
training.
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