Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders Today
Beverly Buckles, DSW & Mariann Ruffolo, MBA
National Network for Social Work Management Institute
April 2012
Today’s Objectives
• Gain a basic understanding of the Leadership Development Program
• Understand why focus groups and research are important in the
development of a similar program
• Understand & Identify the leadership competencies utilized in this
program
• Gain knowledge about the outcomes and challenges of the program
• Increase their knowledge about how to create a similar program in their
organization
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A little about the county…
The County of San Bernardino is the largest geographic county in California
covering 20,160 square miles. The County is composed of 31 cities with a very
diverse population of approximately 2.1 million people:
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Latino 50.3%
Caucasian 29.9%
African American 11.7%
Asian American 6.6%
Other Ethnicity 2.2%
Native American 0.7%
FY 09-10 DBH Mental Health services served approximately 50,000
unduplicated clients through 31 county operated facilities and 60 contract
providers. About 55% of services are delivered through contracts, rather than
county operations.
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Why did we develop this program?
• Mental Health Services Act Workforce Education and Training Plan
– Needs Assessment
• Lots of staff retired in 2003
• Newer, less experienced staff
• Fiscal Crisis
– Managers were ill prepared
– Administrative skills are as important as clinical knowledge
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How did we develop this program?
• Focus Groups
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What do you think are the most important traits/characteristics of good leaders?
Are there general areas of knowledge that you think anyone in leadership in public mental health services
should be expected to know?
What are specialized areas of knowledge that you think that anyone in leadership in public mental health
should know?
What skills that you think leaders in public mental health services should be expected to demonstrate?”
What behaviors do you feel that good leaders should demonstrate?”
What would you want to see in a leadership training program, structure, time, content, etc?
Please provide examples of what these would look like
• Research
– Evidence Based Leadership Principles
• Executive Team Input
– Added fiscal emphasis
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What competencies are developed?
Competency Type
Attitudes and Behaviors
Knowledge and
Perspectives
Advanced Skills
Competency Areas
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Accountability
Continual learning/self improvement
Continuous quality improvement
Customer oriented
Mental health services, including historical
perspective
Financial management
Human resource management/supervision
Leadership perspectives
Policy-making
Political awareness
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Communication
Decision making
Influencing/negotiating
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Flexibility/adaptability
Governance and societal responsibilities
Integrity/honesty
Interpersonal engagement and demeanor
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Program coordination/project management
Program development/implementation
Program evaluation/organizational assessment
Organizational systems
Strategic visioning and planning
Technology management
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Judgment
Networking and partnering (internal and
external)
Team building
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How does the program work?
The Leadership Development Program operates for one year and is formatted
to include multiple teaching styles as follows:
• Six face-to-face all day (8:30-4:30) training sessions (combination
lecture/didactic). Generally these are monthly.
– Reflective essays
• Monthly mentor/student meetings
• Supplemental training or activities as needed (ex. 2-day Project
Management training, or participation in department wide meetings)
• Supplemental reading is assigned applicable to current DBH priorities or
initiatives
• Six month long group project to demonstrate skills
– The project is presented to the Leadership Team upon completion. 7
How is staff selected?
An application process is completed that includes:
• Staff from both DBH and contract agencies who demonstrate some basic
competencies of a leader.
• Due to the time commitment needed for the program, the participant’s
supervisor must be able to allow participation for all aspects of the
program including class time, monthly mentor meetings, other assigned
training courses and time to complete the group project.
The Executive team reviews the applications and ranks the participants to
make the final selections.
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How does the mentor component work?
• The mentor component is a very valuable part of the Leadership
Development Program. Mentors are identified as current leaders in the
county and contract agencies.
– Mentors provide feedback and advice different from the participant’s
supervisor.
– Mentors are from a program different than the participant’s program
in which they work.
– Mentors are at a Program Manager II level or higher from either DBH
or a contract agency.
• The mentor relationship can last longer than the program, providing
support and mentoring for future endeavors, not just for this program.
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More about mentors…
• The Director serves as a mentor for all students by participating in job
shadowing opportunities at the Board of Supervisor meetings.
• Individual mentor matches are done based on the following categories:
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What do you learn in the classroom?
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DBH System of Care – system structures, finance, quality strategy, self-evaluation,
management oversight, and advocacy.
Stakeholder Collaboration – understanding stakeholder development and engagement,
identification and support for roles of stakeholders in the implementation of recovery
oriented mental health services strategies.
Team Effectiveness – internal functioning, productivity, and organizational performance.
Climate – establishing a climate that effects motivation; linked to effective communication
patterns, understanding of intentions of administration, clear vision, understanding the
political and financial atmosphere.
Organizational Performance – clear benchmarks, comprehensive but clear performance
criteria, emphasis on continuous quality improvement.
Cultural Diversity Practices – knowledge and recognition of the organization’s diversity issues
and needs, commitment to cultural competency and reducing disparities.
Strategic Human Resource Systems – recruitment, retention, training, mentoring, reward
and recognition.
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– Note: This is covered in the County’s Management Leadership Academy
2011 Program
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Pilot year
Twenty nine applicants
Began with 12 participants, 11 completed the program
Five face to face classes
Mentors selected randomly
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Curriculum 2011
Topics included:
• History of mental health
• How the county fits into the
healthcare structure
• Budget
• Working with stakeholders
• Team building
• Interviewing skills
• Quality management
• Use of technology
• Self evaluation/self care
• Politics
• Program presentations
• Mentor debriefing
Sample Class Schedule
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What kind of projects were done?
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Electronic Health Records Communication Plan
Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) for Executive Team
Upland Community Counseling Doctor Scheduling
Decision Tree
Mental Health Services Act Funding Categories
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Program Strengths 2011
Overall the participants really liked the program. Some of the strengths included:
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Small number of people
Diverse participants/viewpoints in the class
“Buy-in” from higher-ups
The speakers / the content of the classes
Getting the big picture of DBH
“Face-time” with Execs
Diverse speakers – getting leadership from different facets
Mentoring / Job Shadowing
Interactive presentations
Open-ended mentor relationships
Different perspectives
Good structure
Goal sheet was a good idea (after the first class)
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Program Opportunities 2011
The group had a few areas that were identified that needed improvement
including:
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Would like activities to do on our own (through sharepoint)
Reading a leadership book and each present a chapter to the class
Provide training to mentors prior to start of LDP classes
More panel discussion – discuss the issues from their perspective – review/discuss more
issues dealing with conflict
Not having “buy-in” from middle-management
Reflective essay shouldn’t be at the end of the day, but rather a week later and include what
participant has incorporated from their learning
HR portion was too basic – suggest to use managers in a panel discussion
Program Manager discuss communication – the challenges involved with how they relate
admin info to employees and vice versa
There is too much crammed in to one day – it’s a lot of info
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Would like the consumer perspective
Program Suggestions 2011
• Get “leadership philosophy” from each member of the executive team
• Either plan a “field trip” for the class to attend a meeting, or require
participants to attend at least 2 meetings they have never attended before
• Have quarterly meetings of LDP alumni
• Mentor orientation/expectation meeting rather than “training”
• Resource list of leadership related books
• Add more classes, at least one more as a closure or follow up at the end
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2012 Program
• Forty three applications received
• Sixteen participants
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Changes in 2012
• Added one more class
• Every Executive team member is presenting on background and personal
leadership philosophy
• Adding the consumer perspective
• Involving more managers as panelists
• Adding ethics
• Reorganizing mentor component to allow for job shadowing and one on
one meetings
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Program Challenges
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Completion of the program does not guarantee a promotion
Time for staff to complete the projects
What happens now with the projects?
First year staff selection process
Recruitment of contract agency participants
How to handle missed classes/medical issues
Data collection
Identifying projects the first year
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Evaluation Methodology
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Data Triangulation
Reflective essays
Self evaluations (pre and post)
Supervisor evaluations (pre and post)
Program presentations
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Program and Data Outcomes
• Five participants were accepted into the County’s Management
Leadership Academy
• One participant has been promoted
• Data review underway
– Rubric to evaluate presentation skills
– NVIVO software to review self assessments
– Comparison of pre and post supervisor assessments
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Data Challenges
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Participants did not always click “save”
Supervisors did not follow up on post assessments
Participants missed classes, causing incomplete data sets
One participant dropped out halfway through the program
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Next Steps
• Creation of an Executive Development Program
• Identifying and Coordinating “Alumni” activities
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Team Building Activity
• Let’s practice one of the activities!
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Questions?
Mariann Ruffolo
County of San Bernardino
Department of Behavioral Health
(909) 252-4041
mruffolo@dbh.sbcounty.gov
Bev Buckles, DSW
Loma Linda University
(909) 558-4528
bbuckles@llu.edu
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