In February this year, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson led a delegation of some 30 civil servants to attend the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) leadership conference in Toronto. The Cayman team (pictured above) then identified their top speakers from the conference, who have been invited to Cayman to share their insights with a broader audience.
The two-day leadership conference on 19 & 20 November caps off a series of leadership initiatives rolled out during the first year of our 5-Year Strategic Plan for a World-Class Civil Service.
Designed to address challenges facing the public service under the theme The Dynamic Leader: Responding to an Uncertain World, local and international speakers will delve into a wide range of topics aimed at building awareness of the global challenges confronting governments and some of the innovative approaches being adopted in response to these challenges.
Kicking off the conference on Monday, Futurist Nick Badminton will discuss exponential technologies that are changing how the world works. He will also highlight the signals organisations should look out for because they indicate big changes are coming – a key skill for any leader, who must continually look to the future to identify and plan the capabilities the organisation and its people will need to succeed.
Continuing this exploration of our uncertain world, delegates will then learn about innovative ways to improve policy outcomes and decision making. Other workshops will focus on embracing the possibility inherent in uncertainty and the importance of authenticity to inclusion and effective leadership.
With a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities that change presents, throughout the second day delegates will focus on how to lead change in a dynamic organisation. Dr Steve Bennett – a former Director with the US Department of Homeland Security who joined at its inception following the events of 9/11 – will share his personal experiences, highlighting lessons-learned that can be applied to our own challenges today.
Following Dr Bennett’s presentation, workshops will focus on cutting edge leadership concepts and discussing unique programmes and approaches to build skills and more creatively deploy talent across the civil service. One session will feature a dynamic discussion between former Minister Mr Roy Bodden and former Chief Officer Mrs Joy Basdeo. Moderated by conference co-chairs Gloria McField-Nixon Chief Officer of the POCS and Robert Taylor, CEO of IPAC, Mr Bodden and Mrs Basdeo will frankly discuss the challenges that can arise in the working relationships between Ministers and their civil service advisors and offer practical tips for laying a solid foundation for effective partnerships.