senior executive fellows

Even knowing the strong reputation of the Senior Executive Fellows program, I was genuinely and very pleasantly surprised at the quality of the faculty, the materials, the participants, the classroom discussions, and the support staff. The number of participants and their diverse backgrounds fostered a remarkably fertile environment to build new relationships and expand professional networks across agency and international boundaries. I highly recommend this program for the senior manager or executive who seeks improved insights into leadership, communication, and management skills.
Jonathan Hall , Engineering Directorate, NASA JSC, october 2009

Peter B. Zimmerman

The Program
In todays world, senior executives need to be leaders as well as managers. This means that a leaders skills need to stretch beyond the basics of building coalitions and managing change in an organization. They also need to be more adept at working with different individuals and groups, unifying people to work toward a common goal, often in tumultuous and ever-changing circumstances. The Senior Executive Fellows (SEF) Executive Education program at Harvard Universitys John F. Kennedy School of Government helps promising senior level officials learn the skills needed for practical, effective leadership. Created over thirty years ago, SEF is still the preeminent choice in executive development for professionals in the public sector to hone their leadership and managerial skills. SEF has the distinct advantage of time and history on its side. As timesand the needs of leadershave changed, so has SEFs curriculum. The program focuses on issues that are relevant and important today, while being informed by lessons learned in the past. The program is not focused solely on solving specific problems. Rather, it provides a strategic approach and framework to problem solving for a variety of issues. From the start of the program, participants take on a leadership role in the classroom, gaining ways to look at issues from new perspectives. Participants learn different methods of observing common organizational problems and challenges, and by doing so, are exposed to a wide range of possible solutions. Through class work, group work, and individual study, participants practice strategic analysis daily until it becomes a more natural, ingrained response. SEF offers participants a rare opportunity to learn from the nations top educators, researchers, and practitioners; to share experiences and network with peers from the U.S. and international governments; and to become part of the Harvard Kennedy School communityall in a short amount of time. For more than three decades, participants from all over the world have shared in this fine learning experience.

The Curriculum
The program curriculum centers around the case method pioneered at Harvard. Cases are based on actual problems, including those submitted by current and previous SEF program participants. Through the case method, participants receive valuable training and practice in making decisions about real situations. In addition, participants have the opportunity to improve leadership skills through problem-solving simulations, role-playing activities, and group and teambuilding exercises. This interactive learning style leaves participants feeling engaged and stimulated. The program curriculum addresses ways for leaders to become more effective in problemsolving, strategic analysis, persuasion, and negotiation. SEFs competency-based instruction also incorporates the executive core qualifications (ECQs) defined by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for promotion to Senior Executive Service (SES) and it is the program of choice for participants in SES Candidate Development Programs (SES-CDP).

Who Should Apply

SEF is designed for managers and professionals in the federal government (GS-14/GS-15) and their international counterparts, senior military officers, and private sector managers working with the public sector. Additionally, all participants in SES-CDP activities should attend since the curriculum focuses on OPMs Executive Core Qualifications. Because students learn by hearing others share different experiences and perspectives, participants are selected to represent a broad spectrum of federal agencies with a variety of functional and operational responsibilities.

Senior Executive Fellows was one of the best programs I have ever attended. The professors provided an intellectually stimulating environment while my senior executive peers added practical experiences to classroom discussions that broadened my knowledge base and perspective.
Samuel J. Claybon , Br anch Chief, Public Building Services, Gener al Services Administr ation, april 2010

www.hks.harvard.edu/ee/sef

Admissions Requirements
Senior Executive Fellows is a four-week program conducted three times per year in the winter, spring, and fall at Harvard Kennedy School. To apply for Senior Executive Fellows or for details on program dates, application deadlines, or tuition please visit www.hks.harvard.edu/ee/sef. Early application is encouraged as the programs often fill to capacity. Because of the interactive nature of this program, the number of participants is limited. Applications received after the deadline will be considered only if space remains in the class. Admission to the program is competitive and is based on past experience and responsibilities, as well as your organizations level of commitment to your future advancement. There is no formal educational requirement, but fluency in reading and speaking English is a necessity for the program.

Faculty Chair
Peter B. Zimmerman is Senior Associate Dean for Strategic Program Development and Lecturer in Public Policy. He also serves as co-chair of the Advanced Leadership Initiative, an interfaculty initiative with participation from five of Harvards professional schools. He has particular interest in organizational strategy for public and nonprofit organizations, and how executives in these sectors adapt ideas from domains such as business and military affairs to improve performance. Zimmerman is a graduate of Harvard Kennedy Schools public policy program. Before coming to Harvard, Zimmerman worked for the Navys Strategic Systems Project Office, on the National Security Council staff, and on the staff of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He has consulted for a wide range of public and nonprofit organizations. More recently, he has been working with several major nongovernmental organizations as they craft new strategies to meet conditions of rapid change.

www.hks.harvard.edu/ee/sef www.hks.harvard.edu/ee/smln

Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.

John F. Kennedy Executive Education Admissions John F. Kennedy School of Government Harvard University 79 JFK Street Cambridge, MA 02138 USA Phone: 617-496-0484 Fax: 617-495-3090 Email: hks_execed@harvard.edu