U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Ensuring the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce

Executive Development

Federal agencies are required by law (Title 5, U.S. Code, Section 3396) to establish programs for the continuing development of senior executives. Constant challenges, changing technologies, and a fluid environment call for executives to pursue ongoing professional development. Professional development enhances performance and provides executives the opportunity to strengthen their skills and knowledge. There are many ways to provide executive development opportunities, including formal and informal training experiences, seminars, and forums. OPM offers formal training at its Management Development Centers and the Federal Executive Institute.

On April 10, 2007, OPM convened a Thought Leader Forum in Washington, DC. The Forum was co-sponsored by the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It brought together approximately 100 leaders on the topic of executive development from Government, the military, academia, good-government organizations, and the private sector. The purpose of the Forum was to develop actionable ideas for improving the development of Senior Executives. The below documents provide comprehensive information about the Forum.

• THOUGHT LEADER FORUM: Developing Federal Executives in the 21st Century (Summary Report) [34 KB]
• Snapshot of Executive Development in the Federal Government [34 KB]
• Developing 21st Century Department of Defense Senior Executive Service Leaders [34 KB]
• Getting the "X" into Senior Executive Service: Thoughts on Generation X and the Future of the SES [34 KB]
• 2006 Federal Human Capital Survey Executive Views [34 KB]
• A Baker's Dozen of Things that are Increasingly Self-evident About Executive Development
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• Notes from Panel Discussion: Executive Development Across Sectors [34 KB]
• Comments/Action Items from Small Group Discussions [34 KB]
• Small Group Discussion Results [34 KB]