URISA Leadership Academy

"This was the best training/conference opportunity I have been privileged to attend. That it was an initial effort is impressive. It certainly reflects well on URISA and makes me want to be more involved in the organization locally and nationally. Keep up the good work."

Lane A. DeLarme, IS Manager , City of Lakewood, WA

Previously Held:

If you can answer “yes” to two or more of these questions, then the URISA Leadership Academy (ULA) is for you.

Who attended the ULA :

* Individuals attended from 25 states and 4 countries.

* They work for a wide variety of organizations, representing:

• city/county/regional/state and federal government

• private sector

• non-profit organizations

• academia

Session 1: Introduction to Leadership and Management (December 8)
This session will establish a baseline of knowledge for the rest of the academy. Discover what types of positions are in the work place for leaders in geospatial information management organizations. Recognize roles and responsibilities that come with leadership and management positions. Uncover your leadership tendencies and how they can be best utilized in management roles. Are you an Authoritarian Leader? Participative? Delegative? The session includes a discussion on ethics that provides a framework for ethical decision-making.

• Leadership and Management
• Geospatial Leadership Roles
• Leadership Styles
• Challenges for Leaders
• Ethics in Leadership
• Management Skills and Techniques

Session 2: Building a Successful Team (December 9)
Quality leadership involves excellent communication skills and to build a successful team, effective collaboration strategies must be in place. It is often difficult to know when or from where conflicts may arise. This session will teach how strong leaders can become equipped with the necessary skills to treat each and every one of those conflicts in an effective way. The session will highlight how the success of a team depends on the competence of its members. Participants will learn how to identify and assess potential team members.

• Steps of Successful Communication and Delegation
• Conflict Resolution in the Workplace
• Settling Disputes with other Decision Makers
• Assessing Resource Needs | Building a Team
• Developing a Recruitment and Hiring Strategy
• What to look for in a Good Candidate
• Interviewing Skills and Pitfalls
• Motivation and Retention

Session 3a: GIS and Organizational Capacity Building: How May I Help You? (Morning, December 10)
Building and enhancing the GIS capacity of an organization requires leaders to effectively promote the potential of spatial technologies to the business. Learn how to encourage the increased use of GIS technology in your organization and how to educate decision-makers on the contributions GIS can make to improve processes and decisions within an organization.

• Capacity Building
• Considerations Before Outreach
• Self Assessment
• Organizational Assessment
• The Outreach Process

Session 3b: Show Me the Money - An Introduction to Budgeting & Finance for GIS (Afternoon, December 10)
Maintaining and growing a viable GIS program year after year is a challenge within any agency with budget constraints. GIS Managers must be able to identify and promote the benefits of the technology and predict the financial impact. They must manage for achievement of demonstrable benefits while meeting budgetary and timeframe expectations. Successful programs depend on adequate financial and staff resources - for both current operations and emerging needs.

• Project Estimating & Budgeting
• Cost/benefit and Calculating ROI
• Developing a Credible Operational Budget (including activity based costing concepts) from your operations plan
• Managing your Budget - Accounting and Financial Reporting
• Funding Strategies
• Crafting and Presenting an Effective Budget Proposal

Session 4: GIS Politics and Change Management (December 11)
Enhance your leadership skills by learning strategies for managing change. This session will examine internal and external forces of change (political, technological, financial) and how change impacts GIS operations, resources, and organizational support. You will leave this session with a better appreciation for the sources and effects of change and how best to respond. A discussion of risk management concepts will explain approaches for anticipating change and putting in place approaches for mitigating adverse impacts and taking positive advantage of change scenarios.

• Understand Different Types of Public and Private Organizations
• Working in a Political Environment
• Adapting to Different Sources of Change
• Managing and Evaluating Change in an Organization
• Risk Management

Session 5: Putting It All Together – Evaluating Where You Are and Planning Where You’re Going (December 12)
This session is integrative. It provides the perspective that GIS leaders often find themselves in the middle of GIS management situations where they must determine how to move forward effectively. You may have been brought in specifically to solve a problem or fix a situation, or you may just be in the midst of the normal GIS life cycle. Crisis or not, knowing how to evaluate a situation, solve problems, plan effective action, and make and communicate progress are vital skills.

• Geospatial Strategic Planning in Context
• Situation Assessment
• Solving Problems and Taking Corrective Action
• Trend Spotting, GIS as an Integrative Tool
• Being Effective: Getting the Job Done and Communicating Success