State of Florida and AchieveGlobal Partner for Innovative Leadership Succession Training Program

Anticipating a possible leadership vacuum as baby boomer" managers prepare to retire from Florida State government, the State, in cooperation with international training provider AchieveGlobal, has initiated a Florida Cabinet-supported Management Succession Training Program that recently held an orientation session with supervisors from 13 State of Florida agencies.

(PRWEB) July, 2003 -- Anticipating a possible leadership vacuum as baby boomer" managers prepare to retire from Florida State government, the State has initiated a Florida Cabinet-supported Management Succession Training Program that recently held an orientation session with supervisors from 13 State of Florida agencies.

As Floridas senior managers retire, their accumulated leadership experience, expertise and knowledge leave as well," says Tom Gallagher, Chief Financial Officer. Through a cooperative interagency training effort we are filling this void with current employees who are qualified and experienced."

The State has contracted with Tampa-based AchieveGlobal, international provider of training and consulting services in leadership, customer service and sales performance, to design the pilot year program for a class of 25. Training will be provided by Charles Sawyer, an AchieveGlobal-certified Leadership Skills facilitator and an employee of the Department of Financial Services. Sawyer will manage the program, monitor the learner community web site and conduct the seminars.

The Florida Leadership Succession Training Program, which is expected to train 700 potential leaders within the next five years, will be available to supervisors, line managers and other promising individuals currently employed by the State of Florida. Completion of the program will not guarantee promotion, but will create a pool of trained candidates for possible promotion. Participants will complete the program in approximately one year, while still performing their normal full-time activities.

This program, which we believe to be the first of its kind in government, offers many advantages beyond the succession issue," says Jim McCloy, training director, Florida Department of Financial Services. We also expect it to result in cost savings, improved customer service, more efficient and effective approaches to improving processes, and improved communication within and across agencies."

Gallagher stated that the program will focus on the eight competencies of leadership and character; communication; human relations; analysis and decision making; delegation and team building; planning and organizing; personnel selection, retention and training; and customer service.

We applaud the States foresight in taking such a proactive approach to what might otherwise become a leadership crisis," says Karen Allinder, senior account manager, AchieveGlobal. Research suggests that managers recruited and trained from within a work force typically are more loyal and stay in their positions longer than those recruited from the outside. This program offers the opportunity to develop a new generation of effective leaders who can become drivers of change."

About the Florida Department of Financial Services

Formed in 2002 to implement a constitutional amendment to consolidate the elected cabinet offices of the treasurer and comptroller, the Department of Financial Services (www.fldfs.com) oversees the States accounting and auditing functions and helps consumers with problems related to financial services, including banking, securities and insurance. The agency is headed by Tom Gallagher, Floridas Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Florida Cabinet.

About AchieveGlobal

With its world headquarters in Tampa, Fla., AchieveGlobal (www.achieveglobal.com) is the world leader in helping organizations achieve business results through a strategic approach to the direction and development of competent individuals. Services focus on skills training and consulting services in customer service, sales performance and leadership.

###