Management Challenge

About

The LGMA Management Challenge is Australia’s most sophisticated executive development program for current and emerging local government leaders.  Now in its 18th year, councils from all over Australia and New Zealand have adopted the challenge for its real-life problem solving experiences and hands-on approach to leadership development. 

More than any other seminar or traditional training program, the challenge assists councils to:    

• Grow inter-departmental relationships
• Break down silos
• Build capacity
• Attract and retain staff
• Improve organisational culture, and
• Promote team-work 

Benefits

Over the years thousands of current and emerging local government professionals have honed their personal and team competencies through the LGMA Management Challenge.  Council employees who participate in the challenge benefit from the following:

• Improved levels of observation, evaluation and post-challenge feedback
• On-the-day guided self-assessment and team analysis
• Written team report that assists with back-at-work debriefing and performance improvement
• Comprehensive manuals that guide team's preparaion, performance on the day and translation of learning outcomes back into the workplace
• Access to past challenge events and tasks for first-time teams
• Access to post challenge teleconference with a challenge facilitator.

Leadership competencies

Every year the challenge is built around 10 core leadership competencies:

• Negotiation skills
• Leadership
• Interpersonal and communication skills
• Planning and project management
• Effective team skills
• Presentation and expression skills
• Advocacy and influencing
• Interpretation and analysis skills
• Culture, ethics and value
• Financial awareness

How does the challenge work?

Teams of five or six members from any level of local government, including elected representatives undertake tasks including a pre-challenge task, alongside other participating councils that typify management in the local government environment.

The challenge day is usually held each year in all capaital cities in Australia and New Zealand and some regional centres.  These challenge days are referred to as regional finals and are facilitated by (LGMA) state divisions and SOLGM.  The tasks are crafted to develop individual and team competencies in pre-determined management areas.  The tasks also deliver personal, team and organisational development that translate into the workplace.

Mentors

Each team works with an-inhouse mentor, who is usually someone who has either participated in the challenge previously or is in a more senior or human resource related role.  The mentor with the help of detailed preparation kit helps the team prepare for the challenge in the weeks preceding the event to develop their skills, get to know each other's strengths and weaknesses and plan their strategies.

Evaluation

Detailed and targeted reports from professional facilitators provide the basis for debriefing and application of learning outcomes to the workplace.  The team also receives a personal debrief from the facilitator at the conclusion of the day.

LGMA Management Challenge Australasian Final

The best peformed teams in each state and New Zealand go onto compete in the Australasian final. LGMA will meet return air travel costs where necessary and no charge is made for event entry, the welcome reception or the presentation dinner.  Teams are required to meet accommodation expenses.

Pre-Challenge task

Every year and as part of the overall assessment, teams are required to undertake and complete a pre-determined pre-management challenge task.  As the pre-management challenge task is assessed as part of the overall team performance, teams should plan to allow sufficient time to meet the pre-challenge task requirements.

Who should enter?

Everyone!  Although the challenge is ideally suited to new and emerging managers, past participants have represented an extraordinary variety of disciplines and levels including librarians, work superintendents, IT specialists, community service professionals, experienced members and elected representatives.

Composite teams

If you are a metropolitan, regional or rural council and find it difficult to muster a team of five or six then you can join up with a neighbouring council to form a composite team.  The LGMA Management Challenge has a history of composite teams who have achieved great success.  In 2008 a composite team comprising members from Randwick City Council and Temora Shire Council both of New South Wales placed second in the Australasian final that same year.  A testimonial provided by Temora-Randwick on the benefits of participating as a composite team can be viewed here.

Website

A dedicated LGMA Management Challenge website has been established for all your information and administrative needs. You will also find advice on marketing the challenge to your employees and colleagues as well as a promotional video and testimonials from previous participants.

Getting started

Here are some simple steps to get you started:

Review
Download "Getting started" from the LGMA Management Challenge website.  This will give you a good understanding of how the challenge works and what it delivers plus some good tips on forming teams.

Enter
Register your contact details on-line here. Your entry will be acknowledged with further instructions.  Enter your teams before the early-bird cut-off for a significant saving.

Choose your team and mentor
Every team needs a champion to stimulate the formation of a team and sometimes (but not always) it is the CEO/GM.  Certainly every team needs their support.  Team members and mentors don't have to be senior personnel - they can and often do come from throughout the organisation.  The mentor should be someone who can, with material supplied by LGMA, guide the team through the preparation phase and liaise with their CEO/GM to ensure adequate support is given to participating team members.  Appoint your mentor early to assist with the team formation and pre-challenge task preparation.

The learning begins
Once your mentor is nominated and registered with LGMA, they will receive a comprehensive Team Preparation Kit and the fun and learning begins!

For more information including helpful downloads and/or to download a 2011 LGMA Management Challenge brochure visit the LGMA Management Challenge website.

Isn't it time your council stepped up to the Challenge! 

 Also in this section: 2011 LGMA Management Challenge | Past winners and place-getters