EXECUTIVE TRAINING PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85B01152R001001300050-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 13, 2008
• Sequence Number: 50
• Publication Date: June 14, 1983
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85BO1152RO01001300050-0
13 July 1983
3
TO: (Name, office symbol, room number, Initials Date~oj~
Date
AND TRANSMITTAL SLIP
ROUTING
Agency/Post)
1. DDA
2.
3.
a
ion
File
Note and Return
proval
For Clearance
Per Conversation
s Requested
For Correction
Prepare Reply
irculate
For Your Information
See Me
omment
Investigate
Signature
Coordination
Justify
REMARKS /-`1130
For your information and discussion
at 0830 DDA Staff Meeting tomorrow,
14 July 1983.
as a KLUVKU OT , concurrences, disposals,
clearances, and similar actions
FROM: (Name, org. symbol, Agency/Post)
DDA/CMS
7C-18, Hgs.
OPTIONAL FORM 411 tKev. i=iv
Pr.scribed by GSA
roux (L% CFRI 101_1L2O6
Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B01152RO01001300050-0
 Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B0l 152R001001300050-0
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
22 June 1983
NOTE FOR: D/OTE
A comprehensive study well presented.
Please proceed with the component reviews
as proposed in paragraph 7. Depending
on the results, we will see whether
Executive Committee action is necessary.
Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B0l 152R001001300050-0
 3-FO $t m 79 610
7V
Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B01152RO01001300050-0
 Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B01152R001001300050-0
OTE 83-6300
14 JUN 1983
yD r_st;rf
MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Director
VIA: Deputy Director for Administration
FROM:
Director of raining and Education
SUBJECT: Executive Training Program .
1. BACKGROUND: Since January 1983, the Executive Development Staff of
the Office of Training and Education has been engaged in a review of executive training
programs appropriate to the needs of the Agency. The effort started with a survey of
some 20 external programs such as those at the Foreign Service Institute, the National
Security Agency, the Federal Executive Institute, the senior schools, and major univer
situ Drograms. In'April, the Center for the Study of Intelligence conducted a conference
on Executive Development. The observations and suggestions of the conferees
were circulated to the Executive Director, the deputy directors, associate deputy
directors, all the office directors, chiefs of area divisions and major staffs and their
deputies for review and comment. These officials were then interviewed by the
Executive Development Staff to. determine what type of executive training program
would suit the needs of each component. These results are being analyzed with the help
of the Psychological Services Division of the Office of Medical Services. A detailed
report will be issued this fall.
2. SURVEY RESULTS: The results of our survey are ambiguous. There were
significant differences in the approaches taken by various components to executive
development and even greater disparity in perceived needs and recommendations for an
executive training program. Major differences in emphasis between directorates and, at
times, between deputy directors and their component heads were noted.
3. Nevertheless, we believe we have been able to draw sufficient guidance from
the study to permit us to structure an improved executive training program. Nearly all
the respondents, for instance, favor some type of senior officers' course and want it to be
coordinated with other developmental activities such as rotational assignments taken at
the initiative of the individual and the career service. There was little support for a
centralized executive development effort, but there was a perceived need to integrate
training more carefully into component programs. There was a substantial. demand for a
more flexible training program with about an equal split on whether we should offer one
long course or a series of shorter courses. Nearly all those interviewed stated that
executive development should start well before officers reach the SIS level.
4. OPTIONS: After a review of the interview data and additional discussions of
approaches which would be responsive to the component needs, we in OTE have come up
with a group of options for your consideration. No best option derives from the interview
data. We have a preferred option which we will develop below, but any of the listed
options appear to be a workable executive training program:
Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B0l 152R001001300050-0
 Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B01152RO01001300050-0
SUBJECT: Executive Training Program
a. Continue a longer course, Senior Officer Development Course (SODC) or
Senior Seminar, for Category I, GS-15s.
b. Conduct a two/three-week course for all newly promoted SIS officers.
This course would focus on those skills and perspectives which tend to be unique to
an Agency executive.
c. Conduct no formal senior course; rely on other OTE courses, rotational
assignments, and external training.
d. Conduct a series of brief elective courses on subjects of specific interest
to Agency executives. (Open to all SIS and GS-15s in executive positions.)
e. A mix of option (d) with either option (a), (b), or (c).
5. DISCUSSION OF OPTIONS:
a. Long Course - An SODC-type course for GS-15s, shortened to about 10
weeks, would offer a relatively comprehensive survey of the international
environment, the relationship of intelligence to the policy process, issues affecting
intelligence collection and analytical processes, and perspectives on management at
the executive level including a week-long field trip to explore management in the
private sector. It affords ample time to develop extensive student involvement
through team projects, exercises, and individual presentations. A number of senior
officers attested in the survey to the value of such courses as a key career
development experience. In addition to broadening professional perspective, it
provides a significant break from office routine, a time for reflecting on one's
career development, and an opportunity to establish lasting relationships with
colleagues from other components.
The major disadvantage is the reluctance of managers to release the best
officers from critical tasks for that length of time; as a consequence, many officers
get to executive positions without the benefit of such a course, while others are
assigned to such courses who clearly are not destined to become executives. The
structure of such a course also puts a premium on a balanced distribution of
students among the directorates.
b. Short Course - A two/three-week course for new SIS officers would offer
an overview of key factors in the external environment that affect the Agency's
mission; issues confronting managers of the intelligence process, and perspectives
on the role of Agency executives. It would be briskly paced, very selective in
scope, and crisply focused on the skills needed by the executive to cope with the
challenges and issues confronting the Agency and the profession. The objective is
not so much to produce either generalists or experts but to give specialists a
broader executive perspective of the Agency. It also would highlight things the
executive can do to further his career growth. If the course were mandatory for all
new SIS officers, it would ultimately provide a common developmental experience
for all Agency executives and enhance a feeling of "oneness."
The chief disadvantage would be the risk that a course of such brevity would
.be regarded as too superficial to be of value; many significant issues would be
touched on only lightly or ignored altogether out of necessity. Moreover, a short
course puts a premium on the quality of instruction and would necessitate "total
Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B01152RO01001300050-0
 Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B01152RO01001300050-0
SUBJECT: Executive Training; Program
immersion" to optimize the limited time available for training. Opportunities for
student involvement would be limited, and there could be no field trip.
c. No Formal Senior Course- Dropping a senior officer course from the OTE
curriculum would respond to those who feel that skills and attitudes essential for
good managers are either acquired early in one's career or not at all. Under this
option, Career Services would focus on ensuring that potential executives are
identified as "comers" at an early stage (GS-12/13) and would deliberately nurture
and develop this potential by scheduling attendance at the wide variety of courses
offered by OTE to officers at a more junior level. These would include such courses
as the Program on Creative Management (or the Center for Creative Leadership),
the Midcareer Course, the Management Seminar, Management Development
Courses, and the Advanced Intelligence Seminar, among others. The existing
curriculum of some of these courses could be modified as necessary, and some
might be run more frequently to ensure that ample opportunities are offered to
-those needing such courses. External courses would also be used where appropriate.
The major disadvantage of this option is that it offers no Agency-oriented
assistance to officers needing a shift in perspective as they pass a significant
career milestone, i.e., moving to senior management positions. Although specific
skills or knowledge may be critical to a senior officer's assignment, most executives
stressed the importance of a "big picture," i.e., an Agency-wide perspective for
executives. The need for.such a shift in perspective seems most critical at the SIS
threshold.
d. Electives - A modular approach - i.e., a program of seminars or
workshops on specific topics or issues - would offer substantial flexibility for
meeting the training needs of senior officers from different components. These
training modules could range from a one-day tutorial on a topic such as executive
health or a three-day workshop on dealing with Congress, to a five-day seminar on
the interaction of intelligence with the national security policy process. Some
modules could be oriented toward specific executive skills, others toward
broadening an officer's understanding of the Agency and the environment in which
it functions. Some segments could be designed to meet specific directorate needs,
but most would have Agency-wide relevance. Viewed as a total package,. the scope
of these modules would be broader than that of a long senior officer's course, but
officers could be designated to attend only those increments particularly relevant
to their individual needs.
On the other hand, no single increment would stand alone as meeting the
need for executive training. Planning and managing a developmental program of
this sort would be a complex challenge requiring close and continuing interaction
between the Career Services and OTE to ensure that the right courses are being
offered with sufficient frequency to meet the Agency's requirements.
e. A Mix of the Above Options -The modules discussed in Option (d) above
could be o ered alone or in combination with Options (a), (b) or (c). A mix of a
long course (offered once a year in the fall), complemented by a modular program
conducted primarily in the winter and spring, would introduce some flexibility into
the traditional approach. The combination of a short, overview course with an
elective program would meet the expressed desire of many Agency executives for a
short course for which the best people could be made available, complemented by a
series of seminars and workshops which would help tailor training experiences to
each individual's particular needs. Another combination offering fewer advantages
Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B01152RO01001300050-0
 Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B01152RO01001300050-0
SUBJECT: Executive Training Program
would be a mix of the mid-level courses such as the Midcareer Course with a series
of seminars that could be taken when an individual reaches the. executive level.
6. RECOMMENDED APPROACH: We believe that the combination of a short,
overview executive development course offered twice a year after the fall. and spring SIS
promotions are announced and complemented by a modular program of seminars and
workshops would be fully responsive to the Agency's needs as determined in our survey.
This approach could be further supplemented by a deliberate program to broker short-
term developmental assignments or tutorials such as the Inspector General's proposal to
-use component executives for three or four months to participate in an inspection. This
approach would in no way conflict with or replace other developmental experiences
which ideally would be part of an Agency executive's development such as attendance at
a major external course (e.g., FEI, Harvard Business School, or a senior service school),
or a rotational assignment outside one's component or outside the Agency.
7. REQUESTED ACTION: 0
a. Because of the differences of focus found in the survey, it is suggested
that our proposal, including the five options, be reviewed first by the deputy
directors and their component heads; and
b. That the Executive Committee then decide which of the options best
meets the executive training requirements of the Agency.
The Office of Training and Education will provide whatever additional data/briefings may
be required in the consideration of this program.
B - Executive Training Electives
Attachments:
A - Short Course Outline
Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B01152RO01001300050-0
 Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B0l 152R001001300050-0
Outline for Two/Three-Week Course for New SIS Officers
Course Objectives:
1. To help new SIS officers-make the conceptual shift to an
executive perspective.
2. To heighten awareness of the international and domestic
context for Agency activities.
3. To enhance the individual's competencies for managing
resources and activities in support of Agency goals. .-
4. To foster a collaborative, team approach to resolving
-Agency management issues.
5. -To help build a common experience base for Agency
executives.
Topics to be Covered:
1. External Environment:
Challenges to U.S. national security interests.
Domestic issues affecting national security policy.
The interaction-of intelligence with the policy
process.
CIA and the Congress.
CIA and the law.
II. Managing the Intelligence Process:
Human resource management
o Issues in recruiting, retaining and developing
people.
o How to use Agency personnel management controls and
systems.
Regulatory issues and pitfalls confronting the
executive.
Strategic planning and the budget process.
Managing large programs.
Specific management and resource issues
o Collection, technical versus human.
o Improving the quality of analysis.
o Trends in covert action.
o Impact of technological trends on the executive.
III. Executive Perspectives
On becoming an intelligence executive -- personal and
professional growth.
Executive leadership -- using power and authority
judiciously.
Ethics and the intelligence profession.
The changing role of the Agency -- managing the future.
Corporate wisdom -- goals and views of top management.
Risk -- and taking responsibility for decisions.
Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B0l 152R001001300050-0
 A aa_.~ent B
Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B0l 152R001001300050-0
EXECUTIVE TRAINING ELECTIVES
The following list is representative of the kinds of
training modules that could be presented as part of an executive
development program. These short courses could either complement
or substitute for an executive overview course. Course content
can be adapted to the specific interests and needs of the
participants. Additional subjects can be added as necessary.
A. One-Week Courses
These seminars and workshops provide a more in-depth-
coverage of types of executive management topics.introduced in
the two/three-week core curriculum. They would require greater
student involvement (through case studies and.outside
preparation) and would focus on the competencies identified as
necessary for effective performance in senior executive positions
in the Agency.
1. Creative Problem-Solving: Covers a variety of
approaches to problem-solving at the executive level,
including ways of analyzing the problem-and gathering
information to lead to more creative and effective decisions.
2. Planning, Budgeting and Financial Management: The
use of strategic planning as a device for management control;
our budgetary system; and the mechanics of the budget
process.
3. National Security Policy and Processes: The
national security and foreign policy formulation process, and
how intelligence is used in support of that process.
4. Organizational Change and Development: How the
Agency executive relates to the work of the organization from
a macro or institutional perspective. Would cover
organizational maintenance, introducing change and
innovation, organizational reform, and evolving role of the
executive.
5. Program/Project Management and Evaluation:
Instruction in the principles of managing mega-programs,
major projects and other large-scale organizational
activities. Program planning, evaluation and control,
contract management, how to manage well with limited staff
resources.
6. Information Management: Recognizing the special
role of the Agency as a supplier of information, this course
would review executive skills relating to information
resource management and office automation.
Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B0l 152R001001300050-0
 Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B0l 152R001001300050-0
7. Personnel Management Systems and Career
Development: Looks at personnel management from the
perspective of an executive, focusing on Agency systems and
controls, exploring career development as an element of
personnel management, examining the stages of professional
and career development and processes such as managing a ,
career service panel, ranking and performance evaluation.
B. One/Three-Day Courses
Short symposia. involving some outside preparation or-
readings.
2. Intelligence Collection 'in the 1990s: This seminar
focuses on changes in the environment for technical and human
source-collection,. and initiatives being-considered to meet
this challenge.
3. Quality of Intelligence Production: An examination
of the issue, including consumer reactions (speakers), the
status and findings of recent product evaluation activities,
management views on current qualitative trends, an exercise
in product evaluation, and the effectiveness of Agency
efforts to improve the quality of analysis.
4. CIA and the Congress: A workshop on the interaction
of CIA with the Congress, covering roles of relevant
committees, Agency responsibilities to the Congress, budget
and oversight implications, and guidelines for Congressional
presentations. Includes talks by senators, representatives,
staffers, and appropriate Agency executives.
5. Automation: Examines the human and organizational
impact of the computer revolution.
6. Seminars on Substantive Issues: Reviews of major
foreign trends or issues affecting U.S. interests with
respect to (for example) Soviet policy, the strategic
balance, the Middle East, international economic develop-
ments--using outside experts from the media, academe, and
policy agencies as well as Agency specialists.
7. Understanding Economic Change: Explores topics
found to be important to the Agency executive in the fields
of national and international economics.
Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B0l 152R001001300050-0
 Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B0l 152R001001300050-0
8. Understanding Technological Change: Examines topics
found to be important to the Agency executive.
C. Executive Skills and Personal Development
Allows participants to focus on improving practical skills
that they will use in their jobs.
1. Writing for the Executive: A workshop focusing on
the principles of rhetoric, plus selection of the appropriate
form and writing style for different readerships. Methods of
clear, concise expression would be practiced.
2. Oral Presentations: A workshop to assist the
inexperienced executive who must give briefings to Congress
or make public addresses. It would cover techniques, the use
of briefing aids, and practice in oral presentations.
3. Computer Skills: Examines how computers can be used
.to support executive management, including hands-on exercises
with a variety of useful programs
4. Executive Health: This seminar would include an
executive physical examination and personal risk .
assessment. Physicians from OMS would discuss factors such
as diet, exercise, and stress in executive performance.
There would be an opportunity for individual counseling.
5. Conflict Resolution/Negotiation: An ability to
arbitrate and resolve conflicts within one's own organization
and negotiate with others is one of the key competencies of
an executive. This workshop would introduce some techniques
and provide some practice in their use.
6. Guest Speakers on Timely Topics: Prominent
authorities would be invited to address selected executive
audiences on key issues of policy, management, substantive or
professional intelligence interest.
7. History and Lore of the CIA (Directed Readings): We
serve in an organization with an illustrious past, much of
which is not known to our newer officers. This program would
include outside readings and discussions with officials who
participated in selected operations.
9. Executive Practicum: (One day) Incumbent Agency
executives (SIS-3s and SIS-4s) will analyze and evaluate a
current Agency policy or management problem identified by top
leadership. They then discuss their findings with a senior
Agency manager (DDCI or EXDIR).
Approved For Release 2008/06/13: CIA-RDP85B0l 152R001001300050-0 _