The Office of Administration announced the graduation of 31 state employees from the Missouri Leadership Academy – a program helping develop the next generation of state government leaders.
The graduates were chosen by senior leadership to participate in the cross-department leadership development program, which focuses on three core areas: leading themselves, leading others, and leading change within state government.
“The Missouri Leadership Academy features some of the best and brightest in state government, and we want to thank the graduates for their determination to grow as emerging leaders and improve public service across Missouri,” said Governor Mike Parson. “I often tell the state workforce it’s not about being the best. It’s about surrounding yourself with great talent, and the Missouri Leadership Academy continues to be a great program to highlight and develop our top talent. These leaders continue to elevate themselves with their motivation and a positive attitude as they work together in their professional development to move Missouri forward.”
The Fall 2022 Missouri Leadership Academy class presented new ideas which will further improve the lives of Missourians. The teams presented their capstone projects to Governor Parson, senior staff, cabinet, and department leaders on December 6 & 7. The capstones included – “Enhancing Recruitment Efforts for Individuals with Disabilities,” “Learning How to Communicate with People Not Like You,” “Externships,” “24/7 Facility Staffing,” and “Leadership Learning Framework.”
On the evening of December 7, Governor Parson hosted the Fall 2022 class for their graduation ceremony at the Capitol Rotunda.
The Missouri Leadership Academy is an innovative program, which pushes state team members to work together, develop new skills, and become more efficient leaders. The idea of the program is that by developing leaders, Missouri state government will continue to improve and better serve its citizens.
Throughout the program, the recent graduates were able to meet with many state leaders, including statewide officeholders, members of the judiciary, cabinet leaders, and reporters covering state government. They also toured the Algoa Correctional Center, the Missouri Supreme Court, and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) from the Missouri Department of Public Safety.
To be considered for the program, department leaders from across the state must nominate their team members. Nominees then submit a resume and brief memorandum explaining why they are an ideal candidate for the program to a committee of cabinet leaders. The committee reviews the applications and then makes final selections.
Since launching the program, the state has graduated over 200 emerging leaders and continues to have two classes each year, in the spring and fall. The tenth class of the Missouri Leadership Academy will debut early next year. To learn more about the Missouri Leadership Academy program, please visit this link.
