William Ferree, Ph.D.

As HR and training managers know, the best way to learn is working through challenges yourself. The Task Forces at HCMG are hour long, goal oriented, facilitated working groups with an output of five actionable items to take back to the office. Limited Seating of 15: be sure to sign-up onsite.

1. How to Get Your Diversity and Veteran Applicants In Front of Hiring Managers
While your office works hard to build a pipeline of diverse and veteran applicants, hiring managers may not always see what you see. Tackle how to:
• Communicate the skill sets of your candidates
• Encourage filling vacancies with diversity or veteran applicants
• Pitch the importance of special hiring authorities
Kim Bauhs, Director, Office of Human Capital Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association

2. Encouraging Ongoing Conversations to Drive Performance Culture
Performance management is something that will remain part of federal human capital management for the near future. As such, make sure you know:
• Why the federal government is still focusing on performance management
• How to utilize effective evaluations to invest in your long-term strategy
• How to ensure ongoing discussions to drive effective performance management
Rebecca Ayers, Manager, Performance Management Solutions, Office of Personnel Management

3. Building a Bulletproof Succession Plan and Selling It for Executive Buy-In
Last year the oldest baby boomers turned 70 and workforce planners around the country shivered a little: how do we ensure we are competently filling the fast approaching gaps in mission critical needs? Work through mapping a data driven, assessment based succession plan for your team with Kara Cotsalas from NIAID. Then make sure you can use it!: discuss ways to convince your organization's leaders to adopt and work with your succession plan mapping by:
• Using data to identify & plan for mission critical gaps
• Identifying criteria to assess potential candidates and measure readiness
• Possible ways to keep solutions low-burden and encourage organizational managers to adopt your succession plan
Kara Cotsalas, Chief, Workforce Management Branch, Office of Workforce Effectiveness and Resources, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

4. Talent Development Toolkit Update: Modernizing Talent Development Learning System
The Department of Defense's Intelligence Training & Education Board (DITEB) team is currently in the process of reviewing, validating, and building a talent development tool approach that embraces current learning trends and needs. Join the development team as they walk through their process and what you can do at your agency to:
• Maximize your investment in support systems and tools
• Standardize and share resources and tools
• Integrate and centralize processes
• Integrate training, education, certification, and professional development programs
Reese Madsen, Chief Learning Officer, OUSD Intelligence, Department of Defense
Harold Stine, Executive Director, DoD Intelligence Training & Education Board, Department of Defense

5. Developing a Reporting Culture: Addressing Workplace and Domestic Violence
When it comes to behaviors of concern in the workplace or domestic violence affecting the workplace, what you do not know can hurt you. When faced with challenges, particularly those including a potential for violence, most develop coping mechanisms that become a barrier to timely reporting. Learn how to create a safe reporting culture:
• Create opportunities for education and awareness
• Creating a variety of reporting platforms
• Promoting positive and timely response to reports
• Promoting support and trust
Michelle Vincent Calhoun, National Workplace Violence Program Manager, Social Security Administration

6. Redesigning Learning for Competency-Based Education and Training
In order to ensure reliable succession planning, education and training need to be redesigned to bridge generational gaps. William Ferree has been working on designing assessments for competencies at the US Naval War College. He will work through:
• Shifting from "course objectives" to measurable competencies
• Designing assessments for competencies
• Incorporating changing learning styles in training and assessment
William Ferree, Ph.D., Manager, Web-enabled Programs, College of Distance Education, US Naval War College