About Local Perspectives Introduction Program Overview Target Group Duration Frequency

Local Perspectives: Course Outline History Values Effective Communication Conflict Resolution Fireside Chat Team Building Organizational Structure Major Programs Orientation Field Exercise Career Development

INTRODUCTION:

The products developed under the Leadership Excellence program for Orientation have mainly focused on a broad, national approach to familiarizing the new employee with the workings of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  The employee's supervisor and sponsor have helped acquaint the employee with how BLM operates on a local level.  The missing piece is what happens outside of the local office and not on the national level.  This portion of the Orientation Program addresses that need and is titled Local Perspectives.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW:

The purpose of this training is to orient the new employee to BLM issues on a local or statewide bases. Before this training new employees should have completed the basic orientation package with their managers.  This package includes a broad overview of BLM history, goals, values, program areas, and administrative matters.  The following training will give the employee information about issues and concerns at a local or state level.

The following outline shows topics that should be covered and learning objectives that should be achieved during the training.  How these learning objectives are achieved, the topics that are covered, and the length of the training can be determined at the local level. Keep in mind that the National Training Center (NTC) offers a course for employees who have been with BLM 3 to 5 years entitled "Pathways."  Some of the topics covered in "Pathways" are BLM culture, values, decision making, public service, and leadership.  To avoid duplicating this session, please see the course description on the Leadership Excellence homepage (www.ntc.blm.gov/leadership).

Over the years, many states have offered similar orientation packages for new employees.  As a result, there may be complete lesson plans for adapting to your local needs.  Contact the program leader for Orientation at NTC to determine what is available, help in developing your program and ideas on how to design and conduct your session.

Although the course outline below is based on the premise that the information will be delivered in a classroom, don't limit yourself to using only that method for disseminating the information.  Offices with remote sites or few new hires, might benefit from a computer-based program for employees to view at their home offices.  You might also consider working with NTC to develop a yearly broadcast for your offices. Be creative and decide what is best for your audience.

TARGET GROUP:

DURATION:

Three or 4 days based on the needs of the employees and the local development of the course.

FREQUENCY:

The course should be offered every 6 months to 1 year, depending on the number of new employees hired during the period.

COURSE OUTLINE:

Topic: History

Goal: Develop an understanding of BLM's rich history at the national and local levels.

Objectives: Participants will be able to:

1. Explain why the history of BLM is important to the work they perform.
   
2. Explain how local history might affect their customers and the decisions made at the local level on land management issues.

Suggestions: The video "Fractured Patterns" might be used to give the national historical overview.  Local historians, a speaker from the External Affairs office, or an employee who knows local history might serve as guest speaker.  The video could also be sent as a pre-work assignment for employees to completed before attending the session.  A Jeopardy or Trivial Pursuit game could be developed for this segment. "Trivial Pursuit" games have been used in state orientation sessions in the past, or games can be purchased "off the shelf" and customized.

Objectives: Participant will be able to:

1. List some values held by the BLM and describe how they might affect a daily work assignment.
2. Discuss how BLM values might conflict with some values of our customers.
3. Discuss how personal values might conflict with the values held by BLM and ow that conflict might affect the work performance.
4. Discuss how values between disciplines may conflict.

Objectives: Participant will be able to:

1. List some characteristics of an effective communicator.
2. Give and receive effective feedback in a classroom situation.
3. Define how verbal and nonverbal communication affect the message that the receiver will hear.

Suggestions: Many "off the shelf" training packages can be used for this module. BLM and other government agencies have internal trainers who can teach this module.

Topic: Conflict Resolution

Goal: Conflict can be resolved with positive results.

1. Name resources within BLM that can help resolve human and natural resource conflicts
2. List reasons conflict can be a positive force.
3. Explain what Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is and when it should be used.

Suggestions: Employees can be invited to discuss how conflict in BLM has been resolved. Successes as well as failures can be presented. Either the EEO office or your local representative for the ADR program should be able to provide you with potential instructors for this topic.

Topic: Fireside Chat

Goal: An informal session where participants can interact with state and local staff and managers and ask questions.

1. Ask questions in a risk-free environment.
2. Meet a wide array of BLM employees who can help new employees move into the organization.

Suggestions: Invite a wide range of BLM employees and managers for the participants to meet. Have a 1 hour session for informal questions and answers. This type of event might lend itself to an evening session or a working lunch.

Objectives: Participant will be able to:

1. List the characteristics of a successful team
2. Explain the role that teams play in the BLM and how the team concept might affect the day-to-day work assignments.
3. Name a problem that might occur on a team and discuss how that problem could be resolved.
4. List problems that a team might encounter if a new member is added and what could be done to resolve the problems.

Suggestions: NTC has some training on team building. Many offices have people trained in team building techniques who could teach this module. Other federal or state agencies in your area who use a team concept approach could be contacted for a list of instructors.

Topic: Organizational Structure

Goal: To understand the local organizational structure.

1. Describe the local organizational structure.
2. List general responsibilities of each level of the organization.

Suggestions: This module could be taught by a member of the state management team. A discussion of how decisions are made at the state and local level would be useful as well as how the organizational structure will affect their work.

Topic: Major Programs Orientation

Goal: Develop a basic understanding for other program areas outside their own.

1. Pair program responsibilities with the correct program.
2. Name issues that will cut across more than one program area.
3. Name ways to work together to achieve BLM's overall goals, not just individual program goals.

Suggestions: Top management officials from each program area and field office should give a brief presentation outlining their general responsibilities and discuss "hot" issues that they are currently addressing. In addition to natural resource programs, remember to include EEO/Diversity, Law Enforcement, Public Affairs, and IRM/ALMRS.

Topic: Field Exercise

Goal: Resolve conflict on land use issues involving multiple disciplines.

1. List land use and political issues.
2. List internal and external stakeholders involved with the problem and the solution.
3. Develop alternative solutions to land use issues.
4. Make recommendations to management that consider both land use and political issues.

Suggestions: The field exercise should be conducted after the Conflict Resolution and Major Programs Orientation units. Field exercise examples can be obtained from NTC.

Topic: Career Development

Goal: The employees must play an active part in their career development .

1. List the type of opportunities that are available to employees.
2. Name conditions that support a motivating environment.
3. Tell what motivates the participant.
4. Develop an individual development plan based on what has been learned in the class and what motivates the employee.

Suggestions: Involve your Employee Development Specialist or Personnel Officer in developing and presenting this session. A contractor might provide a lesson on motivation.