Leadership Development

Mission Statement 

To serve as a premier inter-agency leadership program by which we develop and support future leaders to deliver exceptional results in a dynamic environment. Program Objectives include Developing oral and written communication skills, Providing mentorship/coaching, Driving positive change, Developing critical thinking, Assessing talent and performance, Assessing self, Team-building, Maximizing business relationships, Embracing diversity, Managing up in your organization

About FOLD

The Federal Outreach and Leadership Development (FOLD) Program is a program created to assist in the development of future federal executive leaders and to address projected leadership vacancies brought on by retirements. This program is unique in that it is designed for federal participants and is federal government wide. Participants of this program will interact with local executives, visit local agencies, work in groups, refine their writing and speaking skills, share information and explore unique challenges faced and addressed by federal leaders in Minnesota. The program is self-managed and participant driven.

CURRENT: FOLD Program 2022-2023 

FOLD Narrative 

FOLD will consist of a mixture of classroom activity including self assessment, shared book reading discussions, leadership activities, public speaking and writing skills workshops, and federal, state, local, and military departmental visits. There are 11 sessions in the FOLD program; participants must commit to attending all sessions. There will be a graduation ceremony during the Civil Servant of the Year Ceremony in May.

*For quality purposes, the FOLD program is limited to 20 participants and there will be a competitive selection process if applicants exceed 20.

Tuition for the FOLD Program for 2023-2024 has not been determined.

FOLD Program Application will be available February 2023

Sample Syllabus

Anticipated 2023-2024 Program Dates

The FOLD program exceeded my expectations. I was consistently impressed with the depth and
breadth of knowledge demonstrated by our speakers, as well as the commitment shown by the
entire cohort. Many of the lessons and techniques presented have proven useful to me in my
career as a federal employee. I would also point to the diversity of agency representation as a
great benefit of the program. And while it was at times challenging, I can only defer to Albert
Einstein, who once said: “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.””

-Bruce (2018 FOLD Graduate)

“FOLD presented relevant content with assignments that reinforced valuable skills. Leadership
Foundry was an insightful experience, but understanding personal tendencies is only one
aspect to leadership development. With diverse office cultures and situations, interacting with
leaders from other agencies was essential to understanding and relating to varying styles.
I am excited to build upon these new relationships and collaborate as we continue to grow and
serve.”
-Tonja (2019 FOLD Graduate)

“FOLD helped our cohort solidify team work skills. Together we facilitated offsite visits to the
ATF and FBI. This experience taught our team collaboration skills, how to hone in on each
other’s strengths, and delegation of tasks to facilitate a successful event. Bonus – our cohort
received a tour of the FBI Gun Vault and watched an Explosive Detection K-9 Demonstration at
the ATF offsite! How cool, right? FOLD also helped me develop my individual leadership skills
with Emotional Intelligence Trainings, Mindfulness Leadership Lessons and Writing/Presenting
to the cohort on leadership book review. To this day, I keep with me the lessons learned and I
put into practice the skills I obtained from my participation in FOLD. Thank you FOLD!”

-Laura (2016 FOLD Graduate)