Leadership Development

PURPOSE: This rule prescribes standards regarding mandatory training for employees in leadership positions within state agencies. These standards provide a framework for developing and maintaining leadership effectiveness consistent with the mission and needs of each agency. (1) Definitions. As used in this rule, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following terms shall mean: (A) Supervisor, a person responsible for planning, organizing, directing, coaching, and evaluating the work of employees; (B) Manager, a supervisor who directs the work of other supervisors, monitors and evaluates the progress of an organization, and makes adjustments in objectives, work plans, schedules, and commitment of resources; and (C) Executive, a manager who serves at the top levels of an agency or division. (2) Training Program Policy and Development. Agencies must provide for the development of employees in supervisory positions. Agencies must issue written policies to ensure they— (A) Provide training within two (2) months of an employee’s initial appointment to a supervisory position that includes, but is not limited, to: 1. Professional Development and Performance Management. The process of developing and implementing a work environment in which employees are assigned responsibility, enabled to perform to the best of their abilities, and held accountable; 2. Employment Laws and Legal Issues. A working understanding of the laws that affect the workplace and the responsibilities supervisors have with respect to those laws; 3. Diversity. The practice of creating and maintaining a workplace culture that values trust, respect, and inclusion of all employees; and 4. Cyber and Workplace Security. An understanding of current threats and strategies supervisors should use to combat these risks; (B) Provide training within six (6) months of an employee’s initial appointment to a supervisory position that includes, but is not limited to— 1. Mentoring and Coaching. The ability to provide an employee with constructive feedback that is informationspecific, issue-focused, based on observations, used to improve performance, and accelerates the employee’s professional development; 2. Interviewing. The ability to interview and hire employment candidates by using best practices and a general understanding of the overall hiring process; 3. Project Management and Continuous Improvement. The ability to identify opportunities for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of work, develop project plans to implement changes, and manage results; 4. Communication. The ability to communicate with employees and other stakeholders in a way that is clear, personalized, transparent, empathetic, collaborative, and inspiring; and 5. Leadership. The ability to influence and guide employees and others in order to accomplish the goals of the agency and state, and the ability to identify or develop the goals where appropriate; (C) Maintain knowledge of the above topics on an annual basis; (D) Institute a structure for supervisors, managers, and executives to dedicate time toward professional development and leadership no less than forty (40) hours each state fiscal year; and (E) Design and implement leadership development programs that are aligned with guidance from the Division of Personnel, foster a government-wide perspective, identify and develop future leaders, and support agency business initiatives and goals. All training efforts shall strive toward best practices for leadership competencies and modern training techniques. (3) Records of Training Program Participation. Each agency shall adopt a standardized methodology prescribed by the Division of Personnel for measuring and reporting the efficiency, effectiveness, and outcomes of training efforts. These records shall be submitted to the Division of Personnel either through a common electronic platform or by other means on no less than an annual basis. (4) Coordination and Governance. To facilitate communication and continuous improvement, each agency shall designate and maintain one (1) talent development manager or executive, and one (1) business manager or executive, who shall participate in an inter-agency consultative group. The group will be led by the Division of Personnel. Meeting frequency and duration will be determined by the Division of Personnel for the interagency group in order to achieve the following objectives: (A) Ensure agency and state-wide talent development programs are current according to the standards prescribed in this rule; (B) Ensure this rule remains relevant to overall management priorities and aligned with current workforce development needs. The inter-agency group may provide input to the Division of Personnel regarding amending this rule; and (C) Develop and maintain recommendations to assist agencies in complying with the rule. AUTHORITY: sections 36.070 and 36.510, RSMo Supp. 2022.* Original rule filed Oct. 7, 1985, effective Jan. 12, 1986. Amended: Filed Nov. 15, 2000, effective May 30, 2001. Amended: Filed June 1, 2009, effective Nov. 30, 2009. Amended: Filed Oct. 1, 2019, effective March 30, 2020. Amended: Filed Jan. 6, 2023, effective July 30, 2023. *Original authority: 36.070, RSMo 1945, amended 1979, 1995, 2018, and 36.510, RSMo 1979, amended 1996, 2013, 2018.