agenda “big commitment to excellence”

AGENDA “BIG Commitment to Excellence”

Blacks In Government – Region XI Council 2016 Regional Training Conference

SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016 9:45 am – 4:00 pm

NOAA BUILDING #3 –(SCIENCE CENTER AND AUDITORIUM)

1301 EASTWEST HIGHWAY SILVER SPRING, MD 20910

WELCOME 9:45am – 10:00 am

Renaee J. Allen, RXIC 1st VP & P&E Committee Chair Matthew Fogg, 2nd Vice President, National Office

OPENING KEYNOTE SPEAKER 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Focus: “Moving Forward Towards Change ” Ventris Gibson, Director

District of Columbia Department of Human Resources

CAREER DEVELOPMENT 11:00am – 12:00pm Focus: “Effective Leadership: A Possible Journey”

Tia Butler, Director Corporate Senior Executive Management Office

Department of Veterans Affairs

12:00noon – 1:00pm NETWORKING LUNCH $9.00 per person NOW Generation 12:15 pm – 12:30 pm

Guest Speakers: Jasmine Davis & Keelay Lawhorn

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Focus: “Understanding EEO: Your Role and Influence”

Margareth Bennett, Chief Officer Lauren D. Iglehart, Associate Chief

National Aeronautics Space Administration

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Focus: “Understanding Your Federal Benefits”

Nicolas Troy Abrams, CFP Certified Financial Planner

Founder of AJW Financial Partners

CLOSING PLENARY SPEAKER 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm John Robinson, AFFEA’S Community Affairs Director

DirectorOffice of Civil Rights/Chief Diversity Officer, U.S. State Department

CLOSING REMARKS Marion V. Allen, RXIC President

VA U.S. Department of Veterans AffairsOffice of Human Resources and Administration

Effective Leadership: A Possible Journey

Tia N. Butler

Executive Director

Corporate Senior Executive Management Office

May 21, 2016


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Being an Effective Leader➢ Good character, high ethical standards

➢ Build and earn trust

➢ Lead with integrity

➢ Be accountable

➢ Appreciate and recognize the value in diversity


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Any Journey…➢ Preparation

➢ Experiences

➢ Continuous Learning

➢ Different Destinations


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Preparation➢ Assess your current skills & identify what you still

may need to acquire

o Develop an ECQ outline

o Create a search on USAJOBS of target positions

o Identify 2-3 mentors

o Read executive bios

➢ Create a plan to acquire the necessary skills


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Leadership Experiences➢ Be creative & think outside the box as you

identify experiences to build your leadership capability

o Rotational assignments & details

o Special projects & working groups

o Interagency teams

o Informational interviews/shadowing


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Continuous Learning➢ Everyday is an opportunity for on-the-job

training and exercising your leadership muscle

o Observe and learn from those around you

o Refine your soft skills

o Strengthen your enterprise perspective

o Improve your supervisory and leadership skills


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Strategies for Success➢ Create and maintain balance

➢ Stay grounded in what you know

➢ Learn to quiet the noise

➢ Recognize that you’re a leader today

➢ Set a goal and work towards it


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Your Leadership Journey➢ Focus on your growth while you travel

➢ Choose how you’ll seize the moment – there’s opportunity for impact and influence in almost every situation

➢ Lead by example

➢ Don’t forget to reach back and help others

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Questions?

The journey is the reward. – Taoist saying

It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.

― Ernest Hemingway

Blacks in Government2016 Region XI

Regional Training ConferenceMay 21, 20161:00 – 2:00

Equal Employment Opportunity TrackUnderstanding EEO:

Your Role and Influence

Discuss the EEO Complaint Processes

Understand the Reasonable Accommodation Process

Recognize the importance of Management Directive MD-715

Training Objectives & Overview

Learn the laws that govern the EEO Process.

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TitleLaws that govern the EEO Process

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin; implemented by 29 CFR 1614; EEOC MD 110; MD 715) Gender identity (as of April 2012) and sexual orientation (as of July 2015) are now allowed as sex discrimination claims under Title VII entitling applicants and employees to utilize the federal complaints process based on sexual orientation. In addition, employees or applicants may raise these matters with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) at www.osc.gov.

• Civil Rights Act of 1991 (Provided right to jury trials and $300,000 cap on compensatory damages + attorney fees, back/front pay, expenses)

• Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (NO FEAR protects EEO and whistle-blowing activity )

• Rehabilitation Act of 1973; ADA; ADAAA of 2008 (Prohibits disability discrimination)

• Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (Prohibits employers from using genetic information when making hiring, firing, job placement, or promotion decisions)

• Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (Applicable if over 40; May proceed directly to district court)

• Equal Pay Act of 1963 (Prohibits gender-based pay disparity; May proceed directly to district court)

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http://www.osc.gov/

TitleInformal Complaint Process(Under 29 CFR 1614) Stage 1

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TitleFormal Complaint Process Stage 2

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Bases✓ Race✓ Color✓ Religion✓ National Origin✓ Disability (Physical/Mental)✓ Sex✓ Age (40+)

✓ Reprisal✓ Genetic Information

Types of Sex discrimination: ✓ Sex Role Sterotype✓ Transgender✓ Gender Identity✓ Sexual Orientation 6

Bases For Procedural Dismissals1. Untimely Counseling Contact - Claims were not raised with an EEO Counselor within

forty-five (45) days of : (1) the actual event; (2) effective date of the action (personnel actin); or, (3) gaining adequate knowledge that the act was discriminatory.

2. Untimely Filing of the Formal Complaint - Formal complaint is not filed within fifteen (15) days of being issued a “Notice of Right to File a Formal Complaint.”

3. Failure to State a Claim - (1) Fails to state a cognizable legal claim under and EEO law or statute (standing), or (2) states a claim that is already pending; (3) or has already been decided by the Agency or EEOC (FAD, settlement agreement, EEOC decision); (4) is an attack on a collateral process.

4. Preliminary Step/Proposal – Action is a preliminary step, or only a proposal to take action (lacks harm); Exception: preliminary steps and proposals to take action do state a claim under reprisal.

5. Abandonment/Failure to Respond – (1) Complainant cannot be located; (2) fails to cooperate and or actively pursue complaint; (3) fails to respond to requests for clarification.

6. Abuse of Process - Evidence of a clear pattern of misuse of the process for purposes other than that which it was designed to accomplish.

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TitleReasonable Accommodation/ Disability Discrimination

▪ The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against individuals who:

✓ have a disability (mental or physical)✓ have a known disability, or✓ are regarded as disabled.

▪ Employers have a duty to provide reasonable, effective accommodations to qualified individuals with a disability to enable them to perform the essential functions of their jobs, unless it poses an undue hardship to the employer or a direct threat to the individual or others.

▪ The ADAAA of 2008 expanded the definition of “major life activities; this includes major bodily functions (digestive, endocrine, reproductive, etc).

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TitleEssential Functions➢ Essential functions mean job tasks that are

fundamental-not marginal

➢ Factors to consider when determining whether a job function is essential:

✓ If the position exists to perform the function✓Job descriptions✓The amount of time spent performing the function✓ If there are a limited number of employees among whom

the job can be distributed✓The consequences of not requiring the person to perform

the function✓ If the function is highly specialized

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TitleInteractive Process

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➢ The goal of the interactive process is for the supervisor and employee to meet and develop a mutually acceptable accommodation plan.

➢ This process may include the supervisor, employee, Disability Program Manager, and occupational health physician.

➢ Considerations during discussions with employee:✓ Is the requested accommodation effective?✓ Is there a nexus between the disability and the

accommodation?✓ Is medical documentation necessary?✓ Do other possible accommodations need to be examined?

➢ The interactive process is required, except for recurring requests, such as for sign language interpreters.

TitleManagement Directive 715

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➢ On October 1, 2003, Management Directive 715 became effective.✓ It provides policy guidance and standards for

establishing and maintaining effective affirmative programs of equal employment opportunity under Section 717 of Title VII, and effect affirmative action programs under Section 501 of the Rehab Act.

✓ Requires Agencies to work proactively to prevent potential discrimination before it occurs

✓ Agencies must set achievable goals to become a model workplace.

TitleManagement Directive 715 (MD-715) Terminology and Definitions

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➢ Trigger: Any piece of information that alerts the agency to possible barrier. Triggers require additional information and analysis to uncover the potential barrier. Triggers are commonly referred to as “red flags”.

➢ Barrier: A policy, procedure, practice, or condition that limits employment opportunities for members of a particular race, ethnic background, gender, or because of a disability.

➢ Barrier Analysis: An investigation into a trigger/red flag. The outcome of this investigation should be the root cause of the trigger/red flag. The root cause may or may not be a barrier.

TitleManagement Directive 715 (MD-715)

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➢ Agencies should examine the types of Policies, Procedures, Practices and workforce that may be identified as triggers and/or barriers, for example:

✓ Hiring✓ Separations✓ Awards✓ Promotions✓ Critical occupations✓ Exit Interviews✓ EVS data✓ Disciplinary Actions✓ Developmental/Training/Mentoring Opportunities

TitleSix Essential Elements

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Model EEO

ProgramsCommitment

Integration

Accountable Proactive

Responsiveness

Efficiency

TitleManagement Directive 715 (MD-715)

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➢ Special Emphasis Program Managers (SEPM) is responsible for preparing a mini MD-715 for their respective constituency. They are:

➢ African-American/Black Employment Program Manger➢ Hispanic Employment Program Manager➢ Asian American and Pacific Islander Program Manger➢ Native American and Alaskan Native Program Manger➢ Disability Program Manger➢ Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender Program Manger**➢ Federal Women’s Program Manager

**The LGBT SEPM has recently been added as a SEP to foster a workplace atmosphere that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and or trans, intersex, queer and gender non-conforming employees and applicants.

Carlos Nocentelli

703 [email protected]

**Smiley Face**

Margareth J. Bennett301 286-7770

[email protected]

Llauryn D. Iglehart301 286-7348

[email protected]

Questions/Answers and Contact Information

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men·torˈmenˌtôr,ˈmenˌtər/

noun1.

an experienced and trusted adviser.

John M. RobinsonDirector of the Office of Civil Rights

Chief Diversity OfficerU.S. Department of State

(202) [email protected]

Larry Robinson

My Dad, was a 1936 Agriculture Major at Tuskegee Institute. He was a country boy who picked cotton barefoot , but was also a natural

mathematician (I never inherited that gene). Larry was one of the very first Black Postmasters in America, appointed by Harry Truman in 1952. He died

before I was 16 but he taught me a lot in those blessed years.

•Always buy your wife something nice/feminine for her birthday

and Valentine’s Day.

•Treat everyone you meet and all you work with Courtesy Dignity,

Patience, and Respect.

Howard Swearer

Howard Swearer was an 11

year president of Brown

University, my alma mater,

where I served as a Dean

for over 15 years. After

squash or tennis he shared

nuggets of wisdom for

leading.

• Pay people a little more than they think they are worth. They will work hard to

prove that they deserve the salary.

• My job as President is ceremonial, he said, in addition to being chief of HR.

When the right people are in the right jobs, things go

right most of the time. When things get off course, you can fix them. When people are in the wrong spot, things

will go wrong and will continue to go wrong, and the patches you put on won’t stay.

Walter Massey

Former Dean of the College at Brown, President of the NSF, and

President of Morehouse College is one of a minuscule number

of Black Physicists in the world. 5’ 5” he was never able to best

me at tennis, but he told me a lot to live by.

• For some dilemmas, the established process must be the

solution. Don’t circumvent it. Let it play out.

•When your friends don’t support you as you move up the chain,

get new friends!

John Robinson

Director of Civil Rights, Chief Diversity Officer Office of Civil Rights

• Decision Making is one province reserved for leaders. For the most important, this

cannot be delegated. If followers come to believe that the official leader is not the decider, they usually dump the leader.

• In your federal path, you do not have to know where you want to be at age fifty, but you do need to know what you are going to

do next.

Contact Information

• John Robinson

Director, Office of Civil Rights/Chief Diversity Officer

• U.S. Department of State

• (202) 647-9295

• [email protected]

Mentoring Advice

References: Volumes of good advice have been written for every conceivable aspect of

leadership and career management. But there is no single website, book or author who has it

all. Think of your bookshelf as a place to shop when you need something. Remember that

every reference will not deserve to be read covertocover. And you may be disposed to hear

the voices of some authors more clearly than others. Here are several of my favorites:

Nice Girls Still Don’t Get the Corner Office by Lois P. Frankel, PhD; a practical encyclopedia of 101 “Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers”. Each entry is

accompanied by a coaching tip. Though dated, this 2014 revision of the 2004 original is still

relevant. Newer books like Sandberg’s Lean In offer a fresher perspective. This is good for men

as well as women.

Empowering Yourself by Harvey Coleman; the subtitle is The Organizational Game Revealed.

Coleman is African American and offers a very different perspective on what game is being

played, how it is unfair, and how to master it by balancing PIE Performance, Image and

Exposure. Although Coleman is African American, his message is universal.

Can I Wear my Nose Ring to the Interview by Ellen Gordon Reeves; don’t be put off by the title.

This is a comprehensive guide to resume writing/interviewing and job search, especially for

young persons. The industry standard is What Color is Your Parachute by Bolles, published yearly. Both are fun to read and extremely informative.

The Story Factor by Annette Simmons; an executive coach, Simmons found a way to bridge

storytelling and effective public speaking through the tactical use of narratives. Fairly or

unfairly, leadership potential is judged in part on how well aspirants handle themselves at the

podium. Reading about it might help, but public speaking is akin to pilot training and ultimately

will depend on your hours in the cockpit. Simmons’ coaching will help.

Taking Charge by Perry Smith, Air Force General RET: This is a “cookbook on leadership”. No

theory, no philosophy, just what this former fighter pilot/NATO Commander/Pentagon Planner

earned about how to lead large organizations taking over, hiring, firing, media management,

etc.

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Guiding Questions: Here are some questions to address which may help in your leadership

journey. Think about them as you develop your Individual Development Plan, discuss them

with your Mentor, or consider them as you development your priorities.

1. Candidates for advancement are often judged on how they handle themselves at the podium. How do you rate yourself as a public speaker (1 to 10, ten being tops), and how can you get to the next level?

2. Effective time management is one key to leadership success. How do others waste your time and how can you stop them? How do you waste your time and how can you stop that?

3. Forgiveness is a key to a guiltless feeling of confidence and personal freedom. Grudges don’t help either. Who do you need to forgive and why? What do you need to forgive yourself for? This requires honesty, selfcandor and may involve confession to yourself, a loved one, or an enemy.

4. No matter what level you hope to achieve, you should spend some time helping others more junior. Who are you mentoring, coaching, or encouraging? If no one, what can you start doing for others?

5. From Habit #3 of the Covey Seven Habits on putting first things first – what is it you are not now doing, but if you did it and did it consistently well, it would give you great benefits? Describe it and a way to start doing it.

John M. Robinson, Director of the Office of Civil Rights and Chief Diversity Officer

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agenda “big commitment to excellence”

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