Canadian Police Association Executive Leadership Program

The Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa has partnered with the Canadian Police Association since 2009 to deliver a very successful, national, three-module program in Executive Leadership.

Those who complete all three modules will receive a special ‘Professional Certificate in Executive Leadership’ offered jointly by the Labor Worklife Program of Harvard Law School, the Telfer School of Management and the Canadian Police Association.

Module I - Leadership, Advocacy and Communications:

• Leadership development and performance
  
• Advocacy and government relations
• Media and communications

Module II - Advanced Negotiations and the Psychology of Bargaining:

• Bargaining
• Negotiation
• Member Issues

Module III - Strategic Choices, Implementation and Governance:

• Strategy choices and planning,
• Implementation of strategic plans
• Governance

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Negotiation is central to the role of police association executives. Module II will address how to increase your power at the table, how to better understand the psychology of bargaining and how to prepare for a contract negotiation, including a clear strategy, an environmental scan, and consultation with members, community politicians and leaders. It will also examine how to assess the other side, building power and alliances, and researching to expand the understanding of the bargaining environment. The process of preparation needs to anticipate possibilities of confronting difficult truths about what is possible, how to resolve conflicting objectives among members and how to anticipate major communication efforts with members and media. This will affect the composition of the bargaining team, research needs, and the choice of priority issues. Interest-based arbitration will also be examined.

PROGRAM TAKEAWAYS

The purpose of Module III would be to lead participants through a series of exercises and learning sessions which would help them understand the importance of setting strategic direction for the association, awareness and appreciation of the external environment, seeking feedback and direction from the members, the importance of understanding the nature of the choices being made, alignment of the organization and how the governance of the association contributes to and supports effective implementation and leadership of the organization. It will also examine the challenges of good governance, constitutions and succession planning for the PA board. The examples, exercises and cases used would be relevant to the experience of the police associations in Canada.