Wisconsin Women in Government, in a partnership with the La Follette School of Public
Affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, provides a program for mid-level managers
to develop their skills as executives, to establish and enhance networks, and to design
strategies for organizational and personal success. The objectives of this seminar are to help
managers manage better; to understand and cope with the environments in which they work; to
improve control of their personal and professional agendas; and to provide effective and
responsible public service.

The seminar begins with an intensive, daylong session at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, followed by a series of modules in which participants focus for two to three hours on a subject or skill, and another daylong session on a Saturday. Individuals with public service experience and faculty from a variety of universities will make presentations.

Sessions include the following:

• The group will discuss how gender may affect decision-making. Evidence indicates that men and women approach problem-solving and positions of power differently. The session will explore these differences and related implications.
   
• Participants will complete a Myers-Briggs assessment of their individual approaches to management and decision-making. The class will discuss major differences in approaches to leadership responsibilities and identify how individuals can build on their own styles.
   
• Students will learn the fundamental dynamics of small-group decision-making and
  explore ways of making this process more effective. Many decisions, big and small,
  are made in committees, staff meetings and informal groups. Through case studies
  and discussion, students will gain an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of small group decision-making, and learn techniques for minimizing disadvantages.
   
• The structure and culture of organizations are integral to decision-making. Bureaucracy
  is meant to provide stability, standardization and efficiency. Each organization has its own culture in which individuals make decisions, and establish standard policies and
  procedures. Participants learn how to analyze organizational culture and apply this knowledge.
   
• Public sector managers operate within an "authorizing environment" in which the U.S. system of shared, democratic governance presents important challenges and opportunities to managers. The class will explore the general implications and focus on the traits of Wisconsin political culture.
   
• Participants will discuss how policy issues emerge and develop. They will identify the types of actors, strategies for addressing issues, and opportunities for evaluation and refinement that comprise the policy process.
   
• The class will ascertain issues related to balancing the needs of work, family and self, and engage with a panel of women who have grappled with these issues as they developed their careers.