PROGRAM RATIONALE
Nepal’s public sector leaders operate in an environment of complex reforms, federal governance structures, resource constraints, political oversight, and rising public expectations. This program equips NMS officers with modern leadership capabilities, strategic management tools, and ethical governance frameworks needed to lead with confidence, integrity, and measurable impact.
OVERALL PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate strategic, ethical, and adaptive leadership in public institutions
- Strengthen managerial effectiveness and decision-making at senior levels
- Lead people, programs, and reforms under pressure and uncertainty
- Improve service delivery, accountability, and inter-agency coordination
- Apply modern leadership tools to Nepal’s governance and administrative context
Course Outline:
LEADERSHIP FOUNDATIONS & PUBLIC SECTOR CONTEXT
Module 1: Leadership in the Public Sector – Nepal Perspective
- Leadership vs Management in Government
- Role of NMS in national development & governance
- Expectations from senior civil servants in a federal system
- Political–administrative interface: boundaries & professionalism
Exercise: Leadership role-mapping for NMS officers
Module 2: Leadership Styles & Self-Awareness
- Transformational, Transactional & Adaptive leadership
- Situational leadership in bureaucracy
- Emotional intelligence (EQ) for public leaders
- Ethical authority vs positional power
Tool: Leadership self-assessment (360° light version)
Module 3: Values, Ethics & Integrity in Public Service
- Public sector ethics & code of conduct
- Managing conflicts of interest
- Transparency, accountability & integrity systems
- Ethical decision-making models
Case Study: Ethical dilemma in a Nepalese public institution
Module 4: Personal Effectiveness & Executive Presence
- Professional conduct & credibility
- Managing stress and public pressure
- Time management for senior officials
- Executive communication & confidence
Outcome: Personal leadership improvement plan
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT & POLICY LEADERSHIP
Module 5: Strategic Thinking for Senior Managers
- Strategic vs operational thinking
- Aligning ministry/department goals with national plans
- Understanding policy cycles
- Long-term visioning in government
Exercise: Strategic issue identification for NMS departments
Module 6: Strategic Planning & Performance Management
- Vision, mission & strategic objectives
- Results-based management (RBM)
- KPIs & performance indicators in public sector
- Linking strategy to budgets and resources
Tool: Strategy map & performance dashboard
Module 7: Evidence-Based Policy & Decision-Making
- Data-driven governance
- Using research & evidence in policy formulation
- Managing uncertainty & incomplete information
- Risk-informed decision-making
Case Study: Policy decision under political and social pressure
Module 8: Managing Change & Reform Initiatives
- Change management in government institutions
- Resistance to change & reform fatigue
- Stakeholder engagement strategies
- Sustaining reforms over time
Group Work: Change roadmap for a public sector reform
PEOPLE MANAGEMENT & ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Module 9: Human Resource Leadership in Public Institutions
- Managing diverse and multi-generational workforce
- Motivation beyond financial incentives
- Performance appraisal & feedback
- Talent development & succession planning
Module 10: Team Leadership & Collaboration
- Building high-performing public sector teams
- Inter-departmental coordination challenges
- Managing cross-functional task forces
- Trust-building in bureaucratic teams
Exercise: Team effectiveness diagnostic
Module 11: Communication & Stakeholder Management
- Internal vs external communication
- Managing ministers, media & public expectations
- Crisis communication in public sector
- Negotiation and consensus-building skills
Role Play: Managing difficult stakeholders
Module 12: Conflict Management & Difficult Conversations
- Sources of conflict in public organizations
- Managing staff conflict & political pressure
- Negotiation techniques for senior managers
- Constructive handling of grievances
Outcome: Conflict management action plan
GOVERNANCE, ACCOUNTABILITY & SERVICE DELIVERY
Module 13: Governance Frameworks & Institutional Accountability
- Good governance principles
- Roles of oversight bodies
- Internal controls & compliance systems
- Accountability mechanisms in Nepal’s governance system
Module 14: Financial & Resource Management for Leaders
- Budgeting basics for senior managers
- Financial discipline & value for money
- Preventing misuse of public resources
- Linking budgets to performance
Case Study: Budget prioritization under constraints
Module 15: Risk Management & Crisis Leadership
- Identifying institutional risks
- Managing reputational, operational & political risks
- Crisis leadership & decision-making under pressure
- Learning from failures
Simulation: Crisis scenario in a public agency
Module 16: Improving Public Service Delivery
- Citizen-centric service models
- Service quality & performance standards
- Digital governance & process simplification
- Measuring citizen satisfaction
Exercise: Service delivery improvement plan
FUTURE-READY LEADERSHIP & ACTION PLANNING
Module 17: Leading in a VUCA Environment
- Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity & Ambiguity
- Adaptive leadership tools
- Scenario planning for public sector leaders
- Building institutional resilience
Module 18: Innovation & Digital Leadership
- Innovation in government
- Digital transformation challenges
- Managing technology-enabled change
- Leveraging data & automation responsibly
Module 19: National Leadership Responsibility & Legacy
- Leadership legacy in public service
- Institutional memory & continuity
- Mentoring the next generation of leaders
- Personal responsibility in nation-building
Module 20: Action Planning, Commitments & Way Forward
- Translating learning into action
- Department-specific leadership action plans
- Peer feedback & refinement
- Personal leadership commitment charter
Outcome: Individual & organizational action plans
TRAINING METHODOLOGY
- Expert-led interactive sessions
- Real public-sector case studies (Nepal & regional)
- Group discussions & simulations
- Role plays & leadership diagnostics
- Practical tools, templates & frameworks
KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR NMS PARTICIPANTS
- Stronger leadership confidence & decision-making ability
- Enhanced strategic and managerial competence
- Improved people leadership and communication skills
- Clear understanding of governance, ethics & accountability
- Practical action plans for institutional improvement