In Ocea's Own Words

Since most of my career has been in private industry, the Mid-Career Managers Institute (MCMI) was the tool I needed to enhance my awareness on issues that plague many local government communities. By participating in facilitator led sessions, the students in the MCMI were able to engage in thought-provoking discussions, by sharing their real-life daily government experiences as leaders in their organizations.

For example, with so much media attention given to unethical behavior in all levels of government, one topic in particular focused on creating a culture of ethical intelligence, ethical courage, and ethical behavior in the workplace. The MCMI participants were challenged with exploring ways we could proactively change the way both employees and the general public view governmental agencies.

By discussing realistic strategies, I provided input on how I guided employees to retool their thinking on ethical behavior. As the Operations Manager of a utility division, I integrated into monthly ‘All-Hands’ presentations topics with questions/answers pertaining to ethics. The number of employee ethical dilemmas drastically decreased.

The utility administrator saw first-hand the difference the applied lessons from the MCMI were making on the division, so he recommended my appointment as the Director of Logistics and Asset Management, shortly thereafter.

The MCMI has definitely made a positive and lasting impact on my local government career and professional development. For those interested in catapulting their careers to the next level, I recommend participating in MCMI and applying what is taught in the sessions. You’ll be glad you did.

Learn more about the Mid-Career Managers Insitute.