Programs → MPA

“How do I lead with purpose, navigate complexity, and create lasting public impact?”

The top of the pipeline, and the source of everything below it. The same leadership architecture taught to a sixth grader is here applied to organizational culture, public service, policy, ethics, power, stakeholder management, transition, reputation, and legacy.

Graduate work carries the weight of consequence. Sessions treat the institution itself as the unit of analysis: what it rewards, what it tolerates, who it serves, and what remains of a leader once the appointment ends.

Audience

Graduate students in public administration and early-career public servants

Format

Graduate seminar and executive sessions

Partners

Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania

Modules

01 Purpose & Public Value

“What public value am I here to create?”

Leaders explore the purpose and responsibilities of their public role, including who they serve, what gives their work legitimacy, and whether their actions remain aligned with their mandate.

01 Purpose & Public Value

“What public value am I here to create?”

Leaders explore the purpose and responsibilities of their public role, including who they serve, what gives their work legitimacy, and whether their actions remain aligned with their mandate.

02 The Public Leader at Scale

“Can I manage myself when the stakes are public?”

Leaders develop the self-awareness and judgment needed to lead under public scrutiny and uncertainty. They examine decision-making, feedback, visibility, accountability, and how to remain effective under pressure.

02 The Public Leader at Scale

“Can I manage myself when the stakes are public?”

03 Influence Without Authority

“How do I move an institution I do not control?”

Leaders learn how to move institutions and initiatives forward without relying solely on formal authority. They explore stakeholders, coalition building, negotiation, credibility, and the different forms of power they can use.

03 Influence Without Authority

“How do I move an institution I do not control?”

04 Culture & Institutional Trust

“What does my institution actually reward?”

Leaders examine how organizational culture and incentives shape behavior and trust. They identify gaps between stated values and actual practices and consider how to build stronger, more capable, and more inclusive institutions.

04 Culture & Institutional Trust

“What does my institution actually reward?”

05 Ethics, Complexity & Accountability

"What do I do when every option harms someone?”

Leaders practice navigating complex decisions where competing values, risks, and public interests are involved. They consider who bears the consequences of different choices and how transparency and accountability should shape their decisions.

05 Ethics, Complexity & Accountability

"What do I do when every option harms someone?”

06 Transition, Reputation & Legacy

“What continues after I am gone?”

Leaders consider what happens after they leave a role and how they can create lasting institutional value. They focus on succession, developing future leaders, preserving knowledge, and ensuring that their leadership leaves the organization stronger.