Rescuing tomorrow today: fixing training and development for DHS leaders

Abstract

Leadership is an essential quality that all homeland security professionals should possess. Unfortunately, the nature, scope, importance, and complexity of protecting the United States has overshadowed the fact that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees are not receiving the proper leadership training. Furthermore, lack of adequate training tools within the department is making it increasingly difficult to deliver the limited amount of available leadership training education. Personnel surveys reveal that the quality of leadership within the department is not getting better, and in some cases, it is perceived as worsening. As the first generation of homeland security leaders and managers depart the organization, DHS has a responsibility to its future generation of employees to identify leadership training and education deficiencies and provide individuals with the proper leadership tools for individual and departmental success. This thesis proposes that senior DHS leaders admit to the leadership training deficiencies, create programs to fill leadership training gaps in an integrated manner throughout the organization, develop accountability measures, and utilize portions of effective training and development programs from Department of Defense and civilian corporations alike.