Leadership Development for Senior Managers in the Public Sector

This executive course will equip senior managers with the knowledge and skills that advance their professional capabilities and build their value as leaders in the public sector.

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Programme Information

Applications Open
01 May 2025
Applications Close
28 July 2025
Academic Category
Short Course
Fees
R45.00
Contact
Course outcomes
  • Articulate and implement professional ethics in day-to-day activities and practice.
  • Develop individual capacity and competence in policy development.
  • Recognise future oriented perspectives, plans, policies and strategies in the context of markets, the economy, and state intervention.
  • Plan, prepare and define a budget.
  • Distinguish the elements of self-mastery, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness.
  • Examine the value of conflict, identify skills that can be applied in the workplace and defend the role of mediation.
Course content

MODULE 1: GOVERNANCE AND ETHICS
Models of governance and approaches to public sector reform, understanding leadership, management, organisation and institutional governance and ethical leadership.


MODULE 2: PUBLIC POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND ANALYSIS
Conceptual overview of the policy environment, definitions and descriptions in public policy, stakeholder analysis, legal and legislative frameworks, policy processes and cycles, approaches to policy analysis, writing policy briefs, policy argumentation and policy advocacy.


MODULE 3: PUBLIC ECONOMICS AND FINANCE
Public sector economics, public expenditure, public finance and public accountability. Collating economic and finance strategies.


MODULE 4: STRATEGIC BUDGETING AND PLANNING
Strategic planning, public value and execution. Critical review of the practice of budgeting at a provincial level in South Africa. Integrated planning and the development of budget bids. Achieving improved performance through the budget process.


MODULE 5: EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND SELF-MASTERY FOR LEADERSHIP
The importance of EQ in resolving problems in the governance leadership space.
Mindfulness as a tool in leadership training for governance. The efficacy of mindfulness in relation to attaining self–mastery. Practical steps to enhancing self-awareness, self-regulations, social awareness, and social regulation. Personal plans of enhancing self-mastery.
 

MODULE 6: CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Theories of conflict and the implications of conflict. Transactional Analysis (TA) as a powerful theory of psychology which assists us to understand how people communicate on a personal, group, organisational and community level. Conflict management process to regain and maintain healthy and constructive relationships. When, why and how to use mediation as a tool.

METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Formative Assessment = 50%
Summative Assessment = 50%
 

Admission requirements
  • An NQF 6 with 3-5 years of work experience OR
  • Grade 12 with 5-10 years of work experience
Course duration and dates

The 6 modules will be delivered over 6 months.

Start date: 11 August 2025 to 26 January 2026

 

The institution has done its part, making public policy responsive to our challenges now becomes our responsibility

MMABATHO MONTSE

MASTER OF MANAGEMENT in GOVERNANCE (General) GRADUATE

I learnt how civic technology could be leveraged to improve service delivery and the lives of ordinary South Africans

DR MAXWELL MASEKO

Civic Tech Innovation Graduate

I can develop and execute inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes and impacts using the S.M.A.R.T principle 

MIRRIAM SIBANDA

Postgraduate Diploma in Management (Monitoring and Evaluation) Graduate

We grew our research skills and learnt the importance of feasibility studies

BRIGADIER GENERAL MOLEFI HLALELE

Postgraduate Diploma in Management (Security) Graduate

I have learned to apply a strategic level of financial management and allocation of resources to meet the service delivery

NEMBRA MALULEKE

MUNICIPAL FINANCE Management GRADUATE

This qualification certainly provided the ROI, I started getting calls from big organisations, like the SA Reserve Bank, where I work now

BONTLE MOGAPI

Postgraduate Diploma in Management (PDM) Graduate

I am now able to actively listen, comprehend and question decisions related to governance and economics

KIRTIDA BHANA

Leadership in Board Governance Graduate

This course taught me about the importance of synergy within different units in an organisation

TERRENCE RAMATSELELA

Municipal Finance Management Graduate

This Diploma helps us to think critically about pertinent issues within the public sector

REFILWE MABULA

Postgraduate Diploma in Management (PDM) Graduate

I can now proficiently interpret legislation and policies, particularly those that directly impact municipal operations

MATABOGELA MONYEPAO

Municipal Finance Management Graduate

Disclaimer: Cancellation of programmes by WSG

WSG is entitled to cancel or change the date of delivery of a programme without notice and for any reason without incurring any liability to individuals who have applied or are enrolled on the programme or any funders of such individuals (“participants” or “funders of participants”).

Without derogating from the aforesaid, and insofar as it possible, WSG will provide the participants or funders of the participants with 30 (thirty days) days written notice of any cancellation or changes in the dates of delivery of the programme.

Insofar as the programme is cancelled or rescheduled prior to delivery of the programme then in that event the participants and funders of the participants will not be charged the full programme fees.