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The UCOP Leadership Development Program (LDP) is a cohort-based leadership development program designed to support experienced managers at UCOP to become students of leadership and take ownership of their learning journeys.

LDP program overview

Goal: To enhance leadership skills around the UCOP 5 Pillars of Leadership Development and foster relationships, networking and practice-sharing across UCOP leaders.

When and where: 10-month program beginning in September with meetings held via Zoom.

Time commitment: About 5 to 8 hours per month.

Fee: Required $330 fee for program assessments.

Eligibility criteria: The program will accept 18 participants. We are seeking a diverse cohort that reflects the makeup of UCOP, including representation from different divisions and roles. Additionally, applicants must:

• Be mid-career people managers or managers-of-managers. This includes Managers 1, 2 and 3; Supervisors 1 and 2; and those with at least two direct reports.
• Have at least five years’ experience in a managerial position (in or outside the UC system), including one year managing at UCOP.
• Have received a rating of “Solid Performance” or above on their latest performance appraisal.

We highly encourage applicants to demonstrate the successful completion of the Manager Essentials at UCOP series.

Applications: Applications are accepted June 23 to Aug. 6, 2025. Apply via this form! Please note that a manager’s approval form is required.

Program design:

• Pre-program assessments: Upon acceptance in the program, you will provide a list of colleagues, including your manager, peers, direct reports and other stakeholders to help assess your performance. You and your raters will complete Envisia 360, a suite of online feedback assessments and tools to gather feedback on your performance from multiple perspectives to help you understand your strengths and development areas, in relation to UC’s Core Competencies. You will also complete a CliftonStrengths assessment to identify your natural talents.
• Self-directed goals and learning: Based on your 360 results and leadership goals, you will create individualized program objectives, design a learning path to direct your growth and participate in at least one related learning experience per month. Suggested learning paths will be based on the UCOP Learning & Development course calendar.
• Experiential learning: You’ll participate in five virtual whole-group “crew meetings” with your peers throughout the program. Each session is designed as a leadership lab, a collective experiential learning opportunity aligned to one of the program’s pillars.
• In-depth discussions: During five “camp meetings,” you’ll participate in facilitated, in-depth discussions with a small group of peers to process your learning experiences.
• Peer coaching — New! Program alums will provide one-on-one peer coaching to support your goals.
• Post-program assessments: At the end of the program, you and your raters will complete a final Envisia 360 to assess your growth in focus areas and to help you make plans for continued progress.
• OPTIONAL: You can participate in Creo Virtual Leadership Gyms & Coaching, a gamified group learning experience that will guide you in exploring and practicing problem solving, critical thinking and collaboration, with one-on-one coaching between game sessions. Additional costs apply.

Info sessions (register here):

• July 7, 12:30 – 1 p.m.
• July 23, 2 – 2:30 p.m.

Program schedule (subject to change):

• Aug. 15: 360 raters list due
• Aug. 18 – 28: Rating window open
• Sept. 5: Orientation (program overview, 360 intro, meet your camp)
• Sept. 26: Crew meeting (growth & continuous learning)
• Oct. 24: Camp meetings
• Nov. 21: Crew meeting (strategic thinking)
• Dec. 12: Camp meeting
• Jan. 23: Crew meeting (tactical & technical skills)
• Feb 27: Camp meeting
• March 20: Crew meeting (equity stance)
• April 24: Camp meeting
• May 29: Crew meeting (people skills & emotional intelligence)
• June 26: Leadership showcase

Testimonials from previous participants:

• “I thought I was a pretty good leader already, but this program made me dive deep into self-reflection and address the areas that were my biggest blind spots.”
• “Being surrounded by other people leaders and realizing I’m not alone was affirming and gave me the courage to do things differently.”
• “The program’s combination of breadth and depth helped me explore new areas of growth while honing in on the specific habits that are most critical for me to adopt right now.”

Reach out to Catherine Burns with questions!

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