UGA Cooperative Extension is a collaboration between UGA CAES and UGA FACS.
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Our Impact
Extension educators excel in subject matter disciplines; however, few are professionally trained in management competencies and styles of leadership appropriate for learning organization such as CES in these changing times. The lack of such competencies leads to employee dissatisfaction, burnout and turnover. The centerpiece of the program, administered by UGA's Agricultural Ledership, Education and Communication Department, is the Managerial Assessment of Proficiency (MAP), which assesses 12 managerial competencies, two leadership styles and eight values or drives. Each in-depth workshop is three days long. The first half of the training is devoted to introducing participants to the concept of leadership development, followed by the assessment process. The next half focuses on interpretation of results, and developing a learning plan to increase their seminars, known as EXCEL, at which participants can learn skills and techniques to increase their competency levels. Since 1995 more than 400 Georgia Extension faculty have participated in the assessment and follow-up competency building workshops. Data indicated that MAP and EXCEL participants had a 22 percent lower employee turnover rate and on average continued their public service longer than did county Extension agents not completing the workshops and hired during the same time period. In dollar terms, this translates to an organizational savings of about $1.6 million, with long-term potential savings exceeding $5 million for UGA Public Service and Outreach. As a result of Georgia's success with this program, leadership for the Southern Extension Leadership Development program was transferred to Georgia. In 2006 more than 100 Extension faculty and staff from three state's Extension systems participated in workshops to assess their managerial competencies and improve their leadership and management skills. By reducing staff turnover, an estimated $4.5 million has been saved by Extension systems in the southern region.
