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SELP is a comprehensive program that provides leadership development, technical hands-on experience, leadership and technical training, benchmarking, mentoring, and coaching. The program’s basis for design is founded in The Art and Science of Systems Engineering [ Full | Short ], the NASA Systems Engineering Behavior Study, and Behavior Competency Model. The behaviors exhibited by NASA’s highly valued systems engineers fall into five broad themes with associated competencies and their observable behaviors: leadership, attitudes and attributes, communication, problem solving and systems thinking, and technical acumen. Strategic thinking and political savvy are two additional leadership skills identified by NASA’s follow-on study of technical executives and are also covered in SELP.

The design of SELP is unique in that it incorporates “brain-friendly” learning techniques. Neuroscience has provided a wealth of information that has improved our understanding of how people learn, grow, and develop, and what factors enable or inhibit that learning. The SELP design is continually adapting to ensure NASA’s investment in learning works with the brain and not against it, resulting in greater retention and return on investment.

Learning Strategies Learning Elements Program Schedule Funding

 

SELP Learning Strategies

The Leadership Choices Model was initially developed by the Council for Excellence in Government Fellows program, but has been refined and updated to support NASA’s needs.

The Leadership Choices Model was initially developed by the Council for Excellence in Government Fellows program, but has been refined and updated to support NASA’s needs.
Image Credit: NASA

Leadership Development
Leadership development workshops are held to support the acquisition and refinement of critical leadership skills and abilities. The Leadership Choices Model forms the core of the leadership development strategy for SELP.

This model focuses on enabling participants to gain clarity about their own leadership goals and objectives and to clearly align them with the mission and the goals of NASA in a way that engages others. It then helps participants define the results they are committed to achieving and enables them to achieve these goals and build connections with others.

Assessments
Assessment instruments are used to help participants gain a greater understanding of their strengths as areas for development. Unique to SELP is a NASA Systems Engineering 360 Assessment Instrument developed from the systems engineering behavior study which helps participants understand how extensively and effectively they are applying these systems engineering behaviors.

Leadership Training Workshops
Training in SELP focuses on leadership, attitudes and attributes, communication, political savvy, problem solving, and systems and strategic thinking. Depending on the unique needs of each class, training courses are provided as a part of each leadership workshop.

Coaching

The participant’s 360 Degree Assessment results are used to form the basis for their leadership development strategy and coaching goals throughout the SELP year. Certified professional coaches work with participants both during their developmental program and after SELP to ensure successful transition back to their home centers and new responsibilities.

SELP Learning Elements

Developmental Assignments
Hands-on developmental assignments are a core requirement of SELP that enables participants to gain a greater understanding systems engineering, and expand the application of their systems engineering knowledge and skills. SELP is different from other NASA developmental programs in that the participant does not identify their own developmental assignment. Assignment matching is done by SELP Advocates using a multi-part process that ensures assignments meet the participant’s developmental needs.

Part I: Participants identify the competencies they need to develop to meet their next level of growth against the competencies available in the developmental assignments.

Part II: Advocates use the results of the matching process as the first step in identifying the assignments that would best provide the experience needed by the participant and then assess participants against six additional dimensions—life cycle phase, mission, level (e.g. subsystem, instrument, system, vehicle), project level (e.g., task, project, element, program), leadership experience, and human or robotic—that would broaden and expand the participant’s overall experience.

Advocates ensure participants are placed in “stretch” assignments—areas where they have little or no previous experience and would expand their understanding of systems engineering and NASA’s engineering culture. One participant noted, “I am still amazed that the assignment-matching group was able to identify a suitable assignment based on a short interview and application form. My assignment fully addressed the gaps in exposure to the rest of the agency and how large programs operate.”

Technical Training
Systems engineering and other classroom technical training is not a formal part of SELP. Participants are expected to have the pre-requisite or equivalent courses upon entering SELP. Little time is available for additional courses during the program year, but participants can sign up for additional APPEL courses or take advantage of center courses as needed for their assignment and as time permits.

Center Visits and Outside Benchmarking
Benchmarking with other NASA centers and outside organizations to expand the participant’s understanding and awareness of effective systems engineering and leadership is part of each leadership workshop.

Mentoring and Job Shadowing
All participants are assigned a mentor to guide them in their developmental assignment. Participants are also encouraged to shadow other center leaders as time permits to learn more about their assignment centers and different leadership styles.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory Participants
Participants from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), please refer to the following table for special information regarding your participation. For additional information about specific requirements for JPL participants, please see the following site: /hands-on/seldp/program/assignments-jpl/.

Element

From NASA to JPL

From JPL to NASA

Extended TDY & Program Travel Funded by OCE Task order funding provided by JPL to OCE
Salary and Benefits Funded by Home Center Funded from JPL burden account. Cannot use funds provided by OCE
Assignment Travel Funded by OCE Can be funded by the assignment center through invitational travel orders or JPL burden account
Ethics Out Briefing Contact your Ethics Officer for an out brief
Forms MOU for Temp. Assignments to JPL & NASA SELP Ethics Statement – Link

 

2016-2017 Selection Schedule

 

Month

Program Activities

January 2016 Release SELP Program Call (See Call for Nominations Letter for current schedule)
April 2016 Nominations and Assignments Due
June 2016 Candidate Interviews and Participant Selection
June 2016 Pre–program Planning and 360 Assessments Conducted

 

Program Year Schedule

(*Dates are subject to change)

Month

Program Activities

July 2016 Orientation Workshop — Coaching Begins
July 2016 Developmental Assignments Can Begin (6-9 months, over 18 months)
October 2016* Leading for Results
January 2017* Leading Through Powerful Dialogue and Collaboration
March 2017* Leading Through Powerful Communication
May 2017* Leading in a Dynamic Environment
July 2017* Leading with Presence
September 2017* Using your Leadership Voice (Graduation)

 

SELP Funding

Centers are responsible for funding:

  • Participant’s salary
  • Travel to/from the interview
  • Travel to/from orientation
  • Training and associated travel that is not part of SELP workshops
  • Additional trips home, above the allowed quarterly trip
  • Project travel required for participants assigned to their center

The Office of the Chief Engineer funds:

  • All other program travel and training for participants, including NASA employees assigned to JPL. Not all reimbursements allowed by the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) are covered by SELP. (Note: Items covered in the FTR that are not reimbursable by SELP include commuting mileage and costs, maid services, dry cleaning and laundry, and rental cars.)

Jet Propulsion Laboratory Participants:

  • JPL is responsible for funding all costs associated with their employees’ participation in the program as noted above with the exception of employee project travel required for participants assigned to their center.