Managing by Network
Information for Supervisors
Managing by Network is an interagency course designed to strengthen each participant’s professional skill set in Partnering, Community Collaboration, Strategic Thinking, Partnership Management, and Accountability.
Learn more about the professional competencies featured in this applied training course.
Participants who earn a certificate for Managing by Network may receive 3 Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) or 2 undergraduate college credits for this course. Credits are certified by Shepherd University, WV in partnership with the USFWS National Conservation Training Center.
Learn More About Managing by Network
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Course Learning Objectives
Applying knowledge and skills learned in this course, participants will be able to:
- strengthen an internal and external network of individuals and organizations to advance the mission of the agency;
- build trust with partners and stakeholders using a professional skill set of 22 competencies;
- demonstrate professional competence in applying best practices for partnership and community collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and the public;
- apply social science concepts and practices to support relevance and resilience in partnering and collaboration;
- recognize the relationship between sunshine laws including the Paperwork Reduction Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act to build accountability and trust between agencies or organizations and their partners, stakeholders, and the public.
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Course Format
Managing by Network is a live, six-month, 18-webinar course held virtually from January to June. The course focuses on 22 competencies related to partnership and community collaboration.
- Start Date: January 11 & 12, 2023
- End Date: May 31 & June 1, 2023
Our teaching style encourages participants to take an active role in webinar discussions. Participants build skills and knowledge that can be applied immediately to their current position responsibilities. Participants will spend 2 hours a week in a live webinar, interspersed with 5 Study Hall weeks with optional learning activities. While taking this class, participants are also expected to apply skills learned in class to their job responsibilities on a regular basis.
Managing by Network is designed for federal managers, specialists, coordinators, and front-line supervisors. To facilitate peer learning, this course relies on participants who have demonstrated interest and a compelling need for training and work in positions with responsibilities that include multi-agency collaboration, partnerships, community collaboration, and/or tribal consultation.
Each session includes:
- 2 hours of live instruction, facilitated discussion, and interactive exercises. Some sessions also include guest speakers and case study presentations.
- Optional pre-webinar assignments that take about 10-30 mins to complete.
- Access to course materials, resources and links.
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Participation Requirements
Course requirements:
- Attend 10 or more live webinars to earn a certificate of course completion. Participants will not receive a certificate by completing self-study in place of attending 10 or more live webinars.
- Complete an individual Training Needs Self-Assessment and Course Evaluation; each survey takes about 20-30 minutes. Self-Assessment results serve as a benchmark for course participants and enable us to tailor the course to meet the training needs of the incoming class.
Voluntary learning and development activities:
- Self-Study allows participants to catch up on missed sessions or take a deeper dive into course materials. Note that self-study does not take the place of the course requirement to attend 10 live webinars.
- Pre-webinar materials provide a context for webinar discussion, and completing these assignments will enrich class discussions and peer-learning.
- Homework exercises are additional opportunities to learn skills, assess gaps, and apply knowledge from the course.
- Networking sessions provide a forum for engaging with peers and instructors outside of class time and exploring topics of interest to you.
Case Study Program:
- Up to 12 participants will have the option to present a peer-to-peer Case Study in class. Case study presenters share their aspirations and lessons learned about their work in partnerships and community collaboration.
- Case Study presentations are voluntary and not required for course completion. Case Study presenters do qualify for an Honors certificate of completion.
- Presentations promote peer-learning and networking, and are posted to the Academy's case study catalog of more than 200 presentations.
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Course Completion and Certificates
- Participants who attend 10 or more live Managing by Network webinars are awarded a certificate of completion as an official record of 38 hours of training in 22 partnership and community collaboration competencies defined by OPM.
- Participants who present a Case Study are awarded a certificate with honors.
- Participants who attend or complete 15 or more webinars (attend a minimum of 10 live and complete live or self-study up to 15) are awarded a certificate with honors.
- Participants will not receive a certificate by completing self-study in place of attending 10 live webinars.
- Agencies may have their own policies and procedures regarding attendance. Please review your attendance obligations with your assigned Managing by Network Training Coordinator. The acceptance of a scholarship obligates the recipient to fulfill the course requirements, on behalf of their work unit. In the event that a scholarship recipient needs to withdraw from the course, prior to completing certificate requirements, work unit reimbursement of the scholarship may apply, per agency policy.
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Tuition
Tuition for 2023 is $2,000. Scholarships are available. Learn more about tuition.
Contact us for more information.
Managing by Network Gets Results
The Academy’s goal is to improve the level of preparedness and self-confidence of all course participants working directly or indirectly with partners, permittees and community stakeholders.
Since the first Managing by Network course in 2008, more than 1,100 federal, state have graduated. , county, and nonprofit employees
In the past decade, we have found that:
- Graduates place a high value on learning from the diverse representation of public agencies and building their professional network.
- More than 90 percent of course participants apply course content daily, weekly and monthly.
- Our course evaluation results illustrate a proven track record in shifting participants’ change in preparedness before and after the course.
Find more recommended training related to partnerships and community collaboration responsibilities.
Managing by Network is cohosted by:
- Partnership and Community Collaboration Academy
- BLM National Training Center and National Conservation Lands and Community Partnerships Directorate
- DOI Office of Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution
- NPS Stewardship Institute
- USACE Collaboration and Public Participation Center of Expertise
- USFS National Partnership Office
- USFWS National Conservation Training Center