What Are ECQs?

Professional development is something we all strive for, but at times it can seem somewhat nebulous — how do we know we’re improving, and how can we keep track of the progress we’ve made? Just as importantly, how can we demonstrate to our organizations or supervisors that we’ve been making concrete progress in particular skill areas?

Fortunately for government employees, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has a system to help leaders learn and grow in a structured and measurable manner. For the members of the Senior Executive Service (SES), OPM has established five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) that cover the various areas that SES members need to be competent to lead effectively. These areas are: Leading Change; Leading People; Results Driven; Business Acumen; and Building Coalitions.

When an executive applies for a government job, a review board assesses their qualifications in reference to the five ECQs, looking for proficiency in each of the five based on the candidate’s experience. Anyone seeking an executive position in the federal government, then, needs to have a resume and professional history that demonstrate experience in each of the five areas.

So how can candidates ensure that they’re meeting ECQ requirements? They can check that their professional development activities are aligned with growth in each ECQ.

Both of the 2022 NextGen Government Training Summits will offer the chance to do exactly that. With breakout sessions intentionally mapped to each of the five ECQs, the Summits will be an efficient and effective way to gain relevant, resume-enhancing experience. You may attend a breakout session centered around mindful leadership that can help attendees grow in the ‘Leading People’ ECQ. Or you might opt to participate in a project management best practices session that offers development in the ‘Results Driven’ ECQ.

You’ll also be mailed your NextGen Workbook which is organized by ECQ and contains in-depth materials and worksheets aligned to each of the five ECQs.

Whether you’re currently a member of the SES, hopes to be one day or simply want to work on your leadership skills, the NextGen Summits will be a great place to learn, grow, connect with peers and build a history of ECQ-relevant training.