Heartland CPM Curriculum

The Competency-Based Curriculum Model

The program's curriculum is based on the leading research in leadership and management theory.  In the classroom we provide the practical application, hands-on approaches, and the tools to bring the theory to life.  CPM participants are challenged to apply the skills and knowledge learned each month to the day-to-day operations of their organizations. 

CPM Competencies
National CPM Competencies

Seven Core Competencies

The Heartland Certified Public Manager® curriculum is designed to reflect the management skills and competencies needed to successfully manage projects, people, policies, and programs in today's public sector workplace. 

The program is built around the seven core competencies of: 

Personal & Organizational Integrity

  • Models and encourages high standards of honesty and integrity.
  • Promotes ethical practices in all organizational activities
  • Able to identify potential ethical problems and conflicts of interest

Managing Work

  • Managing and improving work processes
  • Demonstrating technical competence
  • Setting priorities
  • Achieving results
  • Utilizing resources effectively
  • Using effective problem solving skills
  • Generating, collecting and analyzing information
  • Basing decisions on analysis of data
  • Challenging status quo
  • Ensuring knowledge management processes

Leading People

  • Demonstrating positive interpersonal skills: facilitating, motivating, coaching
  • Managing conflict
  • Developing organizational capacity
  • Sponsoring, developing and leading teams
  • Facilitating change and transition
  • Building networks
  • Delegating and collaborating
  • Empowering others
  • Understanding others
  • Respecting others
  • Influencing others
  • Managing meetings effectively
  • Creating learning organizations

Developing Self

  • Assessing oneself
  • Understanding Emotional Intelligence
  • Developing and implementing personal improvement plans
  • Demonstrating positive values: integrity, honesty, respect
  • Making effective presentations
  • Understanding the political environment
  • Acting appropriately
  • Thinking creatively and challenging assumptions
  • Demonstrating critical thinking skills

Systematic Integration

  • Approaches planning, decision-making and implementation from an enterprise perspective
  • Understanding internal and external relationships that impact the organization.

Public Service Focus

  • Delivering superior services to the public and internal and external recipients.
  • Identifies customer/clients and other stakeholders.
  • Integrates customer/client needs and expectations into development and delivery of services
  • Improves the quality of services, product, and processes on an ongoing basis.

Change Leadership

  • Acts as a change agent with emphasis on fostering creativity, innovation and being proactive.
  • Supports change within the organization by implementing strategies to help others adapt to changes in the work environment.

Heartland CPM Information

Questions? - Heartland Certified Public Manager ® (CPM)

Kate Nygren, Associate Director, Education Programs
knygren@ku.edu