The Management Skills Assessment Program (MSAP) is designed to strengthen the engagement and preparation of high potential UC supervisors, managers, and professionals. It offers an intensive, off-site, assessment center experience for early career managers.
The program guides participants through a series of structured exercises observed by trained assessors who offer feedback about observed strengths and development areas. Subsequent, collaborative work after the program between the assessee participant and his/her sponsoring manager fine tunes a professional development plan designed to optimize assessment feedback.
Developing Management Potential
The Management Skills Assessment Program (MSAP) is a highly successful program offered throughout the UC system for more than 20 years. UC participates in the Southern Region of California with UC campuses in our area. MSAP is designed to assess, on an individual basis, the management skills of UC supervisors and managers. The program enables participants to identify managerial strengths, gain information on skills they need to improve, learn about the range of skills necessary for effective management, practice these skills in a supportive environment, and work with a manager trained to identify professional development activities. Participants demonstrate management skills in role-playing exercises that simulate typical management activities. The participant works with their assessors to design an individualized development plan based on the assessment of strengths and improvement opportunities.
MSAP is based on an Assessment Center approach that integrates personnel from across UC departments, sites, and hierarchy to assess core competencies that have been identified as essential for UC managers. It contributes a unique value by using integrated assessment centers to change and foster organizational culture.
The program has been designed to:
- Transfer institutional knowledge and build leadership skills in our emerging workforce
- Promote assumption of more responsibility and more participatory roles in decision-making
- Enhance participants’ sense of leadership
- Strengthen skills for managing complexity and plurality
- Strengthen interpersonal and communication skills
- Improve constructive engagement between managers and subordinates
Build and sustain a sense of belonging (community) and purpose (alignment with our mission)
Overview of Program Components
The assessment center model brings together UC employees to perform two roles – assessors and assessees. Assessors arrive at the residential retreat location in advance to receive extensive training in the use of objective behavioral feedback. They are paired to work with a small set of assessees who arrive subsequently. During the next several days, assessees engage in a number of structured exercises, and their assessors observe and provide timely feedback. Near the end of the week, assessees receive a summary report of their strengths and improvement opportunities that they are encouraged to share with their managers when they return to work. Each is also encouraged to create and implement a professional development plan in partnership with their managers.
The program is best suited for high-potential individuals who have a demonstrated management career path. Applicants must have one or more years of service at UC (past probation, career status) as of the application deadline. Supervisor support is essential to the success of MSAP. Highest priority will be given to individuals with:- Demonstrated management career path (through education and/or experience)
- One to five years of experience supervising or managing people or projects
- One to five years in current job
- ____ Assistant III Supervisor equivalent or above
Assessors have found the MSAP experience to be valuable, personally and professionally, in addition to providing support to junior managers. Assessors receive a 2-day training prior to the program and additional training on-site to prepare them for their role. Assessors are expected to be experienced managers who meet most of the following criteria:
- Coaching experience
- Employee development experience
- Experience leading or working with groups
- Ability to commit to attending two MSAP programs with two years
- PSS IV, equivalent or above (UCSB’s criteria)
Online Assessee Application and Other Program Information
To apply online and see full details about the program, visit http://msap.ucr.edu. Questions? Please contact Melinda Crawford at melinda.crawford@hr.ucsb.edu or x5781.