Mosaic Leadership Development program: Overview

Purpose

Equity-seeking public servants can face barriers to career progression in the Government of Canada, especially when seeking to enter the executive (EX) group. These barriers are reflected by the persistent gaps in the representation of diverse groups in the senior ranks of the federal public service.

In 2021, the Centre on Diversity and Inclusion co-developed with diverse employee networks the Mosaic Leadership Development program. Mosaic is a program for equity-seeking employees at the EX minus 1 level that aims to:

• address barriers to entering the EX-group or other EX-equivalent leadership groups
• bridge gaps in representation in the senior ranks
• level the playing field by providing access to leadership development programs and career advancement
• ensure that all employees can see themselves reflected in leadership roles in the public service
• encourage concrete actions toward increased diversity, inclusion and accessibility

Research shows that increasing diversity in the executive membership boosts an organization’s overall diversity because leaders have a significant influence on organizational culture. A senior leadership community that is diverse will accelerate the shift toward a better and more inclusive federal public service.

Vision and goal

The vision for the Mosaic Leadership Development program is for it to:

• embody the Government of Canada’s key leadership competencies and character-based competencies for executives
• be informed by research in the future of work and what will be required of future leaders

Mosaic’s goal is to help develop leaders who are:

• corporate visionaries: leaders who have expert knowledge of public service governance, policies and system-wide issues
• cultural custodians: leaders who foster inclusive environments, who have cultural and character-based competencies, and who give back through knowledge transfer and sponsorship of others
• achievers: leaders who are resilient, agile, and equipped with digital literacy skills to lead through ambiguity and into the future
• collaborators: leaders who enable collaboration, co-development of solutions and trust within the workplace to promote innovation and meaningful change

Mosaic aligns with the diversity and inclusion agenda for Canada’s federal public service.

The primary drivers behind the creation of Mosaic are:

• the Clerk’s Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service
• the priorities for action to increase diversity and inclusion in the public service announced by the President of the Treasury Board

Both prescribe the creation of initiatives to increase diversity in the senior ranks of the public service.

Mosaic has clear links to other Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat initiatives managed by the Centre on Diversity and Inclusion, such as:

• the modernization of self-identification
• the disaggregation of data
• the Mentorship Plus program
• the Federal Speakers’ Forum on Lived Experience
• the Career Pathways for Indigenous Employees

Mosaic also fulfills the enabling role that the Treasury Board Secretariat plays by providing support to organizations from recruitment and promotions to retirement.

Co-development of Mosaic

In designing the Mosaic Leadership Development program, we used an inclusive co-development approach. Co-development requires a collaborative learning space where participants apply co-development values, principles and methodologies to make improvements.

We held group discussions with executive employee networks that represent equity-seeking groups to enable them to help shape Mosaic and ensure that the program reflects the perspectives of equity-seeking employees.

Some of the employee networks that we consulted include:

• Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada
• Black Executives Network
• Champions and Chairs Circle for Indigenous Peoples
• Indigenous Executive Network
• Joint Employment Equity Committee
• LGBTQ2 Secretariat (renamed the 2SLGBTQI+ Secretariat)
• Persons with Disabilities Champions and Chairs Committee
• Positive Space Initiative
• Regional Federal Councils
• Visible Minorities Champions and Chairs Committee

We also worked in close collaboration with functional experts, including the Public Service Commission of Canada, the Canada School of Public Service, and various teams within the Treasury Board Secretariat. We engaged other organizations and committees for feedback, and we are in ongoing communication with the community of practice of Designated Senior Officials for Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.