Situation
Since 2016, People Measures has delivered an EL2 Talent Development Program for one of the large APS agencies, from initial co-design, through to delivery and evaluation. The 6-month program provides an evidence-based pathway for developing the next generation of senior leaders within the APS. It is underpinned by adaptive leadership and adult development principles, and challenges participants to examine their assumptions, operate with greater courage, and lead more effectively in uncertain environments.
Results
As of December 2025, the program has supported over 350 high performing EL2s to develop skills for success in enterprise-level leadership roles at the SES level. Two more programs are running in 2026. Since its inception, the program has strengthened the APS’s senior executive leadership pipeline by broadening the leadership scope for EL2 participants, enabling a shift from (typically) technically focused team managers into to strategic influencers and leaders of complex national and international challenges.
In 2025 Monash Business School conducted a comprehensive independent evaluation of the program’s effectiveness using data collected from all participants during that year. Below are three excerpts from the evaluation report they delivered to an agency in December 2025:
- “The EL2 Talent Development Program is highly effective in developing the current generation of leaders for the broader APS. Overall, the data shows:
- the program is having a significant and measurable impact on EL2 capability
- significant growth in leadership self-efficacy
- increased courage and willingness to take leadership risks
- participants are increasingly taking responsibility for developing others
- the program has clarified Senior Executive Service (SES) expectations and lifted aspirations
- strong, trusted, cross-agency networks have emerged within the cohort
- participants are proud of their development.”
- “In particular, the findings indicate that the program is contributing to improvements in key APS capability metrics including:
- leadership and culture by building collaborative relationships between leaders and providing tools to assist with tough conversations across the organisation
- collaboration by providing a learning space for the broader APS leaders to practice shared decision making, build trust, and break down silos between agency leaders
- delivery through the Live Case Study where EL2s engage with the end users to develop innovative solutions to complex problems.”
- “Overall, this is a highly effective program for building the next generation of senior leaders across the broader APS. Participants emerged from the program more confident, more connected, more self-aware, and more ready to take on the responsibilities of future executive leadership.”
The above findings reflect Monash Business School’s interpretation of both quantitative measures and qualitative insights, including participant self reported experiences.
