A WCO Leadership and Management Development Workshop was organized in the Americas Region for the benefit of the Customs Administration of Chile. The event was held in Valparaiso, Chile from December 3 to 13, 2012.
The Workshop was delivered to 18 senior managers from different customs areas and from various regions of the country.
The facilitators, Mr. Daniel Perrier, WCO Secretariat, Ms. Claudia Delgado, Spanish Tax and Customs Agency and Mr. Francois Brassard, Canada Border Services Agency, delivered this workshop that covered concepts or technical knowledge but also practical exercises on a number of modern management practices. The event also aimed to develop the personal skills and self-awareness of participants, in an effort to strengthen their leadership qualities.
Throughout the event, attendees were able to learn and exchange on a wide range of topics related to strategic management and leadership, including visioning, communications, negotiations, the promotion of integrity in the workplace, people management, and change management. Participants were also given opportunities to learn about their management style through a number of interactive role plays and exercises. During the WCO LMD workshop, participants are invited to focus on their individual approach and values as managers, leading them to identify their development needs.
The participants expressed great satisfaction with the workshop and acknowledged that the interactive and practical approach was very conducive to learning. They also confirmed that the concepts presented during the event were of relevance to their work as Customs managers.
While recognizing that skills and technical knowledge are essential to their work, many participants highlighted the importance to develop their emotional intelligence through greater self-awareness.
Chile Customs expressed appreciation for the efforts deployed by the WCO in this important area of development and considered this opportunity as very useful in the context of the ongoing efforts by the administration to implement its Strategic Plan 2012-2016.
Members interested in benefitting from this programme are invited to contact the Capacity Building Directorate.