NYCHA Senior Counsel Completes City Management Academy Program

The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services’ (DCAS) Management Academy is a monthslong program that aims to provide participants with the strategies, skills, and acumen to meet the demands of managing in a City government environment.  

Glenn Friedman, a Senior Counsel in NYCHA’s Law Department, was among the approximately two dozen City employees who recently completed the latest cohort of the competitive academy. Participants include mid-level managers and emerging leaders – some relatively new to City government – who are selected for the training in fundamental management principles and best practices.  

“I appreciated NYCHA nominating me for the Management Academy and allowing me to enhance my professional growth as a manager,” said Mr. Friedman, who serves in the Law Department’s Real Estate and Economic Development division. “To be selected for a program that has gone on for over 20 years and has hundreds of graduates, it’s rewarding.” 

The academy classes, held at the DCAS offices in Manhattan, focused on helping the employees develop practical skills in managing people, improving their understanding of both formal and informal government processes, and exposing them to innovative management practices used within City agencies. Seeking to increase trainees’ knowledge of City services, the course included a site visit to DCAS’ Fleet Management division as part of the latest cohort.   

Mr. Friedman, who has more than 20 years of City government experience, previously worked for the Department of City Planning before joining the NYCHA team in December 2015. After rising to a management-level position with the Law Department in 2021, Mr. Friedman currently supervises four staff attorneys in a division which oversees legal matters related to real estate transactions, economic development, corporate governance, and land use.     

Fresh off graduation from the Management Academy, Mr. Friedman said the program fulfilled his expectations of interacting with fellow government employees from across the city, as well as instructors from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Those leading the sessions included outside consultants and commissioners from DCAS, the Administration for Children’s Services, and the Department of Veterans’ Services.  

Among the various lessons emphasized for the managers were team-building, interacting with staff on a one-to-one basis, encouraging a work-life balance, treating any setbacks as learning opportunities, and creating a comfortable environment for staff to raise issues or concerns at meetings.  

“A high-performing team is one that’s committed to a common purpose and common goals, and in which everyone holds themselves mutually accountable,” said Mr. Friedman, referencing the training. “When people feel more comfortable in a setting and feel that they won’t be criticized for speaking up, then you’ll receive more honest feedback.”     

For Mr. Friedman, one of the key highlights of the academy experience was the opportunity to network and develop lasting bonds with fellow City employees. 

“After 10 weeks with this group of people, we became really close and I do feel like I got to know the individuals from the other agencies quite well,” he said.  

Thanks to the specialized training that has equipped him with management best practices, Mr. Friedman has begun to apply some of its teachings – and he encourages others looking to improve their leadership skills to consider joining the DCAS Management Academy.    

“I think it was more than helpful for me, and I will definitely use a lot of the information that was conveyed,” he concluded.