An essential part of management, leadership helps focus an organization’s efforts so that they are more productive and get closer to its goals. To accomplish its goals, an organization needs a leader who can articulate its vision, inspire its members to work together, and chart a course to success. This ability is valuable in many fields, including politics, teaching, management, business, entrepreneurship, sports, and community service.
One of the most malleable or soft talents that companies look for in prospective employees is the ability to take charge and steer a group toward success. Leaders help build cohesive teams in the workplace and see them through to fruition, so assuring the successful completion of projects, initiatives, and other activities.
If the job seeker is searching for positions that need him to be a leader, such as a manager or supervisor, then he should be aware of his leadership qualities and highlight them in his CV.
Whether leadership is innate or acquired is a central subject in the field of leadership studies. Leadership training is useful regardless of whether or not this issue is ever answered. You may take classes to figure out how good a leader you are, study up on management techniques, and get suggestions from those who have been in your shoes.
There is a positive return on investment (ROI) for businesses who engage in leadership development for their employees, yet investing in leadership development may be costly. It’s common practice for executive coaches to demand exorbitant rates, and this is true both in Nigeria and elsewhere.
Fortunately, several highly regarded colleges now offer free online programs in leadership, so you may get started in this area even if your employer doesn’t. An overview of eight introductory leadership programs is provided below.
Using Leadership Skills, Harvard University
The purpose of this introductory, four-week Harvard University course is to teach participants how to adapt their leadership style to a dynamic and changing global environment. Ron Heifetz, creator of the Center for Public Leadership and senior professor at the Harvard Kennedy School, presents Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles. Skills in problem recognition and resolution, authority comprehension, stakeholder identification, relationship development, and conflict management. The time commitment for this self-paced course averages out to around three hours each week.
Course on Leadership, Teamwork, and Negotiation for High Performance at Northwestern University
Participants in this free Northwestern University online course gain insight into their own leadership styles via a series of self-reflective exercises. This course is one of several offered as part of the university’s Organizational Leadership Specialization, which also covers topics including leadership communication, social impact, and the leadership roles played by marketers and designers. On average, the first course will take you 14 hours to finish. Classes meet regularly on alternate Mondays.
UW Press: Inspiring Words: Ceremonial and Motivational Addresses
The University of Washington provides a no-cost online course titled Speaking to Inspire: Ceremonial and Motivational Speeches to teach professionals how to write and deliver inspiring addresses. The fundamentals of narrative, diction, and oratory are covered in this basic seminar. Students spend roughly 16 hours on it, recording speeches and providing and receiving comments on the presentations of their peers.
Responsible Choices and Their Effects on Society and the Natural World, Georgetown University
One of the cornerstones of being a good leader is gaining an appreciation for the morality of major choices. Georgetown University’s Ethical Decision-Making: Cultural and Environmental Impact teaches participants about multinational firms’ ethical problems. This survey of the topic of manipulative marketing also includes instruction in the evaluation of possible regulatory constraints. John Kline, a professor of international business diplomacy at Georgetown University, leads the 9-week course, which requires between three to five hours of student time every week.
University of Stanford: Structured Analysis
Stanford University offers a foundational course that introduces students to the major theories of organizational behavior and transformation. The Organizational Analysis course covers a broad range of institutions, from public and private schools and governments to tech companies and academic institutions. Students will learn how to assess organizational problems and plan corrective measures to get them back on track for success. This course is taught by Daniel A. McFarland, a professor of education, sociology, and organizational behavior, and lasts for 10 weeks. At the conclusion of the training, participants are required to pass an examination.
Create Your Own Leadership Model at Indiana University
Academics have identified various leadership styles or classes, yet every leader has unique qualities. Self-awareness, EQ, and values are all good areas for participants to focus on in Developing Your Personal Leadership Style. The course, taught by three professors from the Indiana University School of Business, places an equal amount of emphasis on both the ability to communicate effectively and to effectively manage others. The online course may be finished in four weeks with a time commitment of two to three hours each week. In this lesson, students are exposed to instruments that may be used to conduct a self-evaluation of their leadership abilities.
Management Institute for Tomorrow
Students in this Massachusetts Institute of Technology-hosted class get insight into their own leadership skills through peer mentoring and critique. The curriculum includes readings, role plays, experiential activities, and journaling. The topics discussed in this independent study of leadership include leadership models, interpersonal communication, situational leadership, persuasion, and choice making.
Intercultural Communication and Conflict Resolution at the University of California, Irvine
As the world economy becomes more interconnected, the ability to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries is becoming a need. Students in the University of California, Irvine’s International Communication and Conflict Resolution course learn about the role of communication in resolving international disputes and how to avoid making broad assumptions about other cultures. Students get an understanding of cultural diversity and develop skills in analyzing cross-cultural exchanges. This course is one of three that make up the university’s Conflict Management Specialization; the others are longer (eight and ten weeks, respectively).
