Leadership Essentials

  • course details
  • Dates and time: 6 – 8 p.m., two evenings per week, October 2024 (dates to be announced), registration in September
  • Location: Online, instructor-led live sessions
  • Number of sessions: 4 sessions
  • Instructional fee: $495, reduced fees available (see Cost section below for details)
  • Format: Zoom videoconference

This new course will help you develop the skills and abilities of new and emerging leaders with an emphasis on interaction foundations and frameworks required to lead diverse and dynamic work teams.

What you will learn

  • How to apply key principles to create and sustain personal connections, encourage two-way communication, strengthen relationships and build trust,
  • How to use interaction guidelines for more effective interpersonal interactions,
  • How to analyze ego states and the inherent variation among individuals.

Who should attend

Working professionals who are in emerging roles as front-line leaders (including technical or business professionals who are relatively new to leading teams) or experienced leaders who need to sharpen their skills relative to team leadership and ways to address new challenges.

Course content

This course covers the following:

  1. Introductions and leadership foundations
    • Meet your classmates
    • Effective leadership essentials
    • New/emerging leadership transformation
  2. Developing your team
    • Assessing bench strength
    • Modes of communication
    • Ego states
  3. Effective communication and driving change
    • Interaction guidelines
    • Building and sustaining trust
    • Initiating and sustaining change
  4. Leadership frameworks
    • Identity/role theory
    • Empathy listening
    • Project report-out

Applied learning model

You are encouraged to bring a change initiative you are currently working on. This course will conclude with a collaborative brainstorming session to explore solutions for your initiatives and discover opportunities for improvement.

Jay Schmidt

Instructor

Jay Schmidt is a leader in the high-technology manufacturing sector of SW Washington. He holds MBA and Bachelor of Science degrees from Concordia University and has held board leadership positions in Aerospace, Defense, Unmanned Systems & Electronics Manufacturing industry organizations.

Cost

The instructional fee is $495. There are limited number of seats available for employees of small businesses with fewer than 150 employees ($248), non-profits and educational institutions ($124), and for current WSU students ($50) and employees ($124). All instructional fees are per person and include a nonrefundable administrative fee of $75. See Registration for details.

The registration fee is the same regardless of residence.

Meetings and format

The course consists of Zoom videoconference meetings with live instruction. To attend via Zoom, you will need a computer with webcam, microphone and high-speed internet.

Each Zoom session allows for live interactions with the instructor and other students via chat, web conferencing or phone, all in real time. Assignments and other materials will be available online through a web-based learning management system.

Certificate completion

  • Attend at least three of four sessions