A new section of each course starts monthly. If enrolling in a series of two or
more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two
months apart.
All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons
are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have
to be present when lessons are released. You will have access to all lessons until
the course ends. However, the interactive discussion area that accompanies each
lesson will automatically close two weeks after the lesson is released. As such,
we strongly recommend that you complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
The final exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the final
exam has been released, you will have two weeks to complete all of your course work,
including the final exam.
Week One
Wednesday - Lesson 01
Leadership Qualities and Models: Do you think you know what leadership is? In our first lesson, you'll see how many ways there are to answer that question. And you'll start to get a sense of what leaders really do. We'll begin to share our thoughts and use roles models as ways to showcase the kinds of behavior that we'll work at together. This lesson always generates lots of discussion!
Friday - Lesson 02
Leadership Responsibilities: In this thought-provoking lesson, we'll look at the responsibilities leaders have to individuals and to organizations. And you'll begin to look at some of the leadership tools we'll use in this course—readings, ideas from great leaders, and your journal—to get you thinking about what you can do to behave like a leader.
Week Two
Wednesday - Lesson 03
Value-Centered Leadership: We do what we believe in, don't we? In today's lesson, we'll look at two important aspects of leadership: Its relationship with principles and its relationship with emotional intelligence. If you've ever known someone whose behavior seemed out of touch, you'll find out why in this lesson.
Friday - Lesson 04
Leadership Self-Assessment: Leaders know themselves well, so in this lesson we'll talk about methods you can use to get to know yourself better. We'll learn about personality type assessments and behavioral assessments. This study will be particularly fun and will have an impact on your behavior in all aspects of your life.
Week Three
Wednesday - Lesson 05
Teambuilding: You probably already know that successful leaders are teambuilders, but do you know what types of teams are possible or how to build them? We'll take a closer look in today's lesson. Every one of us has been on some kind of a team, so this lesson has guidance and insights for us all.
Friday - Lesson 06
Communication: Leaders are often differentiated from others by the power of their communication skills. Today you'll get a sense of why and how when I guide you through some simple but insightful methods you can use to improve your communication skills. This lesson helps many students start changing their behavior right away!
Week Four
Wednesday - Lesson 07
Coaching or Mentoring: Today we'll begin to explore the types of behavior that successful leaders portray—leaders guide and support others by asking questions, providing advice and feedback, supporting others and building morale. This lesson will provide you with plenty of practical tips and much to think about.
Friday - Lesson 08
Behavioral Styles: If you're wondering how leaders can balance being themselves and being a public figure, this lesson will help! We'll look at something called Situational Leadership, as well as how leaders relate to organizations. This lesson will be an eye-opener!
Week Five
Wednesday - Lesson 09
Influence and Collaboration: Ready to learn more about your own behavior? Today we'll look at how leaders make decisions and influence others without forcing them. We'll answer some challenging questions, and explore some insightful guidelines, as well.
Friday - Lesson 10
Providing Strategic Vision: Everyone turns to a leader for strategic vision, but do you know how to think strategically? This is an important lesson because it takes some of the mystery out of the terms strategy and vision.
Week Six
Wednesday - Lesson 11
Creating/Changing Culture: Today we'll discuss another big topic: How leaders affect change. In this lesson, we'll look at some very specific things that leaders—and you—can do to affect change. As in all our lessons, you'll read quotes from famous writers about change and leadership that will help stimulate your own ideas.
Friday - Lesson 12
Facilitating Creative Thinking: Leaders aren't the only ones who have great new ideas, and so our course will end with a look at how leaders inspire creative thinking in others. It's a logical and fun way to end—pointing you in the direction of your own new ideas. The last thing we'll do is take a thought-provoking look at what it means to be creative.