Preparing for Leadership: What It Takes to Take the Lead

This leadership training course is uniquely designed to help leaders-to-be get ready for their new challenges and responsibilities. You'll discover the heart, soul and mind of true leadership. Through role-playing, self-assessment tests and other leadership training scenarios, you'll explore leadership roles as strategist, change agent, coach, manager, communicator, mentor and team member. And you'll learn how to develop your unique leadership style for maximum impact.

• Understand what a leader is…and is not
• Project a more dynamic image
• Discover your own unique leadership style
• Determine which leadership attributes you already possess
• Apply lessons learned through leadership training to take on your first leadership position with greater confidence
• Get noticed by learning how to look and talk like a leader
• Find out what people expect and respect in a leader
• Apply lessons learned through leadership training to refine your skills in gaining and using power and influence positively
• Learn how to motivate a team, including “difficult people”
• Protect yourself against the pitfalls of intra-organizational politics

Is There a Leader in You?

• Discuss which qualities senior management looks for in candidates for leadership positions
• Understand the challenges you will face as a leader

What Do Leaders Talk About?

• Discover your leadership style
• Learn to adapt your style to the needs of others

What Is Your Leadership Image?

• Describe how to project the positive professional image of a leader

How Can You Build Your Influence and Power?

• Illustrate ways that leaders can build their power and influence

How Can You Develop Key Relationships?

• Identify the strategic alliances you need to build

How Should You Handle Organizational Politics?

• Explain strategies for getting others to support your agenda

How Can You Motivate People?

• Assess the things that really motivate

Methods to Approach the First Day, Week, Month and Year of Leadership

• Design your strategies for being noticed and selected to be a leader

Is There a Leader in You?

• Discuss Which Qualities Senior Management Looks for in Candidates for Leadership Positions
• Explain What Followers Expect from Their Leaders
• Identify Your Major Strengths and Areas for Improvement as a Leader
• Build Your Leadership Development Plan Using the Leadership Model

What Do Leaders Talk About?

• Assess Your Own Leadership Style
• Develop the Most Effective Leadership Style for Your Position
• Identify and Use Effective Communication Patterns
• Identify the Types of Subjects Leaders Discuss
• Create a Vision, Set Direction and Give Instructions That Are Understood and Followed
• Explain the Benefits of Vision, Mission, and Values Statements That Are Thoroughly Implemented

What Is Your Leadership Image?

• Project the Positive Professional Image of a Leader
• Understand the Importance of Trust and Its Effects on Followers
• Build Relationships of Trust with Those You Lead

How Can You Build Your Influence and Power?

• Identify a Leader’s Sources of Power and Influence
• Describe Ways That Leaders Can Build Their Power and Influence
• Expand Your Power Network By Developing Key Relationships
• Understand the Limitations on the Use of Your Power and Influence
• List the Traps to Avoid in Using Power

How Should You Use Organizational Politics?

• Differentiate Between Good Politics and Bad Politics
• Explain Why Leaders Must Understand and Participate in Organizational Politics
• Describe How Leaders Develop and Advance Their Leadership Agenda
• Explain Strategies for Getting Others to Support Your Agenda
• Cope with and Survive the Agendas of Adversaries

How Can You Motivate People?

• Explain the Things That Really Motivate People
• List the Factors That Make People Act the Way They Do
• Explain How to Handle Former Peers Who Resist Your Authority
• Describe How to Handle Difficult People

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Position Yourself to Compete for Leadership Assignments
• Deploy Your Strengths and Maximize Your Potential
• Avoid Pitfalls and Overcome Obstacles
• Build Your Power, Prestige, and Political Savvy
• Survive Organizational Politics
• Create a Plan to Transform Yourself into a Leader

LESSON ONE

Is There a Leader in You?

• Describe the Qualities Senior Management Looks for in Candidates for Leadership Positions
• Explain What Followers Expect from Leaders
• Identify Your Major Strengths and Areas for Improvement as a Leader
• Describe the Importance of Trust and Its Effects on Followers

LESSON TWO

Your Leadership Style

• Identify the Four Leadership Styles
• Assess Your Leadership Style
• Develop the Most Effective Leadership Style for Your Position

What Do Leaders Talk About?

• Identify and Use Effective Communication Patterns
• Identify the Types of Subjects Leaders Discuss
• Create a Vision, Set Direction, and Give Instructions That Are Understood and Followed
• Explain the Benefits of Vision, Mission, and Values Statements That Are Thoroughly Implemented
• Project the Image and Speak the Language of a Leader

 What Is Your Leadership Image?

• Project the Image of a Leader

LESSON THREE

How Can You Build Your Influence and Power?

• Describe Ways That Leaders Can Build Their Power and Influence
• Expand Your Power Network By Developing Key Relationships
• Understand Precautions to Take in Exercising Power and Influence

 How Should You Handle Organizational Politics?

• Differentiate Between Good Politics and Bad Politics
• Explain Why Leaders Must Understand and Participate in Organizational Politics
• Describe How Leaders Develop and Advance Their Leadership Agenda
• Explain Strategies for Getting Others to Support Your Agenda
• Cope with and Survive the Agendas of Adversaries

How Can You Motivate People?

• Explain the Things That Really Motivate People
• List the Factors That Make People Act the Way They Do
• Explain How to Handle Former Peers Who Resist Your Authority
• Describe How to Handle Difficult People