There remains a void in teaching our emerging leaders the fundamentals of true Servant Leadership, not just in a business setting, but in how they interact with their world. Leadership is NOT just about business and it is NOT just for those “in charge of others.” It is based on how we interact with those in our own circle of relationships. Everyone is a leader to someone. People provide leadership in places they may not even comprehend; sports teams are indirectly led by certain players; older sisters and brothers lead younger siblings in the home; informal leaders roam the hallway of the office. No one can escape the reality of leadership and the role it plays in our lives. How that reality is viewed and cultivated will determine the influence the individual ultimately has on those that are directly, and indirectly, impacted. We all have some measure of influence on other people and things in our lives; how we choose to use that influence, or “lead,” will ultimately determine the success of the group, organization or ecosystem in which we reside.
We demand that our leaders embrace this influence they possess NOW and develop an understanding of what it means to LEAD through strength of character and authentic principles and values. We believe that this type of leadership is a skill that can be taught using tools, techniques, real-life experiences from others and, most importantly, creating self-awareness of the innate desire that we all have to interact in this fashion with others. It does not have to be left to chance. This teaching can help showcase how each leader’s capabilities, no matter how experienced, include the seeds of these very skills. All it takes is a willing participant having the appropriate desire taking the appropriate actions.
Our six-month course will focus on defining what that type of leadership looks like, how to utilize principles of effective leadership, tools for applying these fundamentals and a practicum that will provide a basic insight into how leadership skills are used and how these leadership components might apply.
Employee Engagement & Awareness Course Outline
The student will be immersed in an interactive environment and prompted to engage in topics that help open the mind and heart to concepts that can truly change the employee engagement culture of a company. Examples of topics that are addressed in the Creating Awareness course are:
The conscious process of skill development
How do people learn? If we are conscious of the stages of skills development, can we create a relationship with each individual that accepts where they are in the development process and become a better coach and leader for them? If we are aware of where WE are as individuals in our learning and development, can we consciously move through the stages with confidence and acceptance?
Resolved fundamentals of leadership
What if we can take simple concepts of human interaction and actually improve the leadership skills in a tangible, measurable way? What if we could directly impact and influence our environment through the utilization of basic leadership fundamentals and create a more engaged employee environment?
Leading people versus managing things
The old cliché of "managers are built and leaders are born" does NOT have to be true. Leadership through serving others and creating real engagement is a skill that can be learned. What if your teams worked in concert to serve their co-workers and associates, embracing diversity and purpose, and achieved greater success through this collaborative process?
Getting the best from others and yourself
Servant leadership is built on the premise that we hope to be the best PERSON that we can be in our leadership role while striving to get the most from others. These concepts are not only optimal but critical to establishing highly productive teams that work together and understand their roles. Not all people are equally skilled or have the same personalities; this is why we embrace diversity of, not only background but of thinking.
Decision making and consensus building
Decisions must be made by people accountable for outcomes; however, today’s workplace, with its diverse population, has many opportunities to change and improve direction through effective decision making. Do we think through our decisions with our community or are our minds made up based on our own experiences? The opportunity for organizational growth comes from embracing the thoughts and opinions of our people and acting based on new information that is always presenting itself.
Real-world experience
As part of the Resolved Leadership Academy, students are also required to complete a project at the end of the course that showcases what they have learned. Through a hands-on, team-oriented approach, students are evaluated by a set of experienced executives to measure their growth and ability to foster an environment that can help truly achieve employee engagement within their sphere of influence within the organization.