Leadership Institute

Essentials of Leadership

Learning Formats: Classroom; Comparable Web-Based Course is Core Skills for Building Commitment

Skill Practice Course (Optional)

Order No. IMEX101

This Course is a Prerequisite for Most Leadership Courses.

The essence of being an effective people leader lies in establishing good interpersonal work relationships and having the ability to spark action in others.

This foundation course for most Interaction Management courses teaches leaders how to get results through people. During the course, they learn a set of essential skills to meet both practical business needs and people’s personal needs. Learners acquire a set of proven interaction skills, discover seven Leadership Imperatives for meeting today’s challenges, and realize their role as a catalyst leader -- a leader who inspires others to act.

Do You Face Any of These Issues?

  • Are your leaders lacking basic, yet essential, interaction skills?
  • Do they need help engaging others to achieve organization results?
  • Does your organization need a fast-paced, engaging way to introduce foundation interaction skills?

Performance Objectives

Helps leaders:

  • Multiply their effectiveness by motivating their team and helping people to be more effective.
  • Accomplish more in interactions in less time, while enhancing interpersonal relationships.
  • Help people enhance their performance by providing them with feedback they are willing to accept and upon which they are able to act.

Primary Competency Developed

  • Building Strategic Working Relationships

Secondary Competencies Developed

  • Communication
  • Gaining Commitment

Course Overview

  • The Challenge of Leadership Today: Learners view video of a leader facing common challenges and not the challenges they see that reverberate in their own workplace. They are introduced to the Leadership Imperatives, the critical skills for a successful leader. Learners are then introduced to the concept of the leader as a catalyst and complete a self-check to assess their current leadership style.
  • The Interaction Process: Learners become familiar with the Interaction Process, which combines essential skills that a leader must use to ensure the success of every interaction.
  • Key Principles: Leaders explore the five Key Principles—tools to meet people’s personal needs. A discovery-learning, small-group activity increases learners’ understanding of the Key Principles. A video-based activity has learners craft responses to challenging situations using multiple Key Principles.
  • Interaction Guidelines and Process Skills: Participants gain a better understanding of how to meet individuals’ practical needs by using the Interaction Guidelines and process skills. They are introduced to the Discussion Planner. Learners practice a discussion using their new skills (optional).
  • Feedback Essentials: Learners discover that feedback can be a powerful tool to help improve performance, so they then practice identifying effective feedback. Participants are introduced to the STAR concept, a model for providing both positive and developmental feedback. They discuss the importance of seeking feedback.
  • Send Off: Planning and Close: Learners develop a plan to apply their new skills back in the work place.

Video Segment Summary

  • A video illustrates the challenges leaders face in their role.
  • Scenarios give learners opportunities to practice using Key Principles.
  • (Optional) Dr. Jonas Salk uses a catalyst approach to energize his team.

Course Details

  • Target Audience: Informal leaders and frontline leaders through mid-level managers.
  • Course length: 3 hours, 30 minutes. Course can be lengthened with optional activities.
  • Learning formats: Classroom, and comparable web-based course is Core Skills for Building Commitment.
  • Facilitator certification: DDI-certified facilitator required.
  • Prerequisites: None.
  • Series: Suitable for all environments. A manufacturing version is also available. Optional activities are available for leaders in health care environments.
  • Group size: 8 to 16 people.
  • Prework: Optional. 20 minutes.

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