"LEADERSHIP EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT"
(LEAD)
IS designed specifically for women
in community and 4-year colleges.
This program was originally designed at the request of women enrolled at a Connecticut community college. These students voiced compelling personal reasons for becoming leaders.
They wanted to:
lead change in their communities
fight for their children in the school system
advocate for their parents in the medical system
build self-confidence and self-esteem
give back to those who helped them along the way
At graduation from this three-month program, these students walked onto the stage with total confidence, grasped the microphone and told their proud families and friends that this leadership development experience changed their lives.
Program Overview
Students participate in experiential classroom sessions for 7 hours every other Saturday over a 12 week period.
Classroom sessions feature leadership knowledge, skill, and attitude building activities, social action team projects, as well as on-going exploration of each student’s leadership identity. Sessions are facilitated by local women leaders who guide participants to further their work readiness and to view leadership from business, community and professional perspectives.
Topics include:
Discover Your Leadership Identity
Neutralize Gender Bias
Develop Leadership Presence
Master Leadership Communication Skills
Cultivate Cultural Awareness
Enhance Assertiveness Skills
Build Your Leadership Network
Lead Without Authority
Develop Problem-solving Skills
Handle Conflict with Courage
Negotiating Skills
Lead Social Change Ethically
Students are supported in their social action team projects by mentors who help them become aware of their leadership impact on the project and develop insight into their evolving leadership identities.
Pre and post-program leadership assessments provide a quantitative measure of student leadership growth. We use a widely respected instrument designed specifically for college student leaders based on The Social Change Model of Leadership Development and a leadership skills development model for emerging leaders designed specifically for "Leadership Exploration and Development."
3 FEATURES THAT DRIVE our program's success:
Our definitions of leadership and the Social Change Model of Leadership Development speak passionately to our audience of emerging women leaders.
This 'Women Only' program creates a safe space and a cohesive learning environment for women to explore their identities, purpose and potential as leaders.
Gender bias is explored to guide women to develop their identities as leaders and maintain leadership effectiveness when confronted by gender bias.