You want to develop your leadership skills. What continuing education courses should you take?

1 Communication Skills

Communication is the foundation of effective leadership. You need to communicate your vision, expectations, feedback, and appreciation to your team, as well as listen to their ideas, concerns, and opinions. A communication skills course can help you improve your verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills, as well as your emotional intelligence and assertiveness. You can learn how to adapt your communication style to different situations, audiences, and cultures, and how to avoid common communication barriers and pitfalls.

2 Conflict Resolution

Conflict is inevitable in any workplace, and as a leader, you need to be able to handle it constructively and diplomatically. A conflict resolution course can help you understand the sources, types, and stages of conflict, and how to apply various strategies and techniques to resolve it. You can learn how to identify and address the underlying interests, needs, and emotions of the parties involved, and how to facilitate dialogue, negotiation, and collaboration. You can also learn how to prevent and manage conflict within your team, and how to deal with difficult or aggressive people.

3 Decision Making

Decision making is a critical skill for leaders, as you are often faced with complex, uncertain, and time-sensitive situations that require sound judgment and action. A decision making course can help you develop your analytical, creative, and intuitive thinking skills, and how to apply different decision making models and tools. You can learn how to define the problem, gather and evaluate information, generate and compare alternatives, and select and implement the best solution. You can also learn how to avoid common decision making biases and errors, and how to communicate and justify your decisions to others.

5 Change Management

Change management is a skill that helps you lead your team through change, whether it is organizational, technological, or cultural. A change management course can help you understand the nature, drivers, and impacts of change, and how to apply various change management models and frameworks. You can learn how to plan, implement, and sustain change initiatives, and how to overcome resistance and manage risks. You can also learn how to communicate and engage your team and stakeholders throughout the change process, and how to support their learning and development.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?