Leadership is by far the most valuable and sought-after skill in the world of business. Nothing else comes close. There is a reason why CEOs are paid more than anyone else in the company. There are a lot of great opportunities out there, but eventually you will have to move to a leadership position if you want to further your career. It is also something that I receive the most questions about.
Learning other hard skills like finance or programming are comparatively easy because leadership is a combination of experience, psychology while also being an expert in whatever domain you are leading. Most managers learn leadership over the course of their careers but many still need a boost. Also, entrepreneurs and new managers can sometimes see themselves leading a team sooner rather than later and might need a quick lesson on how to make the best of the opportunities made available to them. If you fall into any of those categories, here are the best leadership courses and certifications handpicked for you.
1. Oxford Executive Leadership Programme
Why take this course?
Although this is an executive leadership course, it can help team leaders at all levels of their careers. Its more about leading a team and more content is devoted to that aspect of leadership rather than corporate strategy or decision making.
I think of Leadership as an acquired skill that is hard to teach in a classroom. Which is what makes this Oxford programme all the more impressive with the way they handle the topic at hand. Even subjective concepts like leadership can be taught with the right framework and the team here has done just that.
A leader must envision, engage, choose and connect. They must lead with power and influence, master complexity and plurality and build effective teams. This are the broad strokes that the course dives deeper into with analysis, articulation, identification, deduction and investigation. You can learn more about these topics by downloading the course brochure using the link below.
Click here and use code GS-AF-BBD15 for a 15% discount on this course!
There course is also part of the larger Oxford Senior Leadership Executive Programme which is a three-course leadership programme. I do recommend you check it out if you are looking for something even more thorough.
Summary
| Time to Complete | 8 weeks, 7-10 hours per week |
| Format | Self-paced, fully online |
| Level | Executive |
2. Women’s Leadership Program from Yale School of Management
Why take this course?
Even in the most progressive countries, women remain underrepresented in leadership positions. There are a lot of internal and external factors at play here and this course has been designed to help women realize their full potential as business leaders.
Self knowledge and self mastery are a main area of focus here. The course providers aim to teach you to identify, interpret, reflect and evaluate factors that they feel are necessary to create better leaders. A good leader has to identify their leadership characteristics, use their strengths and work on their weaknesses.
There are some research-based methods and techniques that enhance positive leadership that are discussed in the course. Most leadership challenges like delivering feedback, driving innovation, delivering transformation etc. are covered. You can download the course brochure using the link below to get a better picture of whats on offer before deciding to dive in.
Click here and use code GS-AF-BBD15 for a 15% discount on this course!
Summary
| Time to Complete | 6 weeks, about 7 hours per week |
| Format | Self-paced, fully online |
| Level | Executive |
3. Professional Certificate in Leadership Essentials from RIT
Why take this certification?
This certification from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York focuses on the essentials of leadership skills like decision making, goal setting, conflict management, facilitating conversations, building emotional intelligence to tackle challenges, collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving etc. These concepts are the fundamental bedrock on which business leadership is built.
The certification is divided into a couple of modules, each focusing on a specific aspect of leadership. The first module is all about critical thinking and problem solving. You learn to assess the environment, analyse the situation and then design a solution to overcome that situation in a competitive business environment. This is as fundamental as it gets.
The second module focuses on another important aspect which is effective business communication. I can tell you from personal experience that mangers spend the majority of their time communicating and effective written/ verbal communication matters far more than you’d imagine.
Collaboration and teamwork is the focus of the last module. The course is taught by top faculty from RIT and you receive a formal certification on completion. This is a great opportunity to combine quality learning with solid a CV building opportunity.
Summary
- Time to Complete: About 40-50 hours or 1-2 months depending on your pace.
- Offered fully online and on-demand. Complete at your own pace.
- Focuses on the foundational aspects of leadership and should probably be the first course you try.
4. Inspirational Leadership: Leading with Sense from HEC
Why take this course?
HEC is one of the top Business Schools in Europe and the word. Several top managers in the world of business have passed through its hallowed halls. If you are looking for a top ranked program and unmatched CV building opportunity, then this is it. This specialization gives you the opportunity to get HEC on your CV from the comfort of your home.
The course uses the same approach to leadership that is taught to HEC’s MBA and top executives. They utilize the Savoir-Relier protocol which has been used for more than 25 years and has been implemented successfully in several Global Fortune 500 companies like Apple, L’Oréal, LVMH, Sanofi or Pernod Ricard, among others.
The specialisation is divided into several modules focusing on building your leadership skills, charisma, leadership style, resilience and other positive leadership traits. The last module focuses on organizational leadership which includes creating quality intra-organizational relationships, working on group resilience and so on.
Your learning is capped by a capstone project that puts a personal leadership challenge in front of you. You’ll have to manoeuvre through this challenge using all that you have learned and earn the formal certificate on successful completion.
Summary
- Time to Complete: About 100-120 hours to complete.
- Offered fully online and on-demand. Complete at your own pace.
- A perfect opportunity to get a top B-school on your Resume.
5. The Science of Leadership
Why take this course?
If you are looking for a short but effective course to brush up on your leadership skills, look no further. This course is perfect for a new manager or Entrepreneur who is pressed for time and needs a boost to their core management/ leadership skillset.
The courses utilizes a mixture of practical experience and scientific, psychological insights to create the perfect leadership environment. Leadership and communication effectiveness are eventually dependent on psychology and this course will teach you how the human brain reacts to various stimuli to create the desired outcome.
Typic coverage includes an analysis of human brain function, personalities, triggers, experiences, effective engagement, authority, teamwork, self-evaluation, gratification techniques and a lot of other remarkably interesting concepts that I found to be quite unique and thought provoking. This is not a typical leadership course, but rather one that I consider supplemental to the others.
Summary
- Time to Complete: 3 hours of videos, plus some articles, tests and other resources.
- Offered fully online and on-demand. Complete at your own pace.
- A unique approach to the psychology behind leadership and motivation.
6. MicroMasters® Program in Business Leadership from the University of Queensland
Why take this course?
This is a MicroMasters program which is essentially a condensed version of a full-time university program designed to provide learners with a holistic learning experience from the comfort of their own home. Consequently, such programs offer unparalleled learning as well as solid CV/ brand value.
The course focuses on all the essential components of leadership. The first area of focus is effective leadership and teaching key components of effective leadership like self-efficacy, social capital and nailing down your leadership style. Next up is organizational leadership which means leading change, developing and implementing organization wide ideas and so on.
Then we move on team building and management – how to spot them, how to motivate them, and how to get the best out of your top people. The most pertinent global issues and leadership challenges are then explored along with the best strategies to tackle them. This is excellent not just for top leadership, but for anyone leading a team, no matter how small.
Lastly, you have a capstone project and a through evaluation of all that you have learned. On successful completion, you are awarded the formal Business Leadership Micromasters® Credential. Use this on your CV to showcase your skills and enhance your personal brand.
Summary
- Time to Complete: About 450 hours or 10-11 months. This is closer to a degree program.
- Offered fully online and on-demand. Complete at your own pace. This is rare for a program of this depth.
- Ideal for Business leaders looking for a fully online option to complete at their own pace.
7. Organizational Leadership Specialization from Northwestern University
Why take this certification?
From one of the top universities in the United States, comes this quintessential offering on organizational leadership. This specialization is all about building and motivating teams, designing and delivering powerful stores, developing strategies and leading your organization to success.
The specialization is divided into several modules that come together to provide a complete and holistic leadership package. The first two modules are all about high performance collaboration and effective communication. Whether it is negotiation, team motivation, collaboration or impactful storytelling and cultivating an authentic and compelling narrative, it is all in here.
The last few modules focus on leadership through social influence, marketing and innovation. This is another unique take on modern leadership that you won’t find in traditional courses. Leading through persuasive social influence is an effective and challenging art that requires a calibrated effort. Similarly, leadership through marketing is as much about empowering customers as it is about using digital channels to build your business.
The capstone project consists of a case study where you play the role of an incoming CEO who must lead their medical device company through a series of challenges. It is a well thought out and interesting challenge that will test everything you know and more. Successful completion awards you a formal certificate that you can use on your CV, LinkedIn profile or anywhere else to showcase your credentials and expertise.
Summary
- Time to Complete: About 50 hours to complete.
- Offered fully online and on-demand. Complete at your own pace.
- Another solid foundational course with excellent brand value and CV building potential.
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