Leadership Development Program 2008

The Leadership Development Program provides current owners, key non-family managers and the next generation of owners/managers with the opportunity to sharpen leadership skills and kindle enthusiasm for the challenges of running a profitable enterprise.

The Program, consisting of eight full-day work sessions, is taught by faculty of the Whittemore School of Business and Economics and experts in family business.

Each participant in the Leadership Program will create a Personal Strategic Plan (PSP) initiated in the first session and developed step-by-step in the following sessions.

A PSP begins with a personal vision statement, i.e., a long-term picture of where the individual wants to be in his or her career in the next 5 to 10 years. Over the remaining sessions each person will develop a plan for achieving the vision, as well as how the achievements will contribute to their family's business. The content of the sessions themselves will include a range of leadership concepts and models, self-assessment tools, and discussions of problems and issues faced by the participants in their current jobs.

By the end of the program the participants will be able to carry away a document that captures their learning from the program as well as an action plan for their future.

The program meets one day per month for the eight months.

Location
All sessions will be held at the University of New Hampshire in Manchester.

Cost
The fee is $1,895 per person (for members of the Center for Family Business) or $2,250 per person if you are a nonmember. Cost includes a continental breakfast and lunch each day and all class materials. (For information about membership in the Center, click here.)

To Reserve Space
If you would like more information about the Leadership Development Program or other programs of the Center for Family Business please contact the office at (603) 862-1107, or E-mail: Barbara Draper.

Download the Brochure and Enrollment Form
Click here to download the brochure and enrollment form for the 2008 Leadership Development Program.

The Program 2008

Module 1: March 19, 2008
Introduction to Basic Leadership Concepts and Models
This session provides an opportunity for participants to introduce themselves and to share their individual learning objectives related to leadership skills. The instructor will provide an overview of the eight modules and an introduction to some of the major concepts and practices that are important in today’s changing organizations as well as some videotaped examples of leaders in action and discuss how they might apply the lessons in the tapes to their own situations. Finally, the participants will begin their PSPs, by developing a personal vision that
represents their future aspirations.

Module 2: April 16, 2008
Self-Assessment on Leadership Styles
Each participant complete a self-assessment instrument
at the beginning of the session. The first part of the
session will examine how participants’ preferred styles
of behavior affect their ability to work with and lead
others. In the second part of the session, participants
will be introduced to a workplace feedback exercise.
They will be given an assignment that will require them to work in pairs and to visit each other’s work setting and obtain feedback from their partner’s co-workers that could be important to the development of the PSPs. (Specific guidelines will be provided.) This segment will include a discussion of and some practice in giving and receiving feedback. The last part of the session will return to the PSP process, moving it into the next phase: the strategy for achieving the vision.

Module 3: May 7, 2008
Exploration of the Developmental Leadership Approach and When to Use It
This session will be devoted to the concept of Developmental Leadership, which is, and has been for some years, a powerful and exciting model for today’s turbulent and changing organizations. The participants will have an opportunity to examine their own styles and strengths, as well as share some of the problems they find in their own settings that might be solved through a developmental approach. The session will include progress reports on their plans to visit each other’s companies. The visits are to occur prior to the next class session.

Module 4: June 11, 2008
Getting the Best from Employees: Hiring and Keeping the Best of Them
A major part of the module will be devoted to a presentation on attracting, hiring and keeping the best workers. Considerable time will be allowed for discussion of how to manage those issues in the participants’ own organization. The second part of the session will be devoted to an in-depth discussion of the results of the workplace feedback exercise..

Module 5: September, 2008
Mentoring Skills: How to be an Effective Coach and Transfer One's Skills
This module focuses on the skills and concepts related to establishing an effective mentoring relationship with employees. In a family business, coaching and mentoring is an especially personal process, since it often involves family members' relationships. This module will look at some conceptual models of mentoring, but will emphasize a more hands-on practical approach to learning the requisite skills. In addition, a family business specialist will lead a discussion focusing on the transfer of leadership and ownership in the family business and the role that each generation plays in the process.

Module 6: October, 2008
Building High-Performing Committed Teams in the Workplace
Perhaps the most important development in the practice of effective leadership in the past 20 or 30 years has been the emphasis on the use of teams, at all levels of work. This module will provide the participants with an opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills in building and managing teams, as well as in creating a more team oriented environment in their organizations. The second half of this module will be devoted to presentations of the results of the company visitations.

Module 7: November, 2008
Managing Change in a Continually Changing World
In a world of constant change, today's leaders need to maintain a long-term perspective and understanding with respect to the environments in which they operate. This module will teach the participants how to assess the strengths ("S") and weaknesses ("W") of their companies relative to the opportunities ("O") and threats ("T") posed by the outside world. The SWOT approach to planning has been found to be highly effective in helping organizations to develop a competitive advantage in their respective environments. This module will focus on managing change and strategic planning.

Module 8: December, 2008
PSP Presentations/Review of the Program/Graduation
This session is intended to represent the culmination of the learning over the year of the program. Participants will present their PSPs and there will be a review of the program with participants sharing "what I learned and how I am using it." Special emphasis will be given to the workplace feedback exercise.

A certificate in Family Business Leadership will be awarded to those who attend at least six of the eight sessions.

For More Information or
To Reserve Your Space in the Program
If you would like more information about the Leadership Development Program or other programs of the Center for Family Business please contact the office at (603) 862-1107, or E-mail: Barbara Draper.

Recent graduates reported that the course gave them the:

• Tools to become a better leader and mentor.
  
• Skills and self-confidence to accept more responsibility in the company.
  
• Confidence to change patterns of behavior.
  
• Ability to think outside the box.
  
• Confidence to overcome the lack of a college education.
  
• Opportunity to form lasting friendships with people from different industries, yet the same family issues.
  
• Environment of trust for sharing ideas/problems and getting feedback.