ESS415

Essentials for Leading the Self

What does it mean to be a leader and why is your leadership presence more important now than ever before?

This course exposes some of the leadership myths that no longer serve the needs of our organizations, communities or the world. The kind of leadership required now is not defined by your position, but by the choices you make every day to positively impact the people and environment around you.

In this course, you'll discover that you have the power to influence the system you work within, but first, you must be acutely aware of the cultural, social, political and organizational structures and systems that influence your values, identity and worldview. That is why leadership begins with the ability to lead yourself. You'll gain insights and practical tools you can put to use immediately, and leave with a deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, your own unique leadership strengths and capacities.

Overview

Location: Online
Format: Self-paced within deadlines set by instructor
Duration: 10 weeks
Tuition: $849–$875
Can be applied to:
Leadership Essentials Certificate

Upcoming Offerings

Register for a course at any time, with the option to apply to a program later.

Start Date
Schedule
Location
Instructor
Cost
Seats Available
Action
Start DateWed, Jan 15, 2025
Schedule
  • Wed, Jan 15 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Jan 22 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Jan 29 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Feb 5 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Feb 12 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Feb 19 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Feb 26 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Mar 5 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Mar 12 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Mar 19 (self-paced all week)
LocationOnline
Cost$849.00
Seats Available14
ActionRegister
Start DateWed, Sep 24, 2025
Schedule
  • Wed, Sep 24 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Oct 1 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Oct 8 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Oct 15 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Oct 22 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Oct 29 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Nov 5 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Nov 12 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Nov 19 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Nov 26 (self-paced all week)
LocationOnline
Cost$875.00
Seats Available30
ActionRegister

What you will learn

After completing this course, you’ll be able to do the following:

  • Define the impact you want to have as a leader
  • Apply a range of critical-thinking tools that will allow you to identify and address personal and organizational gaps
  • Recognize when you are caught in a reactive mindset and learn to shift to a more creative leadership approach 
  • Explain the neurophysiology of stress and the steps to create resilience in a key aspect of your life
  • Critically examine how your identity determines how you understand and address issues of power and privilege
  • Describe the importance of being able to shift between an individual and a collective/relational understanding of leadership
  • Articulate the values that define who you are

How you will learn and be evaluated

  • Prepare to spend about 10 hours per week on coursework
  • Expect reading and other assignments on a weekly basis
  • Plan to access the course at least once every few days to keep up with your work and group assignments

You will be evaluated on:

  • Assignments 
  • Participation in online discussions

Learning Materials

No textbook is required. We will provide all course materials online.

Technical Requirements

For online courses, you will need a computer with audio and microphone that is connected to the internet. Canvas is the online system that will be used for the course. For more information and online support, visit Online Learning.