- Why is executive leadership training important?
- Leadership training is important at all levels of organizations. Investing in leadership development can improve your performance and the performance of those around you, as well as prepare you to lead during times of change and crises. Leadership training can also help leaders create a plan for growth and future advancement, ultimately leading to job satisfaction. The UC Davis Executive Leadership Program is a premier program in the Sacramento region and for more than four decades has been helping equip senior leaders to make powerful change in their organizations.
- What is the Executive Leadership Program and how is it different from the Management Development Program?
- The UC Davis Executive Leadership Program is a powerful hands-on program designed to help executives and senior leaders grow their capacity as leaders with a cutting-edge leadership curriculum. In addition, the program offers self-reflection and personal analysis, so leaders can gain a better understanding of their strengths in order to lead more effectively. The Management Development Program, on the other hand, is designed for new and middle managers focusing more on essential training techniques for promoting employee engagement and collaboration.
- Who is this Executive Leadership Program designed for?
- This program is designed for executives and top-level leaders from all industries who want a deep dive into understanding their current leadership style and how to make meaningful change in their organization. Program participants develop an organizational transformation plan to apply the learning from the program to their organization.
A typical cohort is evenly split between public, private and non-profit sectors, allowing each participant to explore case studies and examples that mirror their own workplace environments. Our alumni are senior leaders in the greater Sacramento/Bay Area region. Recent graduates include senior leaders from Kaiser, UC Davis Health, numerous manufacturing companies and state agencies. - Who are the instructors in this leadership development program?
- The Executive Leadership Program is led by Cleveland Justis, MBA, Ph.D., a noted expert in entrepreneurship and leadership development. Individual sessions are taught by instructors who are experts in the field of leadership development. Their expertise spans disciplines including corporate executives, top leadership consultants, certified leadership coaches, and clinical psychologists. Leading executives present “living case studies” of leadership challenges they’re facing to help participants gain real-world problem solving of the topics discussed in class sessions.
- What do you learn in the Executive Leadership Program?
- The Executive Leadership Program covers timely topics facing today’s leaders, including change management, communications, remote leadership, mindful leadership, inclusive leadership and innovation. Through peer interaction, 360-degree feedback and one-on-one coaching, participants learn new approaches and strategies for tackling these challenges, including a final project to help you develop a specific plan that you’ll be able to implement in your organization.
- How many coaching sessions take place during the program and what can be expected of that experience?
- While in the program, participants partake in two coaching sessions, at one hour each. These sessions are focused on feedback and results that are obtained from the LPI 360 assessment. The insights gained from the assessment can be surprising or challenging to hear at times. However, the Executive Leadership Program coach is there to walkthrough and process that feedback alongside the participant. The coach will facilitate introspection, evaluation and goal-oriented action setting through powerful questions and a creative partnership. Many of our program participants find the coaching process to be so helpful that they continue to pursue coaching engagements after the program ends.
- What is the LPI 360 assessment tool?
- One of the most popular components of the program, the Leadership Practice Inventory (LPI 360 assessment), is a highly validated industry standard in executive development. The LPI 360 assessment asks the student to evaluate themselves on their leadership style and perceived efficacy. It then asks them to share the same assessment with their superior and those they supervise. This provides a full “360 degree” view of an executive’s perceived and experienced leadership. When combined with the powerful guidance of our Executive Leadership Program coaches, this feedback has provided transformative experiences for many of our participants.
- How much time can I expect to spend on coursework?
- This executive training program is designed for working professionals and meets every other week on Thursday afternoons (2-6 p.m.) and Friday mornings (9 a.m.-1 p.m.) for 12 weeks. Additionally, small-group sessions are held on the in-between weeks. Scheduled at the students' convenience, these small-group meetings provide invaluable networking opportunities and feedback on development of the students' Organizational Transformation Plans. Outside of class time, you should expect to spend 2-3 hours a week on coursework, group work, and reading articles from top-notch publications. The program is designed to complement the schedule of working executives, so it won’t disrupt your usual work flow or take significant time away from pressing responsibilities. Our format also allows you to integrate what you are learning immediately in your organization.
- What is included in the tuition for the Executive Leadership Program?
- Your tuition includes textbooks and other learning materials, access to industry leaders, 360 Assessment, one-on-one professional coaching, an organizational transformation plan and 4.5 Continuing Education Units.
- Is there financing available?
- We work with a number of banks and private lending institutions to assist students with educational expenses. Students enrolled or planning to enroll in the Executive Leadership Program can apply for a private alternative education loan. We also work with employers to accept payment from them on a student’s behalf. For more information on financing your education, visit our Student Services page.
- Will I earn a certificate or badge upon successful completion of the Executive Leadership Program?
- You will earn a UC Davis certificate of completion demonstrating your commitment and dedication to your leadership skills along with Continuing Education Units that may be useful for workforce development goals. As part of the final project in the program, students will also walk away with an organizational transformation plan that you’ll be able to implement in your workplace.
