10 Leadership Programs for Executives to Explore (With Tips)

An executive plans, directs, and coordinates business operations and creates strategies to help a business achieve its goals. As an executive, you require leadership skills to help you guide employees toward the company's goal. Learning about leadership programs for executives can help you choose a program that can improve the skills required to lead and support a team and business. In this article, we explain leadership programs for executives, highlight 10 programs that can help you improve your leadership skills, and present tips for selecting one.

What are leadership programs for executives?

Leadership programs for executives are courses or training that provide executives with the skills required to become effective leaders. A good leader can help develop, motivate, and inspire employees in an organization while ensuring that their goals align with that of the organization. You can attend leadership programs in person or find one online to help you study at your own pace. Attending a leadership program can benefit you as an executive. An effective leadership program can help you develop the skills necessary for career advancement, such as:

• decision-making skills

• teamwork

• negotiation skills

• conflict resolution skills

• persuasiveness

Related: Leadership Skills: Definitions and Examples

10 leadership training programs for executives

Here are 10 leadership programs you can explore as an executive:

1. University of Alberta - Leading Strategic Planning

This program can teach you how to lead an organization toward an intended outcome or a goal through strategic planning. You may attend this program online or in person. It covers various topics, such as project planning and delivery, moving from strategy to action, problem-solving, decision-making, and goal setting. You can also learn how to:

• identify an organization's strategic issues

• conduct a strategic analysis (SWOT) in the organization

• develop a strategic plan based on your analysis

• differentiate between program planning, business planning, and strategic planning

• identify the key steps in strategic planning

Related: What Is Strategic Planning? (With Benefits)

2. George Brown College - Communication: Leadership Development

This paid course focuses specifically on business conditions. During the 30-hour training, you can expect to learn about the various technology tools and communication mechanisms available. It also teaches you how to manage diverse communication channels with the help of time management and informal and formal communication skills. This course equips you with the communication styles, mechanisms, and presentation skills necessary for facilitating meetings and leading a team.

Related: Communication in Leadership (With Improvement Tips)

3. CITT - Leadership EQ

This interactive program by the Canadian Institute of Traffic and Transportation (CITT) helps you to discover your leadership style and emotional intelligence. It also teaches you how to improve your leadership skills to build creativity, loyalty, and motivation. You can also learn how to become a strong leader and build relationships that may lead to increased profitability, a positive brand, and improved corporate culture. If you attend this three-hour program, you can learn how to:

• determine the skill that accurately predicts leadership potential

• increase team loyalty and retention through an emotionally intelligent leadership

• assess desirable leadership skills and how to exhibit them

• understand your leadership EQ and how to develop the related skills

Related: What Is Emotional Intelligence in Leadership? (Benefits and Tips)

4. Concordia University - Leadership Boot Camp

This Leadership Boot Camp provides online training that emphasizes recent leadership trends. This program can assist you in developing your problem-solving skills, building a collaborative team, and leading across different cultures and generations. It also includes a live case presentation and competition to develop your leadership and decision-making skills. This program covers various topics, such as:

• experimenting with risk-taking

• improving confidence, satisfaction, and trust

• understanding the role of financial statements in an organization's strategy

• decision-making and team effectiveness

• emotional intelligence

5. McGill Executive Institute - Effective Leadership

This program contains lessons on developing strategies for leadership challenges you might have and creating an action plan for success. With this program, you can develop the essential leadership skills required to communicate an organization's vision, make effective decisions, and foster resilience and positive performance in others. If you attend this course, you can learn how to:

• create and communicate strategies to your team and colleagues

• enhance employee motivation and recognition

• develop a culture that supports your strategy

• create a leadership toolkit that increases resilience

• develop a comprehensive perspective of the organization that supports employee engagement

• implement key leadership behaviours and discover how they relate to your style and environment

6. edX - Organizational Leadership: Driving Culture and Performance

This online course teaches you how to manage competition with a leadership action plan that responds to changes and develops a high-performance culture. During the estimated five weeks of the course, you can explore various leadership approaches you can adopt as your organizational goals change. You can also have an understanding of where your leadership feedback provides the maximum impact. This course also enables you to create an action plan and a Leadership Operating System (OS) specific to the organization. It also provides insights from professionals with years of experience and global case studies.

While you can evaluate this course for free, edX charges a fee for unlimited access to course materials and a shareable certificate. This payment can also grant you access to graded assignments and edX support.

Related: Culture Change in the Workplace and Tips for Managing It

7. Rotman's Executive Leadership Program

Rotman School of Management provides a program that helps you gain insights into personal leadership and understanding of the market and social forces that transform organizations. With this program, you can discover the value and impact of intentional leadership. It also allows you to receive guidance from experts in various industries. During this three-day training, you can discuss topics such as:

• collaboration and power

• reflection and renewal

• executive presence

• inclusion

• resilience

• where leadership meets strategies

• defining leadership capabilities

Related: How to Build Resilience (With Importance and Tips)

8. Queen's University - Leadership: Reinvent Yourself as a Top Business Leader

This leadership program provides the insights you require to develop your leadership skills. With this program, you can better understand yourself and your leadership style through self-discovery, one-on-one coaching, and peer coaching. If you attend this five-day program, you can learn how to:

• network with other organization leaders

• inspire team members to reach their goals through impactful interactions

• strategize to create enthusiasm and lead others to achieve productivity

• develop effective communication skills

• use the 360-degree feedback instrument to assess your leadership style and strengths

Related: What It Means to Lead by Example (And Leadership Styles)

9. University of Toronto - Leadership

This program explores various leadership qualities and styles and helps you to develop them. It also teaches you how to enhance your ability to define and implement organizational plans. With this program, you can learn from experienced leaders about effective team management and the leadership skills necessary for an organization. If you attend this program, you can study courses such as:

• leadership presence and presentations

• understanding and managing conflict

• critical thinking

• strategic thinking and intelligent decisions

• negotiation skill

10. University of Calgary - Professional Certificate for Emerging Leaders

The Professional Certificate for Emerging Leaders explores various ways to help leaders of all levels adapt to the constant changes in their workplace. This program is ideal for you if you're a new and developing executive. It involves a 91-hour seminar and a nine-hour final assessment which you can complete at your own pace. If you apply for this program, you can expect to study various topics, such as:

• professional skills

• personal effectiveness

• communication

• coaching

• building relationships

Related: 8 Professional Skills to Explore (With Definition and Tips)

Tips for selecting a leadership training program

You can follow these tips to help you in selecting a program that aligns with your leadership goals:

• Identify your strengths. Identifying your strengths can help you locate a program that focuses on your area of improvement. For example, you might find a program focusing on building communication and persuasive skills.

• Assess your experience. The experience you have as a leader can help in determining the leadership program you can take. For example, you can consider a program that teaches various skill sets as a new leader.

• Research the courses and instructor. Consider researching on the courses and instructors available in a program to help you know if the course suits your needs. You can find a program that provides the opportunity to network with other professionals to help you learn from their experience and examine examples of effective leadership.

• Consider your preferred leadership style. Various leadership programs may teach on specific leadership styles. You can find one that emphasizes the style you want to adopt.

• Understand the level you want to attain. Knowing what you want to learn from a leadership program can help you in selecting one. You can select a program that empowers you to succeed, teaches you relevant skills, and assists you in identifying your personal leadership vision.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions, or organizations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.