Leadership Training Programs

Practical Solution

The “How To”

When looking into training programs it is important to know what you are looking for. Leadership training is often confused for management training, and vice versa. While leadership and management are similar, they are in reality very different. The organizations providing the leadership programs listed below will be able to help you find the program right for you. 

Below is a list of organizations and courses that are available locally:

FOCUS St. Louis- FOCUS is "the region’s premier leadership organization. It is a nonprofit that develops and connects diverse leaders from public, private, and civic sectors, and empowers them to work together to build a thriving St. Louis community.” The organization’s mission is “to create a cooperative, thriving region by engaging citizens in active leadership roles and to influence positive community change.” To that end, FOCUS has leadership development programs and citizen engagement activities.

Below are the FOCUS leadership programs:
Youth Leadership St. Louis (YLSL)- Prepares high school juniors from local schools for a life of leadership. The program strengthens an individual's leadership, character, and team-building skills.

Emerging Leaders- Offers “young professionals the chance to develop leadership skills, define their personal brand, determine which causes or issues most energize them, and discover how to leverage their strengths to benefit the community.”

Women in Leadership- is a five-month, part-time program that gives women the “opportunity to refine their leadership competencies, learn about the community, and connect with other women.”

Leadership St. Louis (LSL)- this is the premiere St. Louis leadership program. The program "brings together a diverse group of emerging and existing leaders and provides community immersion experiences and advanced skill development which enable participants to explore critical issues in our region.”

Experience St. Louis (ESL)- “the program is for executives and their spouses or partners who are new to the community, as well as others recently promoted to senior-level positions who would benefit from a greater knowledge of the region.”

Regional Business Council’s Young Professionals Network (YPN)- YPN’s goal is “to attract and retain young talent to the region and to give future leaders unique opportunities for networking, professional development and community involvement. The Young Professional Network is open to ethnically diverse professionals under 40. Members have the opportunity to attend social, philanthropic, cultural and professional development opportunities throughout the year.” Membership requires no fee.

St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative Fellows Program- This program “establishes a framework to enhance leadership capacity. The program further refines leadership competencies through a strategic curriculum and the sharing of wisdom and best practices.” There are opportunities for professional development, relationship building and civic engagement. The fellows program is one of the Initiative’s main programs to promote diverse, inclusive and welcoming environments for multicultural talent.

Latino Leadership Institute- This is a “skills-based leadership training program targeted at young Hispanic professionals.” The Institute consists of nine sessions once a month. Each session focuses on a particular area of leadership development.

Leadership Training from Outside of the Region:

Dale Carnegie Training- Dale Carnegie training is provided locally through the Dale Carnegie St. Louis Office. Founded in 1912, Dale Carnegie provides individuals with the tools and skills needed to be successful in their field. Whether you are a high ranking CEO or a homemaker, you can benefit from taking a Dale Carnegie course. The courses range from the basic Dale Carnegie Human Relations course, to High Impact Presentations, to Leadership Training for Managers.

American Management Association (AMA)- AMA offers leadership seminars throughout the country. These include general leadership/managment seminars and specific seminars such as "Developing Executive Leadership Skills" and "Critical Thinking." If you go to the link above, you can click on links to specific programs to see when they are being brought to the region.

Most of the programs discussed above require fees to participate. Some employers may have professional development money set aside for these kinds of activities.

Planning & Zoning

Leadership training programs often exist with little to no help from any government entity. Programs like Leadership St. Louis have classes where participants meet with government employees and officials. Beyond this interaction, a city's interaction with its leadership program varies greatly. It is interesting to note that depending on the community, a city's version of "Leadership St. Louis" is run by a different entity. For example, Leadership Cape Girardeau, of Cape Girardeau Missouri, is hosted by the local chamber of commerce. In Kissimmee, FL the city hosts several leadership programs including a program targeted to high school students. 

Measuring Success

The success of a leadership program can be measured in two ways. The first is asking training participants whether they have gained any new skills or insights. The second is by asking the trainee’s fellow employees how it is to work with them. The best way to do this is by surveying employees before and after the training course. The first survey serves as a baseline, and the second shows how the person improved.

It is important to remember that leadership training does not end after the course, but is a process of continual improvement. Hopefully, leadership participants continue to reap the benefits of the course as time progresses.