LEAD Certificate Program - Leadership Basics

Hawkeye Community College understands that success in your business hinges on developing your leaders. Investing in your people today will pay off at your business tomorrow!

This LEAD certificate program focuses on basic leadership skills for new leaders or people aspiring to develop leadership skills. It provides the foundational knowledge and skills to be a successful leader at an entry level.

Each session in this series of ten focuses on a different topic that leaders and supervisors encounter on a regular basis. After each class, participants will document an Action Plan and implement key knowledge and skills back on the job and report back results at the next class.

Who Should Attend

  • New and emerging leaders
  • Managers who want improved results
  • Professionals wanting to advance their career
  • Individuals preparing for management, supervision, or leadership positions

Earn a LEAD Certificate

To earn a LEAD Certificate, participants must attend seven of ten sessions and successfully complete five Action Forms.

2025 Training Topics and Schedule

Feb11

What Style is Your Management? (DISC®)

What kind of manager are you? In this kick-off class you will discover your leadership style and strengths through the DiSC® profile. This effective assessment will give you insight about your management style, and it will give you a framework and strategies to work with the other people who have different temperaments, communication and work styles based on their DiSC® profile. Equipped with this knowledge, you will be able to make lasting improvements in your leadership, your team’s effectiveness and both internal and external customer relationships.

Date: Tuesday, February 11, 2025
Time: 8:00am – 12:00pm
Facilitator: Lisa Schaefer

Mar11

Emotional Intelligence for Leaders

More than ever, leaders must be willing to develop a high emotional acumen in order to lead and understand their team members. People want to be seen and treated as people. Gone are the days that we can simply treat people as things. What we know and have known for many years is that business is done through relationships and relationships require emotions. The key is tapping into the best of our emotions and developing effective strategies to minimize the emotions that hurt our opportunities to perform and influence.

Learning Objectives for Emotional Intelligence for Leaders

Date: Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Time: 8:00am – 12:00pm
Facilitator: Heather Woody

apr8

Leadership No-No's that Lead to Legal Issues

You can make a lot of mistakes in business, especially as a new leader or supervisor, but none more detrimental to the company than a lawsuit. Join us for this interactive session about some of the biggest areas to watch and biggest mistakes to avoid. Leave with some key tips on how to protect yourself, as well as your employer and employees from the huge losses that these legal issues can cost your organization.

Learning objectives for Leadership No-No's that Lead to Legal Issues

Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Time: 8:00am – 12:00pm
Facilitator: Lynn Smith

May13

Problem Solving

Solving problems is critical to the success of any leader. This course teaches proven methodologies and approaches for problem solving by giving participants a standard to follow. These standards help determine expectations, consequences, and involvement of others.

Learning objectives for Problem Solving

Date: Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Time: 8:00am – 12:00pm
Facilitator: Don McKee

June10

Difficult Conversations: Addressing Difficult Employees

Managing performance is critical to organizational success. Leaders at all levels must set clear expectations, provide the resources and support as well as the feedback to help employees perform. When employees present difficult behaviors it can be time consuming and frustrating. This session will focus on strategies that will help identify triggers, prepare for tough conversations, and focus on the words to say.

Learning objectives for Difficult Conversations: Addressing Difficult Employees

Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Time: 8:00am – 12:00pm
Facilitator: Dr. Celina Peerman

Aug12

Motivating and Engaging Employees

Motivating and engaging your employees is key to your success as a leader. Good managers are able to help people feel confident, motivated and valued. This session will focus on the key strategies that will help you lead your team to higher productivity, lower turnover, innovation and improved business results.

Learning objectives for Motivating and Engaging Employees

Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Time: 8:00am – 12:00pm
Facilitator: Helena Long

Sept9

Performance Management and Evaluation

Effective managers are able to maximize the capabilities and talents within the teams they lead. By managing the performance of your direct reports, you are able to unleash the employees’ strengths and develop strategies to support their limitations. This class will provide you with foundational skills and tools used by successful managers such as goal setting, coaching, and performance evaluations.

Learning objectives for Performance Management and Evaluation

Date: Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Time: 8:00am – 12:00pm
Facilitator: Terry Whitson

OCT14

Navigating Change and Increasing Adaptability

Change will remain relentless in our communities and across business sectors. This session will focus on change management as a multiple step process that is fueled by vision, while executed by clear steps that are necessary to adjust and adapt to change. Discussion and activities will focus on helping teams understand their connection to the big picture while working through the stages of change response. Steps when a change initiative is already underway and addressing resistance will also be emphasized.

Learning Objectives for Navigating Change and Increasing Adaptability

Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Time: 8:00am – 12:00pm
Facilitator: Dr. Celina Peerman

Nov18

Listen to Me — The Top 10 Things Employees Want You to Know About Them

When asked, most team members feel they are performing well in their jobs and don’t see any problems with their performance. Imagine the surprise when the leader doesn’t see their performance the same way? We will discuss why there is often a difference of opinion between leaders and their direct reports regarding how they work and what gets accomplished. In addition, we will review solutions to the ten areas of “disconnect” between leaders and their team members.

Learning objectives for Listen to Me

Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Time: 8:00am – 12:00pm
Facilitator: Terry Whitson

Dec9

Inspired for Greatness

Learn ways to motivate, influence, and inspire the people within your team in order to keep them engaged, fulfilled, and enthused about the work they are doing on a daily basis. These key intangibles are important in reducing turnover and increasing overall job satisfaction.

Learning objectives for Inspired for Greatness

Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Time: 8:00am – 12:00pm
Facilitator: Heather Woody

Price

Register before December 1, 2024 for Early Bird Pricing of $1,125 per person for the first five employees, $995 for each additional employee.

Starting December 1, 2024, the price will increase to $1,275 per person for the first five employees and $1,145 for each additional employee.

Registration

Classes meet one Tuesday each month February through December (except July) on Hawkeye's Main Campus at Buchanan Hall in the Advanced Technology and Business Center, room 104.

Space is limited to 40 students.

To register, complete the 2024 LEAD Registration Form [pdf] and email the completed form to Corporate and Business Solutions.

Registration deadline: January 31, 2025

Request more information about the LEAD Certificate Program

Contact Corporate and Business Solutions at 319-296-4223 or complete the form below for more information on rates or to request additional information.

All fields marked with * are required.


Contact Information

Corporate & Business Solutions

Buchanan Hall 122
319-296-4223
Email Corporate and Business Solutions

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