Embracing your potential: Graduate leadership program [in person] | GPLD147

Leadership takes many forms and is relevant across academic, professional, and community contexts. Understanding leadership and developing your own leadership skills can help you work more effectively with others, navigate challenges, and prepare for different roles throughout your career.

Over eight interconnected modules, you will explore leadership concepts and skills, including emotional intelligence, negotiation, team leadership, problem-solving, motivating others, and facilitating performance. Through case studies, role-plays, group discussions, and guided self-reflection, you will examine different perspectives on leadership and connect them to examples from your own academic, professional, and personal experiences.

Each module includes a two-hour interactive session followed by approximately 30 to 60 minutes of independent reflection and work on your leadership development plan. Throughout the program, you will reflect on your learning and development and progressively build a personal leadership development plan. The final module will give you an opportunity to receive feedback on your plan.

Program modules

- Foundations of leadership

- Emotional intelligence

- Negotiating with confidence

- Effective team-leading

- Problem-solving

- Motivating and inspiring

- Facilitating performance

- Leadership development plan feedback

Certificate requirements

To receive a Certificate of Completion for the Graduate Leadership Development Program, you must: you must:

- Attend at least 6 of the 8 sessions (75% attendance);

- Complete at least 5 out of 7 weekly reflections; and

- Develop and submit your personal leadership development plan.

Please note that there will be no session during the week of October 12.

By the end of this program, you will be able to: 

- Describe key leadership concepts and approaches;

- Identify your strengths and areas for growth as a leader;

- Apply core leadership skills in academic and professional contexts;

- Recognize diverse perspectives and approaches to leadership;

- Develop a personal leadership development plan to support your continued growth.

This training is led by Anne Brisson, Alana Rivera Matos, and Peter Kaymakcioglu

Anne is a current PhD student researching how art techniques teach affective creativity skills in business, education and science. She holds a Masters degree in the Science of Creativity & Change Leadership, a Bachelor of Adult Education, and a Bachelor degree in design. She has over 20 years experience in business and in leadership positions, including leading two non-profit organizations. Anne is also a professional artist and art educator. (In person and online sessions)

Peter is a digital marketing professional with 20 years of experience across email marketing, product management, SEM and affiliate marketing. Throughout his career, he has led small and medium-sized teams in Canada, India, and Ukraine. He completed his BComm in Marketing at JMSB in 2007 and is currently pursuing his MSc, also in marketing. His research explores the GirlDad phenomenon and its influence on how men perceive and relate to masculinity.

Outside of work, Peter is an avid scuba diver, a sports analytics enthusiast, and a proud Vizsla owner. He also has the privilege of being the father of two magical daughters, which, not coincidentally, is what drew him to his thesis topic. (In person session)

Alana is a PhD student in Business Administration with a marketing specialization at Concordia University. Her background includes 8 years of experience in product development and project management at multinational companies, a Master's in Marketing, a Graduate Diploma in Big Data and Marketing Intelligence, and a Bachelor's in Business Administration. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with and led teams in multicultural settings across a range of industries. (online session)

Your participation during the sessions (16 hours) and work outside of class (approximately 10 hours) are mandatory. You will be enrolled in a Moodle course where you will have access to the program resources and activities.

Failure to meet the attendance requirements and complete the required activities outside of class will result in a $75 non-attendance fee.