Leadership Academy
The Leadership Academy is a two-year, extracurricular program modeled after leadership training programs for young professionals in industry. It prepares undergraduate students to successfully fulfill leadership roles on campus and within the engineering industry by building their leadership abilities. The Leadership Academy experience is divided into five modules delivered by college faculty, industry executives, and Leadership Academy alumni. They facilitate off-site program weekends to provide real world-perspectives on issues relevant to today’s engineering industry.
The W.S. Lee College of Engineering Leadership Academy equips undergraduates with the following leadership competencies that the engineering industry and communities need. Through the program students learn to:
Good leaders listen to others to understand their thoughts, opinions and ideas. They provide accurate information to appropriate audiences at appropriate times. They have the skills to successfully navigate conflict and can negotiate effectively. Good leaders engage audiences in presentations by utilizing basic presentation skills and thoughtfully planning their talking points.
Good leaders know their beliefs & values and make choices that align with them. They are committed to making ethically appropriate decisions and others find them trustworthy. Good leaders do not shy away from responsibility and fulfill expectations.
Good leaders are open to learning from others who have backgrounds, opinions and ideas different from their own. They seek opportunities to interact with people who have different perspectives with the goal of developing the best solutions for problems. They respect the right of others to view the world differently and can be firm yet considerate when engaging in debate.
First and foremost, good leaders focus on goals that have personal, organizational or community meaning. They know how to plan strategies to achieve their goals and are quick to take action toward those goals. They take time to evaluate their progress which allows them to make adjustments when necessary. Good leaders also evaluate outcomes to measure success and learn from failure.
Good leaders know how to motivate and inspire their teammates and subordinates. They can effectively build relationships with others and utilize those relationships to bring out the best in them. They are role models who are just as influential with their behavior as they are with their words.
Good leaders pay attention to the world around them and actively seek opportunities to make positive change. They use their power and authority to benefit others. They are good stewards of their time, talents and treasures.
