About the Workshops

Facilitated by various faculty and staff members, LEAD workshops are available to all undergraduate W&L students who are interested in advancing their leadership knowledge, development, and skills.

Workshops:

Tier 1 Core Workshops:

CliftonStrengths Part I: Me and My Strengths (1.5 hours)

  • Participants complete the Clifton Strengths assessment, are briefly introduced to positive psychology, and gain a better understanding of how their personal talents may benefit them as a leader. The workshop encourages individuals to think about how they interact with others and to develop strategies for strengths application.

My Values (1 hour)

  • This workshop aims to increase students’ awareness and understanding of their core values and how their values impact their leadership. Students will reflect on how past decision making was influenced by their core values.

Effective Presentations (1 hour)

  • Presentations are a ubiquitous venue for conveying information. What are some simple tricks that you can use to keep your audience engaged for the entirety of your talk? Is there a structure to presenting that is most effective? These are the types of questions that this workshop will address, which will provide participants with the tools to convey information through this medium effectively and efficiently.

Defining Mentorship Pt. I (1 hour)

  • Mentorship is an important aspect of leadership. In this workshop, participants are introduced to the first four stages of the Leadership Identity Model, and become familiar with the important roles that peers and others have on one’s leadership development. Participants will also reflect on current and past mentors in their lives, engage in discussion about what components of mentorship feel most critical, and much more!

Belonging & Leadership (1.5 hours)

  • More information coming soon!

Team Building 101 (1 hour)

  • Students will engage in a variety of team-building games and activities designed to enhance collaboration and communication skills. Through these interactive exercises, they will have the opportunity to reflect on their personal experiences with teamwork, observe different teamwork dynamics, and analyze their own behaviors in group settings.


Tier 2 Core Workshops:

CliftonStrengths Part II (1.5 hours)

  • Participants will reflect on the values of the Clifton Strengths assessment for them as an individual and within a group. The workshop includes a variety of activities that aid participants in identifying and interpreting strengths across a group, focusing primarily on how to collaborate and communicate based on the relationship between your own traits and the traits of those you are leading with.

Defining Mentorship Part II (1 hour)

  • In this workshop, participants will become familiar with what it entails to be an effective peer mentor. What are the standards and specific tasks of peer mentoring? What will I gain as a mentor, and what should a mentee gain from me? These questions and more will be addressed.  

Group Process & Theory (1 hour)

  • Leadership is a social enterprise! In this workshop participants will be introduced to the concepts of social physics to explain group dynamics. In addition, participants will recognize the value that comes from conflict in a group, helping everyone to understand the ideas of the individuals in it. Furthermore, participants will learn strategies to resolve conflict and keep members of a group engaged in the task.

Leadership and Ethics (1 hour)

  • Ethical dilemmas are frequent in not only leadership but also life. How do you identify the cause of an ethical dilemma? Is there a universal framework that you can employ to solve these difficult problems? What resources do you rely upon when your ethical faculties are put to the test? These are the types of questions that this workshop will address and will provide you with a richer understanding of the relationship between leadership and ethics. 

Team Building 201 (2 hours)

  • Participants continue to build dynamic teamwork skills through activities and challenges requiring group collaboration.

Everest Simulation (1.5 hours)

  • Participants complete an online simulation of a journey hiking Mt. Everest in teams. Working through decision-making challenges and balancing specific roles of team members, participants will practice and reflect on problem solving skills and conflict management strategies.


Elective Workshops:

Vulnerability: A Leadership Skill? (1 hour)

  • Based on Dr. Brené Brown’s book, Dare to Lead, this workshop offers participants the ability to engage in discussion and activities that explore vulnerability and its relevance to leadership. Participants will learn methods for beginning a “rumble,” and understand how this tool can help leaders to lean into vulnerability. Participants will also have the chance to debunk myths surrounding vulnerability. As Brené Brown says, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.”  

Leadership Imposter Syndrome (1 hour)

  • What is imposter syndrome? And how does it impact one’s ability to lead effectively? In this workshop, participants will learn about various strategies to cope with imposter syndrome, including challenging their current thinking (i.e. what evidence supports and does not support your imposter thoughts?), as well as how to support their peers who also combat imposter feelings.  

Facilitating Discussions (1.5 hours)

  • Discussion is a vital part of group functioning! But, what does it mean to have a facilitated discussion? How do you facilitate discussions among the group and moreover how do you tell if it is effective? These are all questions that participants will explore in this workshop. Through this inquiry, participants will forge the skills to lead discussions and gauge their efficacy.

Followership (1 hour)

  • Participants learn about the importance of followership on a team and as a leader, talking through what it looks like to be a productive follower and team member.

Effective Feedback (1 hour)

  • What exactly is feedback? And, how does it differ from advice and evaluation? In order for performers to achieve their goals, effective feedback is a must! In this interactive roundtable, participants will receive answers to these questions, understand the essentials, and have the chance to practice their skills. 

Bending, Breaking, and Just Saying No (1 hour)

  • Participants discuss the advantages and disadvantages of operating at (and beyond) capacity, and the importance of setting limits. They also learn about strategies for saying “no” without damaging long-term relationships. Setting limits is important for emphasizing depth of engagement rather than breadth, and participants are asked to reflect on the organizations they should focus their efforts on in order to avoid spreading themselves too thin. 

More:

CPD Overview, Resumes, & Marketing LEAD (1 hour)

  • Students learn about available resources in the Career and Professional Development Office, delving especially into resume structures and techniques.