Coursera

A Technical Leader's Qualities and Effectiveness (Coursera)

Offered by University of Colorado Boulder,

This course describes the traits of Great Leaders who combine fierce resolve with personal humility. Indeed, they might be described more as “plow horses” as opposed to “show horses”. They see themselves as servants to the team and to the organization. They “hold the line” when faced with tough decisions and “do what must be done” when the time comes. Their leadership is based on solid ethical principles and they act with quiet, calm determination.

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This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience.
Course 1 of 3 in the Principles of Leadership: Leading Technical Teams Specialization.

What You Will Learn

Understand and apply the principles of establishing a vision for an organization.
Understand the value of collaboration in bringing a team together under one vision.
Understand why stakeholders are important to any leader's actions and how to manage them.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Vision, Courage, and Resilience
Understand the value of vision, courage, and resilience as a leader.

WEEK 2
Positive Outlook, Responsibility, and Collaboration
Understand the value of positive outlook, responsibility, and collaboration as a leader.

WEEK 3
Growing as a Leader and Avoiding Difficulty
Understand the value of continuing to grow as a leader while avoiding pitfalls.

WEEK 4
Personal Effectiveness as a Leader in the Workplace
To survive as a leader in today's workplace, it is necessary for the leader to have some proficiency in various specialties. These include negotiation, office politics, stakeholder management, and having a mentor. Each of these helps the leader to negotiate the environment in which they will find themselves.

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