About This Offering

Today's changing climate requires leaders to be prepared to deal with emergencies successfully. This two-day leadership bootcamp covers crisis communication, making decisions under duress, and tactics for crisis mitigation and recovery to prepare leaders to navigate and lead during trying times.

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Zach Graham, Ph.D.

Zach's experience in healthcare, construction, real estate, hospitality, military, and tech start-ups shapes his coaching approach. Specializing in leadership development and performance psychology, he helps leaders leverage strengths and navigate growth.

An expert in evidence-based coaching, he is developing a coaching model for professionals. He holds a Bachelor’s in Health Sciences, a Master’s in Counseling and Sport Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Counseling and Organizational Psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
  • Course cost: $975
  • Dates: Late August/early September. Exact dates to be announced. 
  • Location: 2127 Innerbelt Business Center Drive, St. Louis, MO 63114
    • The program will be held in person, with a livestream option if needed.
  • Provide participants with crisis communication techniques, decision-making abilities, and crisis response plans to help them navigate crises with confidence. This will enable them to take charge during uncertain and disruptive times.
  • Manage crises and emerge stronger: Show participants how to create proactive crisis management plans and oversee crisis management initiatives.
  • Practical crisis management expertise: Apply crisis leadership ideas to participants' real-world case studies and crisis simulations to strengthen their crisis management skills.
  • Understanding crisis management and leadership challenges
  • Crisis communication strategies and media relations
  • Decision-making under pressure and crisis response planning
  • Crisis simulations and role-play exercises
  • Strategies for mitigating and preventing crises
  • Crisis recovery and reputation management
  • Lessons from real-world crisis management case studies
  • Developing a crisis leadership toolkit
Day 1: Leadership Foundations and Crisis Management
Session 1: Introduction to Leadership for Superintendents (1 Hour)
  • Topics:
    • The role of a superintendent in leadership and motivation (STP_Unit1)(Transformational Leader...).
    • Supervisory leadership models: Effective communication, planning, decision-making (STP_Unit1).
  • Activity: Self-assessment on current leadership styles.
Session 2: Crisis Management Essentials (2 Hours)
  • Topics:
    • Introduction to crisis leadership challenges (Leadership in Crisis).
    • Crisis communication strategies: Managing information flow during crises (STP_Unit2) (Leadership in Crisis).
  • Activity: Role-play scenarios on handling a crisis (media relations, calming teams).
Session 3: Decision-Making Under Pressure (2 Hours)
  • Topics:
    • Techniques for making quick, effective decisions (Leadership in Crisis).
    • Understanding the cost of poor decisions on-site (productivity, morale, and financial implications)(STP_Unit1).
  • Activity: Group exercises using real-world crisis simulations.
Session 4: Motivation and Team Dynamics (2 Hours)
  • Topics:
    • Motivational strategies: Understanding different personality types and how to motivate them (STP_Unit1).
    • Building trust and fostering collaboration (STP_Unit1)(Transformational Leader...).
  • Activity: Analyze team dynamics and plan strategies to handle a diverse team.

Reflection on learning and how to apply leadership concepts in real-world scenarios (STP_Unit1).

Assignment: Identify a motivational challenge on-site and propose actionable steps.

Day 2: Communication and Transformational Leadership
Session 1: Effective Communication for Leaders (2 Hours)
  • Topics:
    • Components of effective communication: Verbal, written, and non-verbal (STP_Unit2).
    • Barriers to communication and overcoming them (STP_Unit2).
  • Activity: Group exercise on listening and feedback using real-world examples.
Session 2: Transformational Leadership Skills (2 Hours)
  • Topics:
    • Principles of transformational leadership: Inspiring vision and leading change (Transformational Leader...).
    • Strategies for managing resistance to change (Transformational Leader...).
  • Activity: Develop a personal transformational leadership plan.
Session 3: Building High-Performing Teams (2 Hours)
  • Topics:
    • Stages of team development and the supervisor’s role in each stage (STP_Unit1).
    • Team-building exercises: From conflict resolution to productive collaboration (STP_Unit1).
  • Activity: Simulate team development phases and identify leadership techniques for each stage.
Session 4: Leadership in Crisis (2 Hours)
  • Topics:
    • Crisis recovery and reputation management (Leadership in Crisis).
    • Lessons from real-world case studies: What works and what doesn’t (Leadership in Crisis).
  • Activity: Participants design a crisis response plan for a hypothetical construction project.
Wrap-Up and Reflection (1 Hour)
  • Group presentations on actionable leadership plans (Transformational Leader...).
  • Certificates of completion and feedback session.

In Partnership