Engage Leaders with The Leadership Challenge^®

Why Invest in The Leadership Challenge^®?

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Available for virtual leadership training, as well as in person, The Leadership Challenge^® is a research-based development program that increases the leadership potential of anyone, at any level, and in any organization. Developed from over 30 years of ongoing research, The Leadership Challenge^® is comprised of a full suite of training programs, assessment, and coaching solutions, all designed to teach the behaviors that are proven to increase leadership results.

The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop is uniquely suited to benefit any organization because it is adaptable, learnable, and easy to implement. At the program's heart, The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership^® model is the framework that brings a common leadership language to all levels of an organization. The Leadership Challenge^® approaches leadership as a measurable, learnable, and teachable set of behaviors. Activated by the powerful LPI^®: Leadership Practices Inventory^® assessment, The Leadership Challenge^® unlocks the power of great leaders, from high potentials and managers to senior leaders.

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What is The Leadership Challenge?

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The Leadership Challenge book has sold more than 2.5 million copies worldwide. Developed from over 30 years of research by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, it is a tested and proven method for developing leadership effectiveness of any leader in organizations. It is based on the simple idea that leaders, teams, and organizations improve when ordinary people enable those around them to achieve incredible things.

Anyone can be a leader and The Leadership Challenge^® helps participants learn how to mobilize others to get extraordinary things done. A variety of programs based on The Leadership Challenge are available to train your emerging leaders, managers, senior executives, and other leaders.

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Why Take The Leadership Challenge?

Explore the business case for bringing The Leadership Challenge to your organization

Engaged employees are willing to go above and beyond, as well as less likely to leave their jobs. Practicing exemplary leadership increases engagement among team members by up to 40 percent. The Leadership Challenge^® is the bridge between those leadership behaviors and your employees. In studies based on more than 5 million responses, direct reports who are most highly engaged report that their leaders very frequently or almost always use The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership^®, the foundation of The Leadership Challenge^®.

The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop is based on The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership^® model, endowing participants with a common leadership language and set of behaviors linked to effective leadership. It uses the powerful LPI^®: Leadership Practices Inventory^® assessment to gauge the leadership skills and effectiveness of any leader, regardless of position. The program is ideal for any organization because it is adaptable, learnable, and easy to implement.

Leaders gain credibility by aligning personal values, the company’s values, and their actions. They also learn to create and communicate a shared vision for the organization’s future, align employee and team behavior with strategic direction, and foster an environment of employee accountability to drive results for the organization. Leaders who participate in The Leadership Challenge are prepared to cultivate new operating methods, take calculated risks, and act strategically.

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What Are The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership^®?

The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership^® are the practices and behaviors that strong leaders demonstrate, based on more than 30 years of research by The Leadership Challenge co-authors Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner. These practices are: Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, and Encourage the Heart.

Each of these practices of dynamic leaders contains behaviors that effective leaders regularly practice. Leaders who increase the frequency with which they exhibit these behaviors are able to increase their effectiveness and help others see them as an even better leader.  

Model the Way

Leaders establish principles concerning the way people (constituents, peers, colleagues, and customers alike) should be treated and the way goals should be pursued. They create standards of excellence and then set an example for others to follow. Because the prospect of complex change can overwhelm people and stifle action, they set interim goals so that people can achieve small wins as they work toward larger objectives. They unravel bureaucracy when it impedes action; they put up signposts when people are unsure of where to go or how to get there, and they create opportunities for victory.

Inspire a Shared Vision

Leaders passionately believe that they can make a difference. They envision the future, creating an ideal and unique image of what the organization can become. Through their magnetism and quiet persuasion, leaders enlist others in their dreams. They breathe life into their visions and get people to see exciting possibilities for the future.

Challenge the Process

Leaders search for opportunities to change the status quo. They look for innovative ways to improve the organization. In doing so, they experiment and take risks. And because leaders know that risk taking involves mistakes and failures, they accept the inevitable disappointments as learning opportunities. 

Enable Others to Act

Leaders foster collaboration and build spirited teams. They actively involve others. Leaders understand that mutual respect is what sustains extraordinary efforts; they strive to create an atmosphere of trust and human dignity. They strengthen others, making each person feel capable and powerful.

Encourage the Heart

Accomplishing extraordinary things in organizations is hard work. To keep hope and determination alive, leaders recognize contributions that individuals make. In every winning team, the members need to share in the rewards of their efforts, so leaders celebrate accomplishments. They make people feel like heroes. 

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Assessing leadership skills with The Leadership Practices Inventory

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The purpose of the LPI^®: Leadership Practices Inventory^® is to help individual leaders measure the frequency with which they demonstrate The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership^®.

This research-based 360-degree assessment uses the feedback of managers, coworkers, and others with direct, regular experience with leaders to show what leadership behaviors they are effectively performing and which behaviors are areas of improvement. Leaders gain insight into how they view themselves as leaders compared to how others view them as leaders. The in-depth report helps them interpret results and identify actions to improve leadership effectiveness. 

The LPI is a best-selling and most-trusted 360-degree assessment and has been used by nearly five million people. Using 30 behavioral questions plus customized open-ended questions, the LPI measures leadership behaviors before a participant begins their leadership journey and after a period of time to show successes and areas of continued improvement.

It can be used for leadership development, team development, team building, benchmarking, individual development plan creation, coaching, mentoring, and onboarding or retention of emerging leaders. Group reports, self-assessment, and re-assessment options are also available.

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The Leadership Challenge Public Workshops

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The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop is a unique, intensive, and highly interactive experience that has served as a catalyst for profound leadership transformation in organizations of all sizes and in all industries. Immensely practical and hands-on, The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop is designed to inspire, engage, and help leaders develop the skills needed to meet whatever leadership challenges lay ahead.

The core curriculum is structured around each of The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership^®. Each module describes the practice, reviews the LPI^®: Leadership Practices Inventory^® assessment items related to that practice, provides techniques for demonstrating more of the behaviors, and asks participants to reflect on how to apply what they have learned to a current leadership challenge of their own.

Public Workshops for The Leadership Challenge^® are a two-day, interactive experience. Highly skilled Certified Master facilitators bring the philosophy, principles, and lessons of The Leadership Challenge^® to life for workshop attendees. Attendees can expect a rigorous, impactful program delivered using content-rich lectures, group discussions, workbook exercises, video case studies, and team problem-solving.

With a plan of action in hand to take the key learnings from the workshop back to the workplace, leaders are prepared to implement new leadership practices back at work.

Learn more about our Public Workshops:

• Download an overview and two-day agenda
• Read the blog: What's it like to attend the Workshop?
• Read the blog: Advice from Previous Participants

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The Leadership Challenge Workshop – Facilitator Training

(The workshop is a prerequisite)

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After attending The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop, Facilitator Training allows HR or L&D professionals to facilitate The Leadership Challenge in their organization.

Participants will practice facilitating one module of the workshop and receive peer feedback on their explanation and application of the concepts. The sessions are held in a small-group environment designed to maximize their participation, feedback skills, learning, and application of The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership and The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop.

This training will provide skills and customization options to bring The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop program to any organization.

The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop and the Leadership Practices Inventory^® are prerequisites for this option.

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THE LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE WORKSHOP
VIRTUAL PROGRAMS

Contact us to discuss our virtual offerings of the Leadership Challenge^®  Workshops, LPI^® debriefs, Team training, and LPI^® coaching.

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The Leadership Challenge^® Virtual Workshop is an online delivery of Barry Posner and Jim Kouzes’ research-proven experience that increases leadership effectiveness for all leaders. We can deliver this workshop in a way that best fits you and your organization's needs.

FlashPoint’s highly engaging virtual instructor-led classroom experience uses interactive features in the online environment to bring the concepts of The Leadership Challenge^® to life. Participants will be able to interact as a full group and in breakout sessions with pairs or small groups. Our facilitators are experts at enabling collaboration, reflection, and deeper understanding.

The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop virtual classroom is offered in a variety of program lengths (two full-days, four half-days, or eight 90-minute sessions) and includes a recorded pre-work webinar to introduce participants to the LPI^®: Leadership Practices Inventory^® and what to expect from the program. Our Mindmarker app-based digital reinforcement engages participants for 90 days after the workshop, helping them retain and apply new skills.

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The Leadership Challenge Workshop Custom
Internal Programs

Contact us to discuss a custom program based on The Leadership Challenge^® or to bring the standard two-day program to your leaders.

Implemented as an in-organization solution, The Leadership Challenge Workshop covers The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership^®; the differences between leadership and management; the LPI^® and each participant’s results; and individualized short and long-term development plans. Within an organization, The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop is a powerful opportunity for the organization to create and share a leadership language. FlashPoint's Leadership Challenge^® program also includes our original Mindmarker mobile app reinforcement program, where participants receive actionable messages and digital resources to encourage application.

Organizations can also choose to include other reinforcement and development including in-person or virtual reinforcement sessions, group coaching, LPI re-assessment, individual coaching, and executive overview sessions.

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LPI Coach Training

You can bring LPI Coach Training into your organization as a workshop, or attend our public program:

LPI^® Coach Training (must have a current LPI report) 

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The LPI Coach Training offers an in-depth exploration of the LPI^®: Leadership Practices Inventory^® for leadership development professionals, leadership consultants, and educators. It teaches how to coach and train more effectively using the LPI^® with practical approaches and hands-on practice.

Participants will:

• Learn to conduct a thoughtful analysis of LPI^® feedback reports
• Gain a deep understanding of and learn to describe LPI^® feedback report features, plus the interrelationships among the 30 behaviors
• Obtain a greater understanding of resources available from The Leadership Challenge^® to help leaders benefit from the LPI^®

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The Challenge Continues Workshop

The Challenge Continues^® Workshop is a comprehensive program that supplements The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop as a follow-up or reinforcement program for leaders who have been working to implement The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership^®. Modules are designed as a one-day program or five, 90-minute segments. 

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The Leadership Challenge Follow-On Reinforcement Program (Mindmarker)

FlashPoint's original mobile app follow-on program is designed to encourage participants to retain and apply new skills. We use the Mindmarker app to deliver actionable messages and digital resources to participants' smartphone, tablet, and desktop devices. The program is carefully crafted to reinforce learning and encourage practice for 90 days following The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop, giving leaders a bridge from assessment and workshop to application.

We include this reinforcement program in our standard two-day Leadership Challenge^® programs, or we can customize it for your needs.

Read about more reinforcement options:

No-cost resources for The Leadership Challenge reinforcement

No-cost internal options for The Leadership Challenge reinforcement

Low-cost The Leadership Challenge reinforcement offerings by FlashPoint

Added investment The Leadership Challenge reinforcement offerings by FlashPoint

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The Leadership Challenge Materials and Assessments

As a global training partner, FlashPoint can support your experience with The Leadership Challenge^® in a number of ways, including when you want to administer a program or assessment yourself.

Not only do we provide training to organizations, but we also offer the full suite of The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop materials and the LPI^®: Leadership Practices Inventory^® 360-degree assessment instrument to independent consultants and HR and OD business leaders who do not need a customized or facilitated program. We can also administer our original mobile app reinforcement program for you.

To explore ordering materials, see our Materials and Assessments page.

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The Leadership Challenge Resources (Blogs and Self Study)

We've cultivated a number of resources on our blog to help answer your questions about real-time examples of using The Leadership Challenge in your organization or for personal development:

What is The Leadership Challenge?: This interview highlights the history, research, and benefits of The Leadership Challenge^®.

What is it like to attend The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop?: Find out why this leadership development program consistently "wows" participants.

What should I know before attending The Leadership Challenge Workshop?: Attending The Leadership Challenge^® Workshop is an investment in yourself and your development as a leader. The biggest feedback we receive from participants is that the work is worth it. Here's what they recommend you do to get the most out of the program.

Who are Kouzes and Posner?: The Leadership Challenge^® authors Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner have been researching leadership practices for over 35 years.

The Leadership Challenge Model: The Leadership Challenge^® model is based on 35 years of research from Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner on practices and behaviors that people look for in the leaders that they would willingly want to follow.

The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership: The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership^® are Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, and Encourage the Heart. Take this quiz to assess your knowledge of The Five Practices.

How do I Model the Way?: Clarify your values and set the example for others to do the same.

How do I Inspire a Shared Vision?: Define your vision of the future and show others how enlisting in your vision can help them achieve their aspirations.

How do I Challenge the Process?: Constantly seek innovative ways to improve the organization through experimenting and taking risks, then learning from any mistakes or failures along the way.

How do I Enable Others to Act?: Encourage collaborative, productive team relationships to bring out the best in each team member and the team as a whole.

The Leadership Challenge Book: Review our product catalog for where to buy this powerful resource on becoming an exemplary leader.

Leadership Training Programs: Where The Leadership Challenge Workshop is held and when, why you should attend, what to expect, and the materials included in the program.

How effective is The Leadership Challenge? Leadership is the single most important factor contributing to employee engagement. Better leadership practices impact financial performance and business success.

What comes after The Leadership Challenge? We developed a 4-part plan to ensure greater impact and results.

Why you need a leadership coach: Adults learn by doing and coaching offers concrete benefits, including improved performance, collaboration and accountability, and changes measured with pre- and post-assessments.

Effective leadership qualities: Leadership is personal. It’s always about the “who” over the “what.”

Practices of dynamic leaders: Leadership makes all the difference in how well a team performs.

How to determine if you are ready for The Leadership Challenge: Here’s a practical guide for understanding the business case for developing leaders with The Leadership Challenge^®.

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THE FLASHPOINT DIFFERENCE

As the No. 1 provider of The Leadership Challenge, FlashPoint has a proven record of delivering rigorous and engaging content that benefits leaders and their organizations for years to come.

Whether you want to attend a public workshop, be trained as a facilitator, or bring a customized in-organization solution to your organization, with FlashPoint you'll find solutions that are measurable and lasting.

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