We on your UUA Congregational Life Staff want you to spend your leadership development energy on relationship-building and connecting individuals to meaningful service (see the Leadership Development Team Training below), so we offer affordable leadership development courses that your potential and seasoned leaders can take take in parallel, then to meet and learn together:
Claiming Our Spiritual Leadership
Claiming and activating Spiritual Leadership and its practices can help shift congregational culture toward greater soulfulness, equity, and liberation. In this training, individuals and teams are introduced to Spiritual Leadership and its five practices for UU congregations. This training is team-led by the staff of the New England region. It is open to all UU congregations in any region.
Take the Training Claiming Our Spiritual Leadership
Centered Leadership Part 1
For new leaders and those interested in possible leadership. Covers covenant, healthy communication and boundaries, shared ministry, and stewardship. Also provides and introduction to congregational polity, UU theologies, and the wider UU movement.
Syllabus (PDF) | Sample Presentation
Take the Training Centered Leadership Part 1
Centered Leadership Part 2
Includes family and other systems thinking applied to congregations. (Similar to Healthy Congregations®) Learn healthy leadership practices, communication and conflict skills, the importance of being mission-focused and how to communicate across differences.
Syllabus (PDF) | Sample Presentation
Take the Training Centered Leadership Part 2
Strategic Leadership
Develop a deeper understanding of how to focus your congregation on mission, build trust and develop a cohesive leadership team. Learn about stewardship, strategic planning, annual goal setting and ministry assessment and the basics of congregational governance.
Syllabus (PDF) | Sample Presentation
Take the Training Strategic Leadership
Adaptive Leadership
Develop advanced leadership skills that will help identify challenges. Learn how to help others see challenges in new ways, empower others and find creative solutions together. This course includes working on a case study with other participants.
Syllabus (PDF) |Sample Presentation
Take the Training Adaptive Leadership
Leadership Development Team Training
Many congregations only think about developing new leaders around the time that the nominating committee is looking for potential board members. Instead, we recommend that congregations see leadership development as part of an arc of faith development that includes not just leadership skills, but also leadership sensibilities and faith development.
Below is a self-guided training that your Leadership Development Team can use to design your own internal program.