Our living tradition calls us to be lifelong learners, and this is especially true for our leaders. There are many skills and sensibilities that today's leaders need to help our congregations be ready for the 21st century, which your UUA Congregational Life Staff uses to design programming.
21st Century Leadership
As we are moving from the modern into the post-modern era, and from white male centered notions of leadership to a more inclusive model, different understandings of leadership are emerging.
Join the conversation by identifying your own congregation's core leadership qualities to assist your leaders and potential leaders in developing their own learning plans. Ask yourself questions like:
- What skill do leaders need to proclaim liberal religious values in the wider community?
- What skills do leaders need to help our congregations live in covenant?
- How can our leaders help our congregations live out their mission and vision?
- How can we help our leaders practice self-differentiation?
Sample Leadership Competencies
Online Leadership Development Courses
We on your UUA Congregational Life Staff want you to spend your leadership development energy on relationship-building and connecting individuals to meaningful service, so we offer affordable leadership development courses that your potential and seasoned leaders can take take in parallel, then to meet and learn together:
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 sample
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 sample
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 sample
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 sample