Ignite Leadership Training

Whether you’re new to leadership or a seasoned veteran, Ignite can help.

No matter where individuals are in their leadership journey, Ignite provides a distinctive learning community that fosters self-awareness and helps cultivate effective leadership behaviors. Through our skilled trainers, we address contemporary leadership challenges using a coaching approach that instills accountability in students, enabling them to apply their knowledge in real-world settings.

Ignite’s Leadership Training programs are conducted virtually, emphasizing interactivity, hands-on learning, and practical application. This affordable professional development opportunity consists of five 90-minute sessions spread over a 10-week period, allowing ample time for practice and implementation between sessions.

To apply discounts (for MichBusiness and Peer Group members) please call or email Therese Smith at 586-393-4396 or tsmith@michbusiness.org.

What Makes Ignite Leadership Training Stick?

  • It’s hands on – not a traditional classroom, students experience just-in-time learning.
  • Program learning occurs over time – allowing for effective assimilation with company culture & role.
  • Learning happens in cohort – reinforcing learning and creating accountability within a community of peers.
  • Cohort size is limited – creating a safe space for building skills & practicing new behaviors.
  • Trainers provide individualized attention – meeting students where they’re at.
  • Trainers follow a coaching model of learning – enhancing self -awareness & inspiring behavior change.

Leadership Influence Program

This more advanced track picks up where Jumpstart leaves off (although there is no requirement to complete Leadership Jumpstart to enroll) diving into matters of emotional intelligence where participants uncover barriers that may be impacting their relationships and hindering growth.  Assessments uncover natural leadership behaviors, learning styles and conflict resolution approaches providing multiple perspectives that build self-awareness to achieve optimum growth. This course explores relevant topics (enhancing EQ, leadership behaviors (DiSC), training & onboarding, difficult conversations, team building) and offers just-in-time solutions that can be applied immediately within each participant’s unique organizational culture.

Who Should Enroll?

Experienced leaders who have embarked on their leadership journey and are willing to discover new dimensions to their influence and build emotional intelligence. Emerging leaders and high-potentials who are eager to expand their self-awareness and move to the next level.

Virtual Sessions

5 Week Development Program (90-Minute Mid-Day Virtual Sessions)
Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm ET

Spring 2025: March 20th, April 3rd, April 17th, May 1st, May 15th
Summer 2025: June 12th, June 26th, July 10th, July 24th, August 7th
Fall 2025: Sept 25th, Oct 9th, Oct 23rd, Nov 6th, Nov 20th

Interested in In-Person Training?

Click below to submit an inquiry for more info

Price: $1,800/student

Multi-student discounts available.

Leadership Jumpstart Program

This highly interactive virtual program ‘jumpstarts” participants’ overall leadership capability and boosts their level of self-awareness. Each session introduces key leadership concepts (adapting to other leadership styles, giving/receiving feedback, handling difficult conversations, effective communications, developing teams) and reinforces learning by exploring concrete experiences. Students discover practical strategies to apply leadership principles within their unique work setting and are accountable to their learning community by sharing the results of newly practiced leadership behaviors.

Who Should Enroll?

Leaders with limited or no formal leadership training. From experienced managers, newly hired managers, team leaders, individual contributors moving into management, and any staff demonstrating the potential to lead.

Virtual Sessions

5 Week Development Program (90-Minute Mid-Day Virtual Sessions)
Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm ET

Spring 2025: March 19th, April 2nd, April 16th, April 30th, May 14th
Summer 2025: June 11th, June 25th, July 9th, July 23rd, August 6th
Fall 2025: Sept 24th, Oct 8th, Oct 22nd, Nov 5th, Nov 19th

Interested in In-Person Sessions?

Click below to submit an inquiry for more info

Price: $1,800/student

Listen to what our trainer has to say:

Listen to what our trainer has to say:

Topic Summary

  • Emotional Intelligence: Building awareness of its impact on the leader
  • Leadership Behavior: Discovering individual leadership styles using the DiSC model
  • Training & Onboarding: Exploring how preferred learning styles impact effectiveness
  • Difficult Conversations: Successfully addressing conflict in relationships
  • Team Building: Developing solid relationships and emotionally intelligent teams
  • Mental Health: Effectively addressing mental health issues in the workplace

Meet Our Trainer

Katie Dykstra
Katie has led leadership development and training initiatives within a variety of organizations from start ups to Fortune 500 companies and coaches individuals on how leadership skills can be applied both professionally and in everyday life. Katie is passionate about neuroscience and how it impacts leadership results while building better workplace environments. She spent 15 years in HR leadership roles guiding engagement, employee relations, retention, and recruitment efforts. She earned a master’s degree in human resources management, holds a Certified Professional Coach credential through the Center for Coaching and is a Certified Diversity Executive through the Institute for Diversity Certification.

Topic Summary

  • Leadership Self-Awareness: Understanding individual’s preferred leadership style and learning how to adapt to other styles
  • Feedback: Effectively giving and receiving feedback
  • Conflict: Successfully navigating difficult conversations with peers and direct reports
  • Communications: Attracting, onboarding, engaging & retaining team members using dynamic inquiry
  • Team Development: Building high-performance teams (remote, hybrid or in person)

Meet Our Trainer

Denise Roberts
Denise has extensive experience as a trainer and coach helping leaders connect with and create strong relationships within their teams that result in increased engagement & cooperation. Her high energy, experiential training offers a group facilitation style that weaves in real life experience that changes people’s beliefs and leads them to new behaviors and stellar results. Denise loves seeing students integrate new information and implement the actions required to experience game changing results or as she calls them “lightbulb moments!”

What are students saying about Ignite?

It’s about understanding and applying leadership qualities even in non-management functions. The idea that anyone can be a leader and that it’s more than just a title.

It’s about understanding and applying leadership qualities even in non-management functions. The idea that anyone can be a leader and that it’s more than just a title.

I love the diversity of the people who are participating in the training. I love that we get to work together in the training and share with each other our successes and opportunities. We are not only learning from our trainers, but each other as well.

Why Choose Ignite Leadership Training?

  • Learning happens in cohort – reinforcing learning with a group of leadership peers from a variety of industries & disciplines
  • Class size is limited – creating a safe space for sharing challenges & practicing new behaviors
  • Students stay engaged between sessions and acquire leadership resources via a proprietary LMS
  • Learning is hands-on – not a traditional classroom, students participate in just-­in­-time learning
  • Topics are relevant – trainer applies leadership principles to real­-life business successes and failures
  • Program learning occurs over time – allowing for effective assimilation with company culture & role
  • Sessions take place virtually – reducing leader’s time away from role

For More Information

Therese Smith
(586) 393-4396
tsmith@michbusiness.org

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