NON-CREDIT First Responder Leadership Program Executive Education | Open Enrollment Format In-Person Request Information First responder leaders must build and lead high performance organizations and teams that can operate effectively and thrive in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) situations. This requires exemplary leaders who can provide purpose, motivation, and direction to effectively accomplish missions requiring adaptable responses. VUCA also demands that leaders build the trust and credibility needed to influence staff, colleagues, and the community under stressful conditions. First responder leaders are tasked with creating team and organizational cultures that facilitate operating in VUCA – cultures typified by honor, ethics, high-performance, loyalty, duty, cohesion, and that leverage the strengths and talents of a diverse workforce. This course has been designed specifically for the needs of first responder leaders. Hear from leaders in the field including a panel of top leaders in Law Enforcement, Fire, and Emergency Services. The course will combine key theories and frameworks on leadership and teams, with best practices and actionable tools targeted to enhance the capabilities of first responder leaders. “This [program] has opened my eyes as an organizational leader and given me tools and resources to build my skills and team.” “I cannot say enough how much I enjoyed this program, and learning how to develop myself as a leader. I am taking many suggestions from both instructors and working to implement them into my role to build my team.” -Program Participants, Fall 2023 Program details including cost, schedule, lodging, faculty, and more can be found in the accordion section at the bottom of this page. Please contact execedinfo@wfu.edu with any questions about the program. This program is not currently accepting registrations. Request Information Warning: Illegal string offset ‘url’ in /home/spswfued/public_html/wp-content/themes/wake-forest-gutenberg/template-parts/subpage-header.php on line 214 Warning: Illegal string offset ‘title’ in /home/spswfued/public_html/wp-content/themes/wake-forest-gutenberg/template-parts/subpage-header.php on line 215 Warning: Illegal string offset ‘target’ in /home/spswfued/public_html/wp-content/themes/wake-forest-gutenberg/template-parts/subpage-header.php on line 216 “A lot of times with leadership training you get a lot of intangibles, vague, non-specific information. With this course I was able to walk away with tangible guidance and course of actions to apply to real world situations that I am faced with. With some other leadership training you get just theory routed in literature, but in this program the well credentialed instructors were able to also show how the literature had been used in their real-world applications of their own careers.” — Program Participant, Fall 2023 Key Takeaways Authentic and Influential Leadership Exemplary Leadership Styles Building Trust and Credibility Shaping a High-Performance Culture Building and Leading High Performing Teams Executive Decision Making Who Should Attend? This program is designed for First Responder leaders within law enforcement, emergency medical services, and fire department wishing to develop and grow personal and team leadership skills. Mid and senior level leaders/officers are encouraged to join this program individually or in teams from their organizations. “In life, everything rises and falls based on the leadership that is present or absent. We are here to enhance the leadership of first responder executives so they may better lead and serve in their agencies and their communities.” — Bobby F. Kimbrough, Jr., Forsyth County Sheriff Additional Information Dates, Location, Schedule Dates TBD Location TBD Sample Schedule Day 1 8:30am-4:30pm Opening Discussion: Conversation with Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough Jr. on Leading the Way in First Responder Organizations Session – Centering Yourself as a First Responder Leader – Authentic and influential Leadership Leadership as an influence process – not a position (formal and informal leadership) Elements of follower motivation Leader character, values, and ethical-decision-making Building a personal model of leadership and a Leadership Philosophy Statement Session – Exemplary Leadership and Leadership Styles for First Responders (3 hours) Transactional and transformational forms of leadership The functions of effective leaders Adapting your leadership style to the situation Developing team members into leaders Day 2, 8:30am-7:00pm Session – Being a Credible First Responder Leader – Building Trust, Credibility, and Leader Presence Establishing trustworthiness and credibility as a first responder leader The elements of leader presence and developing your brand as a leader Building trust within first responder teams Restoring broken trust bonds Session – Shaping a High-Performance Culture in First Responder Organizations Assessing the Current Culture Creating a Vision for the Aspired Culture Tools to Shape the Envisioned Culture Building an Inclusive Culture that Leverages Diversity Applying Tools to Create an Action Plan to Shape Culture Panel – Leading the Way in First Responder Organizations To Be Announced Networking Reception Day 3, 8:30am-4:30pm Session – Leading High Performing First Responder Teams Crisis Leadership Aligning the Team Around a Shared Vision and Leader Intent Communicating the “What” and “Why” while Empowering the “How” Creating Coordination and Collaboration and Synchronizing Unity of Effort Conducting Team Learning via After-Action Reviews (AARs) Lunch with Optional Roundtable Discussions Session – Building High Performing First Responder Teams Team Formation, Structure and Functioning Accelerating the Form-Storm-Norm-Perform process Creating role clarity in and between teams Creating Social Cohesion and Task Cohesion Establishing the Attributes and Disciplines of High Performance Teams Building an effective Team Charter Day 4, 8:30am-12:30pm Session – Executive Decision Making Develop the ability to evaluate decision making contexts Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of participative decision making Understand the five forms of managerial decision making Apply the normative managerial decision-making model to case studies Evaluate one’s own decision-making style as well as empirically based advice on how to improve the effectiveness of and efficiency of these decisions. Program Wrap up and Certificate Awards Cost The cost of the program is TBD and is due in full at time of registration. If you need to pay by check, please reach out to execedinfo@wfu.edu to obtain an invoice. What’s included: 3.5 days of advance leader development Breakfast, lunch, snacks Printed materials Assessments Networking Reception End of program certificate What’s not included: Lodging – We will secure discounted hotel rates for participants near the Wake Forest Charlotte Center which will be added to the lodging section once confirmed. Parking – Parking is available in a nearby parking deck for $25 per day. Dinners – there are many restaurant options in walking distance in Uptown Charlotte where participants can get dinner on their own or with other participants Hotel/Lodging Room Blocks TBD Materials Course materials are included in the cost of tuition and will be distributed electronically and/or on paper in advance of the program start date. Participants are recommended to have a laptop or tablet computer to access course materials during the program delivery.  Refund and Cancellation Policies Program Cancellation This course is offered contingent upon sufficient enrollment. If a course must be canceled, all registered participants will be notified at least five (5) calendar days before the course’s start date. All registered participants will receive a 100% tuition refund. No fees will be charged for canceled courses. Individual Cancellation – Refund Policy Prospective participants who withdraw at least 10 days prior to the start of a course will receive a full refund of tuition paid. Contact Us For more information, or to speak with a program adviser, please send an email to execedinfo@wfu.edu. Meet the Faculty Sean Hannah, Ph.D. Sean Hannah – J. Tylee Wilson Chair in Business Ethics; Professor of Management; Senior Research Associate, CLC, Wake Forest School of Business Patrick Sweeney, Ph.D. Professor of the Practice of Management and the Executive Director of Wake Forest School of Business’ Allegacy Center for Leadership and Character. Sherry Moss, Ph.D. Sherry Moss, Professor of Organizational Studies; Benson Pruitt Professor in Business; Interim Associate Dean of MBA Programs, Wake Forest School of Business Leadership Panelists Sheriff Bobby F. Kimbrough, Jr. Sheriff, Forsyth County, North Carolina Sheriff Charles Blackwood Sheriff, Orange County, North Carolina ASAC Beth A. Boggess Beth A. Boggess, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, FBI Charlotte Field Office Chief Joseph Hundley Chief Joseph Hundley, Forsyth County Emergency Services Deputy Chief Zerubabel Chickoree Deputy Chief Zerubabel Chickoree, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department Deputy Chief Peter Skeris Deputy Chief Peter Skeris, Charlotte Fire Department Wake to What’s Next Contact Us Read the Media Release