01 | LEAD BY TAKING PEOPLE WITH YOU.
To accomplish big things, you have to take people with you.
Effective leadership takes mastering both communication – the ability to formulate and articulate your vision in a way that inspires others to follow you, and collaboration – the ability to connect with diverse teams and work together to accomplish big goals. Our curriculum emphasizes a team approach that will teach you to communicate persuasively and collaborate respectfully to take people with you./p>
02 | LEAD WITH INSIGHT.
Our approach is informed by principles of strategic communication.
Effective leadership starts with listening. Communication professionals gather insights about a target audience’s beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors and translate these findings into strategies and messages for influence. The same is true for leadership. Understanding what people are thinking and feeling provides the empathy and insight necessary to lead in ways that take people with you.
03 | LEAD WITH PURPOSE.
We believe our students can change the world.
We encourage our students to have big goals. There are only two rules. First, goals must be too big to accomplish alone. Second, they must make a positive impact in your life and the lives of others. To help you learn to lead with purpose we place you in leadership development teams where you will share and refine your own mission-driven goals. We also match you up with nonprofit organizations to complete service learning projects to address challenges facing our communities.
04 | LEAD BY DOING.
The best way to learn leadership is by doing it.
Our Missouri Method philosophy of Learn By Doing emphasizes a hands-on, experiential approach where students turn principles into practice. In our courses, students work in teams on real-world projects to develop solutions for real organizations. As a Novak Leadership student, you also gain access to a wide range of networking and mentoring opportunities, service learning partnerships, and industry programs to gain exposure and experience.
Welcome to the world’s first institute for strategic communication leadership.
The Novak Leadership Institute offers a fresh approach to leadership education rooted in the principles of strategic communication and advertising. We help you effectively lead yourself and others through a mix of research, strategy, creativity, and collaboration. We call it leading by taking people with you.
Hands-on, “Missouri Method” Approach to Learning
World-Class Faculty, Global Connections
At The World’s First & Best School of Journalism
Proven CEO Concept, Industry-informed Courses
Purpose-Driven, Service-Oriented Approach
LEADERSHIP THAT PUTS PEOPLE FIRST.
Our people-first approach to leadership education is inspired by the teaching of world-renowned leader, David Novak. Over his fifteen years as CEO of Yum! Brands, Novak developed his trusted Taking People with You leadership program that he personally taught to thousands of managers around the world. Many of his ideas are rooted in the principles of strategic communication and marketing, which laid the groundwork for his leadership career.
GET READY TO CHASE SOME BIG GOALS.
With the start of every course, we challenge students to answer a set of questions to launch you toward your goals. The first question is, “What is the single biggest thing you could accomplish that would change your life or the lives of others?” Meet a few of the students from our inaugural year who achieved ambitious goals including landing a dream job in advertising, launching a tech startup, and working at the U.S. Olympic Committee.
LEADERSHIP TRAINING IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.
Our courses and programs are designed to give you a head start in your career by equipping you with resources for both personal and professional growth. We offer real-world leadership opportunities ranging from industry partnerships and trips to service learning projects and mentoring programs. Explore all of our offerings to find the perfect mix to fit your goals and interests.
Student Courses
Novak Leadership courses allow Mizzou undergraduate and graduate students to gain practical skills and experience in the areas of personal leadership development, organizational leadership, entrepreneurship & innovation, and service. We offer 3-credit-hour and 1-credit-hour courses, undergraduate certificates in leadership, and online courses for graduate and MBA students.
Industry Partnerships & Programs
We offer valuable professional networking opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. Leveraging our world-class reputation, highly connected faculty, and diverse alumni network, we have built strategic partnerships with some of the world’s top organizations. These industry partnerships take the form of student tours, trips, and custom apprenticeships that introduce students to the people, principles, and practices that move organizations forward.
Mentoring & Coaching
Our leadership philosophy believes in putting people first. We offer personal coaching sessions to all Novak students to guide your leadership development. We also offer an industry mentoring program that connects you to professionals in your field of interest. These connections often lead to job shadowing, career coaching, and personal invitations and recommendations for competitive positions. The impact of mentoring on your career and the rich relationships you build extend well beyond graduation.
Service Learning
Our Missouri Method of Learn By Doing combined with our purpose-driven approach to leadership inspires our efforts to partner with nonprofit organizations in the community. These partnerships offer students the chance to apply their knowledge and skills to help organizations creatively solve problems and address key challenges. Novak students can participate in projects within Novak Leadership courses and/or volunteer through University-wide partners.
Professional Trainings
We offer leadership assessments, customized training programs, and workshops for both on-campus and professional audiences. To date, we have provided leadership training to over 4,000 Missouri state government employees, higher education leaders and business professionals.
Events & Conferences
We offer conferences and speaking events open to students, University faculty and staff, and the wider community. Our leadership conference for educators (Learning + Leadership Summit) and annual Novak Speaker Series feature experts in the fields of leadership, communication, and innovation. Workshops and breakout sessions are available to students and professionals in coordination with these events.
LEADERSHIP TRAINING IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.
Our courses and programs are designed to give you a head start in your career while also helping you cultivate a heart for serving your community. We offer real-world leadership opportunities ranging from industry partnerships and trips to service-learning projects and mentorship programs. Explore all of our offerings to find the perfect mix to fit your goals and interests.
Student Courses
Novak Leadership courses allow Mizzou undergraduate and graduate students to gain practical skills and experience in the areas of personal leadership development, organizational leadership, entrepreneurship & innovation, and service. We offer 3-credit hour courses, undergraduate certificates, online courses for graduate students.
Industry Partnerships & Programs
We offer valuable professional networking opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. Leveraging our world-class reputation, highly connected faculty, and diverse alumni network, we have built strategic partnerships with some of the world’s top organizations. These industry partnerships take the form of student tours, trips, and custom apprenticeships that introduce students to the people, principles, and practices that move organizations forward.
Mentoring & Coaching
Our leadership philosophy believes in putting people first. We offer personal coaching sessions to all Novak students to guide their leadership development. We also offer a unique two-way mentorship model that allows students to build meaningful relationships with those ahead of them and those behind them. Students who participate in the mentoring program are matched up with a professional in their field of interest as well as with a high school or underclassman college student.
Service Learning
Our Missouri Method of learning-by-doing combined with our purpose-driven approach to leadership inspires our efforts to partner with nonprofit organizations in both the local and global community. These partnerships offer students the chance to apply their knowledge and skills to help organizations creatively solve problems and address challenges. Students can participate in projects within Novak Leadership courses and/or volunteer through University-wide partners.
Online & Professional Trainings
We offer boot camps, workshops, and courses for both on-campus students and working professionals seeking continuing education credit or an online degree. We also partner with organizations to design custom leadership training programs.
Events & Conferences
We offer conferences and speaking events open to students, university faculty and staff, and the wider community. Our annual leadership conference for educators and distinguished speaker series bring in experts in the fields of mass media & communication, entrepreneurship & innovation, and leadership. Workshops and boot camps are available to students and professionals in coordination with these events.
“Believe in the power of people. Start with a deep down belief that every person on your team wants to be part of something great. Then cast a vision for greatness and get your people involved in making that vision a reality.”
— David Novak
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I knew this class would help me in pursuing my career objectives in PR, but I had no idea how directly it would actually impact my job search as a senior.
I’m so thankful for the positive team environment and the actionable skills and strategies I’ve learned through the Novak Leadership program.
Many things have to go right for a startup to be successful. I was lucky to join NLI at a time when there were many separate challenges facing my company.