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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 courses employ a team approach where students practice communicating persuasively and collaborating respectfully to take people with them.
Our philosophy of leadership is inspired by advertising principles.
Just like in advertising, influence begins with listening. You first have to understand your audiences before you can get them to follow you. Then you have to communicate in a way that breaks through the clutter and connects with people on a deeper level. It’s this insight-driven approach to leadership that distinguishes us from other programs and gives our students a true competitive advantage in both work and life.
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 the world. To help students learn to lead with purpose we place them in small teams where they present and refine their own mission-driven goals. We also match them up with nonprofits to complete projects that address both local and global challenges.
The best way to learn leadership is by doing it.
Our Missouri Method philosophy emphasizes a hands-on, experiential approach to learning where students can turn principles into practice. Students work in teams on real-world projects to develop solutions for real organizations. Novak students also have access to a wide range of internship, apprenticeship and service learning opportunities to gain experience at top organizations and network with industry leaders.
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