Build Strong Leadership Skills from Day One
Leadership Foundations
Leadership Foundations equips new and aspiring leaders with the skills, strategies, and self-awareness needed to navigate the challenges of leadership, offering practical tools and personalized support to help them thrive in their roles.
What Is Leadership Foundations?
Leadership Foundations gives new and aspiring leaders the practical skills and confidence they need as they step into a leadership role. Many first-time leaders enter management feeling unsure, overwhelmed, or promoted for their technical abilities rather than their people-leadership skills. This program closes that gap by focusing on what leaders need most during their early stages of development.
Each session combines hands-on learning, reflection, and real workplace application. Participants will:
- Identify one new leadership behavior to start after each session
- Identify one unhelpful behavior to stop
- Work with an accountability partner to reinforce progress
- Receive support from their supervisor through guided questions provided by Frontline
By the end of the program, every participant will build a personalized Leadership Development Plan that helps guide their growth and continue strengthening their leadership approach over time.
Who is it for?
This program is ideal for new leaders stepping into their first leadership role, aspiring leaders preparing for future leadership opportunities, and managers seeking to strengthen their foundational leadership skills.
What You Will Learn
This training is delivered in 3-hour sessions virtually for six weeks, or in 4-hour sessions delivered in person over five weeks. In these sessions you will cover:
Session 1: Making the Shift to Leader
Stepping into leadership requires a new mindset and a new way of working. In this session, participants learn how to:
- Redefine what leadership means
- Balance supporting and challenging their team
- Understand the difference between managing tasks and leading people
- Navigate shifts in responsibility and workplace relationships
- Identify and address common myths new leaders face
Session 2: Developing Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is the starting point for effective leadership. Using the DiSC© behavioral profile, participants will:
- Explore their natural tendencies, strengths, and blind spots
- Recognize the different personalities on their team
- Learn how to adapt their approach to better connect with others
- Build a foundation for stronger workplace relationships
Session 3: Effective Communication
New leaders must communicate with clarity and purpose. This session helps participants:
- Identify common communication barriers
- Practice active listening
- Use a simple framework for constructive feedback
- Strengthen credibility and trust through intentional interactions
Session 4: Assessing & Developing Skills
Leadership development is a continuous journey. Individuals move through distinct stages of skill development over time, and each stage requires a different level of support. This session focuses on building awareness of that process and learning how to respond effectively. Participants will:
- Identify their current stage of leadership skill development
- Understand how developmental stages influence performance
- Apply a leadership development framework to support others
- Practice meeting team members at their developmental level
Session 5: Prioritization
Competing demands can feel overwhelming for new leaders. This session helps participants:
- Align daily tasks with broader organizational goals
- Understand prioritization techniques
- Evaluate effective delegation approaches
- Strengthen time management through guided exercises
- Begin forming their personalized Leadership Development Plan
Program Outcomes
By the end of Leadership Foundations, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate greater confidence and preparedness as new leaders
- Analyze their leadership style to identify strengths and blind spots
- Communicate with clarity and purpose to build trust and drive results
- Evaluate their stage of leadership development and define next steps for growth
- Apply communication and prioritization strategies to align their team’s efforts
- Build a personalized Leadership Development Plan to guide continued development
Benefits of Leadership Foundations
There are many benefits to bringing Leadership Foundations into your workplace, such as:
Learn to navigate the key changes in mindset, responsibility, and relationships as you transition from doing the work to empowering others to succeed. This program equips you to step confidently into your new role and lead with purpose.
Gain insights into your strengths, tendencies, and potential blind spots, enabling you to lead authentically and effectively.
Balance support and accountability to foster trust, collaboration, and a culture of high performance.
Develop the skills to actively listen, provide meaningful feedback, and ensure every conversation strengthens connections and drives results.
Gain the tools to assess individual needs, provide appropriate guidance, and unlock your team’s potential for success.
Align priorities, focus team efforts, and create a motivating environment where everyone feels valued and inspired to excel.
HRCI
This training offers 20 credits
SHRM
This training offers 20 credits
Program Details and Registration
Virtual Training Program Details
All virtual sessions are live, instructor-led. Virtual training takes place over a Zoom meeting. Class sizes are limited to 20 participants so that interaction and learning are maximized. Once registered, participants will receive details on how to join the Zoom meeting.
Leadership Foundations virtual training includes:
- 18 hours of leadership training and application
- Participant workbook and all training materials
- Action plans
- Coaching forms provided to supervisors of attendees to facilitate continuous development
Format: Six 3-hour sessions delivered virtually for six weeks.
Online Platform: Zoom.us
For Participation You Will Need:
- A computer, laptop, iPad, or smart phone
- Internet access
In Person Training Program Details
Class sizes are limited to 20 participants so that interaction and learning are maximized.
Leadership Foundations in person training includes:
- 20 hours of leadership training and application
- Participant workbook and all training materials
- Action plans
- Coaching forms provided to supervisors of attendees to facilitate continuous development
- Snacks and drinks are provided
Format: Five 4-hour sessions delivered in person over five weeks.
Location: 1760 44th Street SW, Suite 10, Grand Rapids, MI 49519
Custom Solutions
Receive Customized Training
We offer customized training, both in person and virtual, for teams across the country. If you’d like a customized training on Leadership Foundations for your team, contact us today.
Leadership Foundations Reviews
My team has actually noticed a difference. They are setting daily goals for themselves. Along with that they recently went through the time management class Express offered. I’ve used some of the interview questions from class. My 1:1’s are more productive and I’m working on stating my intent more clearly to my team.
Merrilee K, AR/AP Supervisor
Ascent Brands
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
This training focuses on the people side of leadership and is targeted towards those in administrative & professional settings. Supervisor Boot Camp is targeted towards those in manufacturing or industrial management settings and focuses more on the operational leadership practices in these contexts.
Leadership Foundations is targeted towards newer or future leaders, while Purpose Driven Leadership Training is a more advanced class for leaders of all levels. Some concepts are similar, but Purpose-Driven Leadership Training dives deeper into core leadership concepts.
It is a series of classes which build on one another. In this case the learning is meant to happen in the classroom as well as outside. Coaching forms are sent to the supervisors of participants to continue the learning and application each week.
Since 1983 our parent company, Express Employment Professionals, has been connecting the workforce to the workplace. We’ve been on the frontlines hearing the challenges employers are facing, understanding the mindset of the workforce, and studying the demographic trends facing our future.
Frontline Training Solutions was born out of the desire to do more for the companies we serve. We’ve harnessed the workforce knowledge gathered through employing millions of people and serving thousands of companies so that we can provide the solutions you need to train, develop, and retain your workforce. This means all our training programs take a practical real-world approach to help be a catalyst for change and improvement back at your organization.
This program is designed for new and aspiring leaders, as well as leaders who have never received formal leadership training.
Yes. Leadership Foundations includes the DiSC© behavioral profile to help participants understand their leadership tendencies and how to work more effectively with their teams. This assessment is included in the cost of the training.
Yes. We can bring Leadership Foundations to your organization. Contact us to discuss onsite intact team training.
Other Resources to Consider
Podcast
I am a new leader, what do I do first?
In this episode, we cover what to address first when you’re a new position of leadership.
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