PG Skills: Leadership

No matter what role, sector or country you want to work in, leadership skills are incredibly important and useful. Leadership is the most cited desirable skill across employer surveys, and candidates who can demonstrate they have the potential to lead will be in high demand. Leadership skills are also critical for business development – something organisations are going to be focusing on now more than ever.

Leadership doesn’t just mean managing a team of staff. There are many ways to lead and you will already be developing some leadership skills during your postgraduate degree through teamwork, project management and even writing i.e. constructing a convincing well-evidenced argument. However, it is important that you understand what employers are looking for and how to communicate your relevant skills and experience using appropriate language.

This workshop will be co-delivered by Christina Chen, CEO and Co-Founder of Turing Talent and Corinne Sawers, Co-Founder of Turing Talent and Associate Partner at McKinsey. Christina started as a software engineer at Microsoft. Her career has developed into the business side of technology, advising multinational technology companies on IPOs and acquisitions during investment banking, and investing in 20+ high-growth technology companies as a venture capital investor. Corinne advises companies and leaders across industries on business strategy and organisational design. She's also passionate about training and mentoring the next generation on the topic of leadership, starting from leading oneself to set up for long-term success.

Turing Talent is rewriting the future of who leads the tech industry. They offer specific postgraduate trainee programs that combine a career propelling job, mentorship and leadership training to high potential engineers and data scientists. Their mission is to unlock the next generation of diverse, resilient and impact-led leaders in the field of technology. They do this by tearing down barriers preventing talent from accessing the best opportunities and flourishing in them. These barriers include: socio-economic disadvantage, lacking a pedigree degree, geographical distance, personal networks, confidence and even an understanding of their own worth

This workshop aims to:

• Give you a firm understanding of what leadership involves and the skills required
• Provide you with the opportunity to explore your own leadership experience, preferences and abilities
• Assist you to understand different leadership styles and situations
• Explain why employers are seeking leadership skills and how candidates can evidence their abilities in job applications and interviews

Join the PG Skills Canvas course https://canvas.bham.ac.uk/enroll/PKYPEA