Leadership Skills

Leadership Skills is a Breni path for new and aspiring managers, and for anyone asked to lead a project or team. Its 8 courses cover what leadership is, self-awareness, communicating as a leader, feedback and coaching, managing performance, delegation and motivation, building teams, and decisions and change. Learners finish able to run one-to-ones, give clear feedback, delegate with ownership and handle conflict. Self-awareness comes before leading others because it shapes every conversation after it, and each course unlocks once the previous one is done.

8 courses
18 learning objectives
Level: beginner
Language: English
Price: Subscription, free trial

What you will be able to do

Choose a leadership style that fits the situation and the person
Run a one-to-one meeting with clear expectations and real listening
Give feedback using the situation, behaviour, impact model
Delegate a task with clear ownership, deadlines and check-ins
Handle a conflict between two team members
Plan how to communicate a change to a team

Full curriculum

Part 1 · Leading yourself

1. What Leadership Is: Core Skills and Styles

Describe what leaders do and the main leadership styles. Units, in order: Leadership compared with management; Common leadership styles; Situational leadership; Moving from peer to leader; Leadership myths; Earning trust in your first ninety days.

— Leadership Versus Management
Explore the distinct roles of managing tasks versus leading people.
- Defining Management
- Defining Leadership
- Why Both Matter
— Common Leadership Styles
Discover the main approaches to guiding teams every day.
- Autocratic Style
- Democratic Style
- Laissez Faire Style
— Situational Leadership Basics
Adapt your leadership style to fit changing team needs.
- Assessing Team Readiness
- Matching Your Style
- Shifting Over Time
— Moving From Peer To Leader
Navigate the tricky transition from coworker to team boss.
- Shifting Relationships
- Setting New Boundaries
- Fairness And Authority
— Common Leadership Myths
Debunk false ideas about what makes someone a leader.
- The Born Leader Myth
- The Title Myth
- The Perfection Myth
— First Ninety Days Trust
Build strong credibility and trust in your new role.
- Listening First
- Quick Wins
- Building Authentic Connections

2. Self-Awareness and Emotional Intelligence

Recognise your strengths, habits and emotional reactions as a leader. Units, in order: The parts of emotional intelligence; Asking for feedback on yourself; Strengths and blind spots; Managing your reactions under pressure; Leading from your values.

Part 2 · Leading others

3. Communicating as a Leader

Communicate direction clearly and listen well. Units, in order: Setting clear expectations; Active listening; Running one-to-one meetings; Explaining the why behind decisions; Communicating change; Giving updates to your own manager.

4. Feedback and Coaching

Give useful feedback and coach people to improve. Units, in order: Feedback models such as SBI; Praise that is specific; Difficult feedback conversations; Coaching questions; Following up after feedback.

5. Managing Performance

Set goals with people and handle performance that falls short. Units, in order: Setting goals with each team member; Regular check-ins on progress; Performance reviews; Handling underperformance fairly; Supporting growth and promotion.

6. Delegation and Motivation

Delegate work and keep people motivated. Units, in order: Deciding what to delegate; Delegating with clear ownership; Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation; Recognition that matters; Spotting and preventing burnout.

Part 3 · Leading teams

7. Building Strong Teams

Build trust and handle conflict in a team. Units, in order: Psychological safety; How teams form and develop; Handling conflict; Inclusive leadership; Leading remote teams.

8. Decisions and Change

Make decisions and lead a team through change. Units, in order: Decision-making methods; Involving the team in decisions; Leading through uncertainty; Kotter's steps for leading change; Learning from mistakes.

Sample: What Leadership Is: Core Skills and Styles

The opening tier, (Leadership Versus Management). Explore the distinct roles of managing tasks versus leading people.

Defining Management

Understand how managers organize tasks and track systems.

Defining Leadership

Learn how leaders inspire people and build trust.

Why Both Matter

See how teams need both management and leadership.

Questions about Leadership Skills

Can leadership be learned?

Yes. Most leadership skills, such as feedback, delegation and listening, are habits that improve with practice. Leadership Skills on Breni teaches them one at a time.

What are the most important leadership skills?

Communication, feedback, delegation, self-awareness and decision making come up most often. Each has its own course or unit in the path.

Is this course for first-time managers?

Yes. It is written for people moving from doing the work to leading others, including leaders without a formal title.

What is the difference between leadership and management?

Management keeps work organised and on track. Leadership sets direction and helps people want to follow it, and most managers need both.