Rise to LEADership Certificate

Rise to leadership

Rise to LEADership is a professional development program designed for Charlotte employees aspiring to future leadership roles. This initiative empowers emerging leaders by providing targeted training in the essential “soft skills” that enhance leadership potential while driving excellence in their current positions. The curriculum focuses on five core pillars: peer leadership (leading without authority), relationship building, strategic thinking, honest feedback, and the logistics of leadership career positioning. Through this program, participants gain the tools and visibility needed to successfully transition into leadership and make a lasting impact.

To earn a certificate, participants must complete at least four of the five offered courses; these courses include:

1. Peer Leadership: Leading Without a Title

This foundational session sets the stage for the cohort’s work throughout the remainder of the semester. Designed for professionals ready to make an impact from any position, this class utilizes the 5 Levels of Leadership framework to help participants systematically grow their influence without a formal title. By learning to transition away from positional power, you will discover how to build deep, trust-based relationships that naturally inspire your peers and boost team morale. Ultimately, this session provides the practical tools and solution-oriented mindset needed to expand your daily influence and become the definitive, “go-to” peer leader on your team.

2. Connection Over Command: Using Emotional Intelligence to Build Professional Relationships

This course focuses on cultivating the character, temperament, and emotional intelligence (EQ) essential for effective, everyday leadership. Utilizing Level 2 Leadership strategies, participants will learn how to build authentic, trust-based relationships and navigate shifting professional dynamics—such as transitioning from peer to supervisor. By blending “extreme ownership” with heightened self-awareness and social maturity, you will discover how to lead with empathy, maintain composure under pressure, and connect deeply with your team. Ultimately, this session provides the practical EQ tools needed to foster mutual respect, inspire collaboration, and lead with lasting integrity.

3. Own the Outcome: Transitioning from Contributor to Results-Driven Project Leader

This course empowers participants to shift from identifying problems to driving data-backed solutions. Focusing on the core Level 3 Leadership goal of achieving results, this session teaches you how to maintain an action-oriented mindset to solve problems quickly and generate organizational momentum. Learners will master the project lifecycle—planning, execution, and closing—to keep initiatives on track and under budget. By adopting this “management mindset,” participants will learn to step away from individual contributor tasks and focus on high-level oversight, strategic resource management, and delivering high-impact outcomes.

4. Care Personally, Challenge Directly: High-Impact Feedback

Centering on firmness, competency, and fairness, this session helps leaders move from a desire to be “liked” to a goal of being respected. Participants will learn that coaching and teaching others to improve is an essential step in becoming a Level 4 Leader, shifting the focus from individual success to people development. Using tools like Radical Candor and the Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) Feedback Model, you will learn to challenge directly while caring personally. The course also covers “managing up and sideways” and establishing an accountability loop to ensure all team commitments are met while actively elevating the skills of those around you.

5. The Leadership Launchpad

This course covers the logistics of landing and succeeding in your first leadership role. Participants will learn to “job craft” their current duties for advancement and gain a deep understanding of UNC Charlotte-specific processes. Additionally, learners will focus on portfolio and resume enhancement, shifting their professional narrative from a simple list of tasks to a compelling record of leadership achievements. Finally, learners will refine their professional narrative and build a 90-day transition plan to hit the ground running.

Class Dates

The classes for the Spring and Fall 2027 cohort are taking place on the dates below. These sessions are in-person and hosted on UNC Charlotte’s main campus.

Application for the Next Cohort

Applications for the Spring 2027 Cohort will open in December of 2026.

Questions

If you have any remaining questions about the Rise to LEADership Certificate please contact the Learning and Organizational Development team through HR Connect for secure, timely support.