Let's Get Started: Building Self-Awareness from edX

Please note: the UMD Power Lab is an optional lab, highly recommended, and costs an additional fee. Please read the important statement at the bottom of the description

Great leaders are just ordinary people with the right skills at the right time. To become a great leader, however, you have to know yourself well. This means acknowledging and embracing your strengths. It also means understanding and learning to manage your weaknesses. It’s tougher than that sounds. How do you know what your strengths and weaknesses are? What are your core personality attributes? How do you make decisions? What’s your decision-making style? How do you know? How do you know accurately?

This certificate offers an extraordinary opportunity to spend some quality time with yourself to assess your current level of soft skills, clearly define your core self, and build soft skills which are essential to professional, not to mention life, success.

Knowing what you can change and what you can’t is invaluable knowledge. Stop investing in trying to change the unchangeable -- your traits -- and learn to work with them. Stop trying to change others’ traits, too. Learn to work with your strengths, build new skills and perfect existing ones. Then do the same for your team. To start, you must have self-awareness.

Within self-awareness are several dimensions essential for effective leadership::

emotional intelligence
personal values
cognitive style, how you think
orientation to change
core personality attributes

With the exception of core personality traits which are much less open to change, all other areas of self-awareness are open for development.

Verified learners can access the Power Lab to take self-assessments and receive confidential, benchmarked results. In this course, self-assessments include: core self-evaluation, core personality attributes, self-awareness, and cognitive style, how you make decisions.

From these assessments, verified learners can identify their current strengths and opportunities for growth. You can set goals for your own development with confidence. And, you will learn key practices for how to move from goal to action to strength.

Immediately useful takeaways from this course include enormous self-knowledge of your:

self-awareness and how to improve it
core personality attributes and benefits
thinking styles and how to deploy them
best practice management skills
personal SMART goals to develop
self-awareness
thinking styles
management skills

Verified learners who enroll in the Power Lab will have these additional takeaways:

know current level of self-awareness
know core personality attributes
know details of how you make decisions, thinking style
know current level of management skills
set SMART goals against benchmarked self-assessments for your personal development
Confidently deploy your current strengths

You’ll learn how self-awareness is the super Power Skill, the foundation of all other skills needed to be an effective leader.. They are the most sought-after skills by recruiters and hiring managers. Power skills are key to becoming a great leader.

Get the Models - Understand what self-awareness is including emotional intelligence, thinking styles, orientation to change, core self-evaluation, personal values. Understand the key skills within management and leadership.

Get Why It Matters - Understand the business case for self-awareness and its components and managerial/leadership skills.

Get the Data - Establish your personal baseline for self-awareness and its components as well as management and leadership skills.

Set the Goals - Set personal development goals for increasing self-awareness and managerial/leadership skills

Learn the Tools - Learn tools and techniques for how to build self-awareness and managerial/leadership skills.

Take Action - Build effective action plans to increase self-awareness and managerial/leadership skills

Make the Change - Practice new skills to increase your ability to act with self-awareness and improve your managerial/leadership skills

Get the Benefit - Be able to develop as a great leader able to create great culture: build positive workplaces where individuals flourish and organizations thrive

The UMD Power Lab includes a curated set of self-assessments offered at a discounted price paid separately from the edX content and certificate. These self-assessments are rigorously developed and cannot be supplemented with free versions that would mislead learners with poor-quality alternatives. The UMD Power Lab is optional but highly recommended for any verified learner in the course. It costs $89 per year and only needs to be purchased once per year for the entire suite of courses in the Re-Imagining Leadership Professional Certificate.

We've done everything we can to reduce these costs for you, and have built a free SMART Goals Mobile App to help you achieve your goals. Used together this forms a revolutionary design to coach learners at scale in leadership and power skills as a premium but low-cost experience above and beyond learning the course content and earning the edX certificate.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Why great leaders are self-aware
What you can change and what you can’t about yourself and others
What is self-awareness
Value of self-awareness personally and professionally
What is your level of self-awareness
How to improve self-awareness to engage in personal development
What is your current level of management skills

What is your decision-making style
What is the best use of your decision-making style
Value of management skills
Set smart goals for development of management skills
Set smart goals for use of strengths in management skills
Where to learn the skills needing further development

Why great leaders are self-aware
What you can change and what you can’t about yourself and others
What is self-awareness
Value of self-awareness personally and professionally
What is your level of self-awareness
How to improve self-awareness to engage in personal development
What is your current level of management skills
What is your decision-making style
What is the best use of your decision-making style
Value of management skills
Set smart goals for development of management skills
Set smart goals for use of strengths in management skills
Where to learn the skills needing further development

Syllabus

Week 1: The Key to Making Change: Self-Awareness

Introduction to Module

What is Self-Awareness

Why Does Self-Awareness Matter

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Develops self-awareness, which is critical to personal and professional success

Focuses on soft skills, often harder to develop and apply than technical skills

Taught by experienced instructors in the field of leadership

Emphasizes practical knowledge and skills, such as goal setting and decision-making

Offers optional self-assessments through the Power Lab to gain personalized insights

Course is not particularly aligned to a specific industry or field, making it broadly applicable

Reviews summary

Building self-awareness for professional growth

According to learners, "Let's Get Started: Building Self-Awareness" offers a largely positive and insightful experience, especially for professionals aiming to boost leadership and management skills. Students consistently praise the course for its practical tools and frameworks, with a strong focus on developing SMART goals for personal growth. The instructor's clear and encouraging delivery is a key strength. While the core content is highly valued for its immediate application, some learners found that the optional, paid UMD Power Lab assessments, though beneficial, could make the overall experience feel less complete without them, creating a slight divide. It's considered a strong foundational course for actionable self-understanding.

Offers a strong foundation; may be basic for experienced learners.

"The course content is decent, covering the basics of self-awareness."

"Good as a refresher, but not groundbreaking for me."

"I gained a solid foundation from completing this course for personal growth."

Instructor delivers complex concepts clearly and encouragingly.

"The instructor's delivery is calm and encouraging."

"The instructor is knowledgeable."

"The instructor's calm demeanor and clear explanations made the learning journey enjoyable."

Highly relevant for professionals enhancing leadership skills.

"Highly recommend for anyone serious about personal and professional development."

"A solid introduction to self-awareness, especially useful for understanding leadership traits."

"It's a foundational course for anyone looking to improve their leadership presence and team dynamics."

"The segments on management skills and leadership were particularly relevant to my career."

Provides actionable frameworks for self-development and goal setting.

"The action planning sections were particularly helpful for translating self-knowledge into tangible growth."

"This course provided practical frameworks and tools that were easy to digest and apply."

"The focus on SMART goals for personal development was a game-changer."

"It provided concrete steps to improve my self-awareness... The emphasis on setting SMART goals was excellent."

Paid Power Lab enhances learning, but its absence impacts completeness.

"My only minor critique is that some of the deeper dives into personal values could have been explored further. The optional Power Lab sounds great, but the extra fee was a barrier for me."

"Without purchasing the Power Lab assessments, it feels a bit incomplete. I felt like I was missing out on a core component."

"While the Power Lab is optional, purchasing it really enhanced my learning with personalized insights, making concepts tangible. It's worth the investment if affordable."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Let's Get Started: Building Self-Awareness with these activities:

Review concepts of emotional intelligence

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Help improve understanding of emotional intelligence concepts and their relevance to self-awareness.

Browse courses on Emotional Intelligence

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Revisit course materials on emotional intelligence
Review articles and books on emotional intelligence

Read 'Emotional Intelligence 2.0' by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves

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Provide a comprehensive understanding of emotional intelligence and its components through a well-researched and relatable book.

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Read the book and take notes on key concepts
Reflect on personal experiences and behaviors in relation to emotional intelligence

Explore frameworks for decision-making styles

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Enhance understanding of different decision-making approaches and their implications for self-awareness and leadership.

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Review online tutorials and articles on decision-making frameworks
Identify personal decision-making style and strengths

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Self-assessments using Power Lab

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Provide valuable insights into self-awareness dimensions through guided assessments.

Browse courses on Self-Assessment

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Register and enroll in the UMD Power Lab
Complete core self-evaluation, core personality attributes, self-awareness, and cognitive style assessments
Analyze and reflect on assessment results

Develop a personal development plan

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Help establish clear goals and strategies for enhancing self-awareness and leadership skills.

Browse courses on Personal Development Plan

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Identify areas for improvement based on self-assessments
Set SMART goals for self-awareness and management skills development
Outline steps and resources for achieving each goal

Write a reflective essay on personal growth

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Encourage introspection, self-awareness, and articulation of insights gained throughout the course.

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Reflect on key takeaways and experiences from the course
Identify areas of personal growth and development
Articulate lessons learned and their impact on self-awareness

Contribute to open-source projects related to emotional intelligence or leadership

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Provide practical experience in applying emotional intelligence and leadership principles in real-world projects.

Browse courses on Open Source

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Identify open-source projects focused on emotional intelligence or leadership
Contribute to bug fixes, feature development, or documentation
Engage with the community and learn from other contributors

Career center

Learners who complete Let's Get Started: Building Self-Awareness will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Leadership Coach

In this role, you will be a source of guidance and support for individuals seeking to develop as leaders in their respective industries or organizations. You will work with them to establish a vision, set goals, and identify areas for growth. This course on building self-awareness is a great starting point for aspiring leadership coaches, as it provides a foundation for understanding the importance of self-awareness in effective leadership. By taking this course, you will gain insights into your own strengths and weaknesses, develop strategies for improving self-awareness, and learn how to apply these principles to your coaching practice.

See salaries and explore the career path for Leadership Coach

Management Consultant

A management consultant is a professional who provides expert advice to businesses on how to improve their operations, performance, and overall strategy. To be successful in this role, you need to have a strong understanding of business fundamentals, as well as strong analytical and problem-solving skills. This course on building self-awareness can be beneficial for aspiring management consultants, as it can help them develop the self-awareness and interpersonal skills necessary to build strong relationships with clients and effectively diagnose and address organizational challenges.

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Training and Development Manager

As a training and development manager, your role is to design and implement training programs for employees at all levels within the organization. You will be responsible for assessing training needs, developing training materials, and delivering training sessions. This course on building self-awareness can be beneficial to aspiring training and development managers, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in effective communication and interpersonal relationships, which are crucial for success in this role.

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Human Resources Manager

Human resources managers are responsible for managing all aspects of human resources within an organization, including employee recruitment, performance management, benefits administration, and employee relations. This course on building self-awareness can be beneficial for aspiring human resources managers, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in managing and motivating employees, resolving conflicts, and creating a positive and productive work environment.

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Organizational Development Manager

An organizational development manager is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to improve organizational effectiveness and performance. This includes working with senior management to identify and address organizational challenges, as well as designing and implementing programs to promote employee engagement, development, and retention. This course on self-awareness can be beneficial for aspiring organizational development managers, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in creating and sustaining a positive and productive work environment.

See salaries and explore the career path for Organizational Development Manager

Chief Executive Officer

As the CEO of an organization, you are responsible for the overall vision, strategy, and performance of the company. You will work with senior management to set goals, develop strategies, and make decisions that will impact the future of the organization. This course on building self-awareness can be beneficial for aspiring CEOs, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in effective leadership, communication, and decision-making.

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Chief Operating Officer

The COO is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization, including managing and coordinating all aspects of the business. You will work closely with the CEO to ensure that the organization's goals and strategies are being implemented effectively. This course on self-awareness can be beneficial for aspiring COOs, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in managing and motivating employees, resolving conflicts, and creating a positive and productive work environment.

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Executive Director

Executive directors are responsible for the overall management and operations of nonprofit organizations. They work closely with the board of directors to set goals, develop strategies, and make decisions that will impact the future of the organization. This course on self-awareness can be beneficial for aspiring executive directors, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in effective leadership, communication, and decision-making.

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Board Member

Board members are volunteers who are elected by the shareholders of a company to represent their interests. They are responsible for overseeing the performance of the company, including reviewing financial statements, making decisions on major investments, and hiring and firing the CEO. This course on self-awareness can be beneficial for aspiring board members, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in effective decision-making, communication, and stakeholder management.

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Team Leader

As a team leader, you are responsible for leading and motivating a team of individuals to achieve a common goal or set of objectives. This course on building self-awareness can be beneficial for aspiring team leaders, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in effective leadership, communication, and decision-making.

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Project Manager

Project managers are responsible for planning, organizing, and executing projects. They work with project teams to ensure that the project is completed on time, on budget, and within scope. This course on building self-awareness can be beneficial for aspiring project managers, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in effective project management and team leadership.

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Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs are individuals who start their own businesses. They are responsible for all aspects of the business, from developing the idea to launching the product or service to marketing and sales. This course on building self-awareness can be beneficial for aspiring entrepreneurs, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in effective leadership and decision-making.

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Business Analyst

Business analysts are responsible for analyzing an organization's business processes and systems to identify inefficiencies and areas of improvement. They work with stakeholders to gather requirements, develop solutions, and implement changes to improve the business. This course on building self-awareness can be beneficial for aspiring business analysts, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in effective stakeholder management and communication.

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Financial Analyst

A financial analyst is a professional who analyzes financial data to make recommendations on investments. They use their knowledge of financial markets, economics, and accounting to provide insights into the performance and prospects of companies and other investments. This course on building self-awareness may be useful for aspiring financial analysts, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in effective communication and decision-making.

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Software Engineer

Software engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. They work with stakeholders to gather requirements, design and code software, and test and deploy software applications. This course on building self-awareness may be useful for aspiring software engineers, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in effective communication and teamwork.

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Data Scientist

Data scientists use their knowledge of statistics, machine learning, and data analysis to extract insights from data. They work with stakeholders to gather requirements, develop data models, and interpret data analysis results. This course on building self-awareness may be useful for aspiring data scientists, as it provides insights into the importance of self-awareness in effective communication and teamwork.

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