How much can someone learn in a three-day Effective Leadership Masterclass? Enough to give their career a new direction! UMIO alumna Sonja Stevens works as a so-called Mantelzorgmakelaar at Steunpunt Mantelzorg Zuid. In April 2023, she decided to take the Masterclass Effective Leadership to broaden her leadership knowledge. The Masterclass offered exactly what she was looking for to expand her knowledge and thus improve her career opportunities.
Sonja: “I finished college education and was satisfied with that knowledge for a long time. However, now that I have started growing and developing within my organisation, I am keen to gain more recent knowledge and reliable information. With a full-time job and two children, I was looking for a shorter course to complement my higher education and my existing knowledge. When I saw the Masterclass in Effective Leadership, I knew this was perfect. A defined and short period, a course that I could fit well within my work schedule, but also at a university level.”
Sonja did not officially hold a managerial position when she started the Masterclass. However, the masterclass is also created for people without a managerial position who want to gain more leadership competencies. To Sonja, this confirmed that she chose the right course: “I am still mainly involved in project management, but I would like to develop in the direction of team leader. I was still hesitant: is leadership something I can do well? The Masterclass is an ideal entry point to leadership. You get very useful and practical tools on how to handle certain situations.”
Leadership in the fast lane
Are three days enough time to gain valuable knowledge? Definitely, Sonja thinks: “The Masterclass really is a pressure cooker of information. You have to prepare for it before you start it: read a lot of information beforehand and do all kinds of assignments. Then, you spend three days working intensively and interactively in a small group, gaining scientifically substantiated knowledge. For me, that was enormously valuable. You really expand your network and learn a lot from your fellow students. On the course days, everyone shares practical examples, on which you get actionable feedback from the lecturer or fellow students. This allows you to put your new knowledge into practice immediately.”
A great investment
“I am much more conscious of all kinds of processes around me now. Before I followed the Masterclass, I would notice certain behaviours of colleagues, but I would do little to improve them. Because of the information I received and the knowledge I gained during the Masterclass, I will try to improve certain situations within my organisation that I would have noticed before, but wouldn’t know how to change. You also get tools and practical tips, for example, on how to take your team to a higher level.”
All in all, the Masterclass was a very positive experience for Sonja: “It has given me direction on how I want to proceed in my career. I was already interested in a leadership position but still unsure whether I could do it. The information in the Masterclass confirmed that my approach to leadership is an effective one: first, connect with people, then lead. I gained the confidence that I can lead. If you want to gain in-depth, practical, accessible knowledge about effective leadership in a short time, this Masterclass is a great investment!”
