Leadership Is a Set of Learnable Skills

By Nakel Nikiema, Founder & President

People often talk about leadership as a personality trait: some have it, some do not. In practice, the leaders who earn trust rely on skills that can be practiced and improved: understanding people, communicating clearly, thinking ahead, and guiding change.

Three skills to practice this month

• Listen before you direct. In your next team meeting, ask one open question and hear every answer before giving your view. Emotional intelligence starts with attention.

• Make your reasoning visible. When you decide, explain what you weighed and why. People follow decisions they understand.

• Coach, don't just fix. When someone brings you a problem, ask what they would do first. Developing others multiplies what a team can handle.

The Leadership Intelligence Program

BIIM's Leadership Intelligence Program develops these capabilities across seven self-paced courses:

• Foundations of Effective Leadership

• Emotional Intelligence for Leaders

• Communication & Influence

• Team Building & People Management

• Strategic Thinking & Decision-Making

• Leading Change & Organizational Development

• Coaching & Developing Others

Each course includes video lessons, teaching text and a course quiz, with a certificate of completion at the end that can be checked at biim.education/verify.

Courses are $149 each, or $599 for the full program, and organizations enrolling 3 or more people receive a 15% group rate. Learn more on the Leadership Intelligence page or see Pricing.

BIIM was authorized by Burkina Faso's Ministry of Education (2016) and formed in the United States in 2018. Founder & President Nakel Nikiema brings 30+ years of experience.