Curriculum
Year 20: Leadership for Now Developing Resilient Public Health Teams and Systems
The Great Plains Leadership Institute enters its 20th year with a focused curriculum designed for public health leaders who must navigate constant change and complexity. This intensive 8-month program equips leaders with essential competencies to build strong teams, lead effectively through transformation, and create systems that adapt and thrive in any circumstance.
Public health leadership today demands more than technical expertise—it requires the ability to foster trust, communicate with clarity, exercise political savvy, and build resilience within teams and across systems. Our Year 20 cohort addresses these critical challenges head-on, preparing leaders to make lasting impact in dynamic organizational environments.
Program Timeline
8-Month Transformative Experience | April–October 2026
Year 20 Core Competencies
Fill your bucket with leadership tools to improve population health.
- Navigate complexity and transformation with confidence while building organizational resilience.
- Master change leadership frameworks and adaptive leadership strategies that keep teams effective during transitions.
- Learn to lead through urgency when needed, communicate with clarity during uncertainty, and maintain team focus when priorities shift.
- Develop the self-awareness and emotional intelligence to lead authentically through any circumstance.
- Build psychologically safe environments where teams thrive.
- Develop the communication skills to foster belonging and create teams that are innovative, engaged, and prepared for whatever comes next.
- Strengthen organizational culture where every voice matters and teams can do their best work.
- Learn to navigate differences and build trust across diverse perspectives.
- Exercise power effectively and ethically in complex systems.
- Enhance your ability to navigate organizational politics, negotiate across competing interests, manage conflict productively, and build the strategic partnerships essential for advancing public health goals.
- Master the art of influence to create change even when you don't have formal authority.
- Strengthen your organization's ability to respond to change.
- Apply systems thinking to identify leverage points, lead transformation initiatives with confidence, and develop team-building strategies that create lasting resilience.
- Master the coaching skills to develop others and build bench strength for the future.
Learning Experience
The Institute combines multiple learning modalities to meet diverse learning needs and maximize skill development:
- In-Person Intensives: Immersive experiences with faculty, guest speakers, interactive workshops, simulations, and small group discussions
- Monthly Webinars: Expert-led sessions on timely leadership topics with practical application
- Online Learning Modules: Self-paced resources to deepen understanding and build specific skills
- Learning Clusters: Small peer groups that meet regularly to discuss experiences and application
- Professional Coaching: Individual sessions focused on your Leadership Development Plan goals
- Mentoring Opportunities: Connection with experienced public health leaders for guidance and networking
- Leadership Development Plan: Personalized roadmap tailored to your growth goals
What You'll Gain
- Practical Leadership Tools: Frameworks and strategies for immediate application in your work
- Personalized Development Plan: A roadmap tested and refined through real-world application
- Executive Coaching: Individual sessions focused on your unique leadership challenges
- Peer Network: Lasting connections with public health leaders across the Great Plains
- Mentoring Relationship: Guidance from an experienced leader in the field
- Enhanced Self-Awareness: Deep understanding of your leadership strengths and growth areas
- Alumni Community: Access to 400+ GPLI graduates leading change across the region
