Executive Education
Haslam Emerging Leaders Program
The Ascent Begins in Nashville
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business Nashville Emerging Leaders program empowers rising leaders to shape a clear professional identity rooted in evidence-based practice and ethical integrity.
Through interactive discussions, real-world case studies, simulations and guided reflection, program participants strengthen leadership skills, learn to navigate team dynamics with confidence and make meaningful strides toward career goals.
Surrounded by peers, mentors and industry experts, participants gain practical tools and fresh perspectives to lead with confidence and clarity. The leadership ascent begins in Nashville, but the skills and connections built in the program support their growth long after it ends.
Want to learn more?
The Haslam Emerging Leaders program follows a methodical approach to building leadership and management skills for emerging leaders across industries.
Emerging LEaders
Build your management skills
Made by Leaders
This two-part, expert-taught Haslam program is designed for professionals who are new to leadership roles or who are expanding their leadership responsibilities, including:
- High-potential leaders on the verge of expanding their managerial responsibility
- New and transitioning leaders who are ready, able and inspired to create a positive impact for their teams, organizations and communities
The Emerging Leaders program uses interactive learning, small- and large-group discussion, lectures, cases and simulations to enhance participant learning. Class size is limited to personalize the learning experience.
Lessons in Leadership
Emerging Leaders is a high-impact experience designed to help rising professionals refine their leadership style, enhance their influence and prepare for greater responsibility. Participants gain practical tools, strategic insight and the confidence to lead with clarity and purpose.
Key developmental areas include:
- Enhancing awareness of personal leadership values, strengths, style and effectiveness
- Building a solid foundation of immediately applicable managerial and leadership skills
- Exploring practical strategies for becoming a more influential, effective leader
- Strengthening abilities to lead high-performing teams
- Developing strategic thinking and decision-making skills to prepare for future leadership positions
- Creating a personalized leadership action plan to propel personal change
Realizing Professional Goals
Haslam supports leadership growth through engaging, results-focused experiences, including:
- Gaining deeper insight into strengths and growth areas through UT’s proprietary 360° evaluation and custom assessment suite
- Crafting a personalized, data-driven development plan aligned with goals
- Staying accountable and focused with multiple one-on-one coaching sessions with an experienced leadership coach
- Driving meaningful outcomes across teams, departments and the broader organization
Emerging Leaders
Faculty & Coaches
Nancy Scott
Director of Leadership Development Programs
Jonathan Harvey
Executive Director and Leadership Division
Deborah Watts
Director, Graduate & Executive Education
Brenda Baird
Executive Leadership Coach
Chuck Carringer
Executive Leadership Coach
Lei Comerford
Executive Leadership Coach
John DeMarco
Executive Leadership Coach
Tory Kinson
Lecturer
Jeffrey Kudisch
Executive Leadership Coach
Lee Naughton
Lecturer and Assistant Director, Leadership & Strategy Programs
Jason Strickling
Lecturer
Martha Weeks
Lecturer, Leadership & Strategy
Emerging Leaders
Program Information
Location
University of Tennessee
Institute for Public Service Training Suites
193 Polk Avenue, Nashville, TN 37210
Centrally located in the Southeast, Nashville is the vibrant capital of Tennessee and serves as a convenient and accessible destination from numerous surrounding cities and states. Known for its rich musical heritage, dynamic cultural scene, and growing economy, Nashville offers an ideal blend of Southern charm and city energy, making it the perfect place to begin your leadership ascent.
Facilities and Accommodations
The Emerging Leaders program is held in facilities designed to promote group interaction in an environment conducive to simulation exercises, applied discussion, feedback and networking. Travelers can book rooms at a nearby downtown business hotel.
Tuition
Tuition is $8,500 for the full eight-day series and coaching. This cost includes books and classroom materials, as well as breakfast, lunch and break refreshments. The experience also features a fun evening out in Nashville — an opportunity to unwind, connect with peers and enjoy the vibrant energy of the city.
Class size is limited to personalize the learning experience, so reserve your spot soon!
Dates
May 14 – 17, 2026; August 6 – 9, 20261
1Dates are subject to change. Please contact deborah.watts@utk.edu for the latest information.
Duration
The program includes two four-day units, spaced several months apart. Each unit takes place over two weekdays (Thursday and Friday) and a weekend (Saturday and Sunday).
Emerging Leaders
Unit One
Dates: May 14 – 17, 2026
Pre-Unit Assessments and Tools: Predictive Index, 360 degree survey
Day 1 | Leading Self
Leadership starts from within. Before guiding others, leaders must develop self-awareness, understand their strengths and recognize areas for growth. This session provides insights into leadership identity and personal effectiveness to build a strong foundation.
Session Overview
Develop awareness of leadership identity, strengths and weaknesses | Focus on basic management and leadership skills to enhance individual leadership self-awareness
This session equips participants to:
- Receive feedback from assessments that reveal natural leadership tendencies
- Identify potential strengths, shortcomings and blind spots through assessment results to achieve greater self-awareness and enhance leadership abilities.
- Set goals for achieving personal development plan
- Enhance self-awareness to stimulate leadership action
Day 2 | Leading Others
Great leaders inspire and influence people, not just manage them. This session helps emerging leaders understand leadership styles, adapt to different contexts and build strong interpersonal influence to lead effectively.
Session Overview
Develop a better understanding of leadership contexts and styles | Focus on how to maximize situations and lead people with impact
This session equips participants to:
- Review and assess different leadership styles
- Explore how context influences a leader’s actions
- Learn how to influence and inspire others with and without authority
- Apply strategies for building credibility and influence with senior leaders, peers and direct reports
Day 3 | Leading Teams
High-performing teams don’t happen by accident — they require intentional leadership. This session equips leaders with tools to build cohesive, productive teams by understanding group dynamics, collaboration strategies and collective intelligence.
Session Overview
Develop team leadership acumen | Focus on strategies and tools essential to creating and leading cohesive high-performing teams
This session equips participants to:
- Explore phases of team development to understand how teams are likely to evolve over time
- Compose teams to maximize team effectiveness in accomplishing team tasks and goals
- Practice tools for enhancing team collective intelligence and learning
Day 4 | Making Good Decisions
Leaders are constantly making decisions that impact people and organizations. This session strengthens decision-making skills by addressing cognitive biases, ethical dilemmas and frameworks for making sound leadership choices.
Session Overview
Develop decision-making skills | Focus on helping leaders make better business decisions by understanding the impact of decisions and decision-making biases
This session equips participants to:
- Review strategies for making effective decisions
- Identify individual and group biases that impact effective managerial decision making
- Examine ethical models to make principled leadership choices
Emerging Leaders
Unit Two
Dates: August 6 – 9, 2026
Day 1 | Sustaining Performance& Developing Others
Effective leaders don’t focus only on results, they help others grow and succeed. This session provides practical skills in coaching, feedback, motivation and performance management to develop engaged, high-performing teams.
Session Overview
Develop the skills to both support employee growth and sustain high performance | Focus on coaching, feedback, motivation and performance management to develop engaged, high-performing teams.
This session equips participants to:
- Identify ways to balance accountability with support for team members
- Learn and practice coaching techniques for developing employees
- Explore feedback models that drive performance and engagement
- Apply motivation and retention strategies to sustain long-term success
- Understand the leader’s role in performance management and career development
Day 2 | Adaptive Leadership & Leading Through Change
Leading change is a core leadership responsibility, especially for emerging leaders. This session provides practical tools to drive and sustain change efforts, maintain engagement and build resilient teams.
Session Overview
Develop the ability to lead teams through uncertainty and transformation | Focus on tools for resilience, adaptability and driving change effectively
This session equips participants to:
- Understand the principles of adaptive leadership and why it’s crucial in today’s evolving business landscape
- Learn change management frameworks to navigate organizational transformation
- Explore how to communicate vision and manage resistance during periods of change
- Develop skills to build resilience and adaptability in both individuals and teams
- Apply change leadership techniques through real-world case studies and simulations
Day 3 | Executive Presence and Leading with Impact
Leadership isn’t just about what you say — it’s about how you show up. This session helps leaders develop executive presence, communicate with authority and inspire confidence, ensuring they can lead with credibility and impact.
Session Overview
Develop the ability to communicate with authority, build leadership presence and inspire action | Focus on strengthening personal influence, communication and credibility as a leader
This session equips participants to:
- Understand the key elements of executive presence and why it matters
- Learn how to communicate with confidence and clarity in high-stakes situations
- Explore storytelling as a leadership tool to inspire and align teams
- Develop techniques for handling difficult conversations and delivering tough messages with composure
- Practice public speaking and leadership communication exercises to refine leadership presence
Day 4 | Strategy in Action
Leadership involves shaping the future. This session connects leadership to strategy, helping participants think big, act strategically and translate vision into action.
Session Overview
Develop the capacity to make more strategic contributions | Focus on understanding judgment, strategic decision making and translating strategy into action
This session equips participants to:
- Review business strategy frameworks
- Explore strategic thinking and foundations of strategic leadership
- Learn best practices for strategy implementation
Emerging Leaders
Get in Touch!
Have questions about the schedule or concerned about a conflict with one of the dates?
Schedule a call to discuss options.