This online training course explores what it means to be an effective team leader in a mission organization. When this course as a whole is concluded, you will better understand your role and responsibilities as a team leader. You will also gain some direction and a plan for how to develop your capacity and skills as a team leader.
During the course, we will look at the following topics:

• Unit One: The Role of a Team Leader (1 week long)
• Unit Two: The Team Leader Profile (1 week long)
• Unit Three: The Team Leader’s Job Description (2 weeks long)
• Unit Four: The Team Leader’s Plan for Growth (1 week long)

Full syllabus

Ken Guenther, SEND U Director

• Must serve in a supervisory role in a cross-cultural mission organization. Although the course was designed for team leaders of SEND International, mission leaders at other levels of authority (area directors, ministry directors, department heads) will also be able to benefit from this course. If interest is expressed from other sister mission organizations, a limited number of mission leaders from outside of SEND will be allowed to enroll. Because of the highly practical nature of the assignments, the course will not be meaningful and the requirements will simply be frustrating for those who are not providing direct supervision for other missionaries or staff.

• Must have access to the Internet several times during each week of the course (preferably on a daily basis). It is not possible to adequately complete the course requirements by just logging in once a week (e.g. on Saturday) and spending a huge block of time on the course all at one time.

• Must be willing to devote a significant portion of one's time to the class (about 6 hours a week). It is not recommended that class participants seek to just add the course requirements to all their other ministry and leadership responsibilities. In order to successfully complete the course, participants are encouraged to reduce their time commitments in other areas during the duration of the course.

• $30 for SEND team leaders (can be charged to your work account)

• $40 for team leaders of other mission organizations

6 Weeks: The Team Leader Orientation is a five-week course, preceded by a one-week introduction to online learning.

The course will require a minimum of about six hours a week of work, depending on your level of interaction with the other students. All the material is presented online, and will be a mix of text, audio and video. Also, a main part of the course is the interaction between participants and the facilitator through forums. SEND Team Leader Orientation is an asynchronous course, so there are not specific times you need to be online. Participants will be in several different time zones around the world, so there is not one set time when everyone is on at the same time. The assignments have due dates, but you are free to complete those assignments according to your schedule (i.e., you can do them at night, in the morning, at lunch, etc.).

Please contact Ken Guenther (kenguenther@gmail.com) to let him know that you want to take the course. The application for participation can be found at this link.

Contact Kim (ksamalca) to get the code for the SEND discount.