Sowing the SEADs of Leadership

While Swiss Education Group has always valued the nurturing of leadership qualities in students, the SElf-ADvancement program (SEAD), to be implemented this October, is an exclusive club designed to elevate top students to the next level. 

Fostering leadership skills, confidence, resilience, creativity, and innovation while accelerating the personal growth and self-discovery of participants, the program aims to recognize students demonstrating leadership potential and academic excellence.  

Vanessa Balouzet-Uchanski, VP of Transformation & Strategic Partnerships, described the program as being “a deep simulation and immersion journey, giving participants the opportunity to discover and develop their leadership skills. It is designed to bring about a lot of insights and create fertile ground for personal growth. It complements perfectly our current personal development courses.”  

By embarking on this journey, you will discover where your individual strengths lie and how to achieve your full potential. 

It is designed to bring about a lot of insights and create fertile ground for personal growth.

From strong roots to many fruits 

The idea behind the structure of the program is that of a tree. 

For a tree to be healthy, its roots must be strong so that it has a solid foundation for flourishing. The roots of a good leader are their self-mastery. SEAD will teach you to better understand yourself, discover what your strengths are and how to use them. 

From this firm foundation, you can start to grow, building your professional DNA and learning to speak with impact. Being able to connect with and inspire an audience while communicating ideas confidently, expertly, and passionately is of the utmost importance. This will affect how your team, customers, and potential partners react to you, and will help you create an environment favorable to growth. 

Communication through language is an obvious leadership skill. Less obvious but equally as crucial? The ability to communicate through body language - and what better way to practice that than to lead and earn the trust of a thousand-pound animal? Among several practical leadership exercises on the course, you’ll work with horses, learning to “communicate more effectively, face your fears and manage your emotions, and become more consistent and congruent with your actions,” (Coaching with Horses). 

Another exercise involves a simulation, named after one of our lecturers, Radu Botnari. By putting you in charge of a country, this simulation will teach you to make decisions under pressure and solve complex problems with incomplete information and no historical solution.  

Finally, your tree needs to bear fruit. Having understood both yourself, your business, and how to communicate effectively, you’ll be ready to lead a team with efficiency and success. This team needs to be brought together, and that, too, is a science: you will discover the key to building the best team – a productive and passionate team committed to reaching the highest standards of quality. 

Leadership skills, intelligence, and a dedication to learning are characteristics cherished by top employers and taking part in this club will make students stand out as they enter the challenging world of the job market.  

The small classes of just 10-15 students means members of the club get to know their peers well, make friends, have fun, and grow in confidence as they grow in leadership ability. 

Find out how to apply 

Selection of SEAD club members is done through an application process based on academic records and an interview, taking soft skills, as well as grades, into account. Application is open to students in their third year of study. 

Interested in applying? Contact Mr. Botnari. 

Read more about Swiss Education Group students and alumni who are taking the lead in the industry: 

Be Your Own Boss 

Leadership and Management Challenges During a Pandemic 

Leadership Advice from a Four Seasons Hotel Manager