Exceptional Leadership Development for All Nurse Leaders

For nearly 50 years, ONL has delivered high-quality, accessible, and affordable leadership development programs to help nurse leaders at all levels meet the challenges of today and lead for the possibilities of tomorrow while helping healthcare organizations build and support engaged, skilled, and resilient nursing teams. ONL's best-in-class programs—designed for nurse leaders, by nurse leaders—include foundational leadership development, opportunities for shared learning and collaboration within nursing teams, and a range of timely, hot-topic trainings. In the past year, our programs engaged more than 6,100 participants from across 42 states and Washington, D.C. 

ONL Programs offer exceptional leadership development for emerging leaders, mid-careerist, and seasoned nurse executives alike. With an audience that is diverse in terms of practice setting, geographic location, leadership experience, and learning needs, we carefully curate a slate of offerings that meets a number of aims:

  • Provides virtual programming and opportunities to connect in-person
  • Accommodates different schedules and learning needs by including half-day, hot-topic trainings and full day or multisession foundational leadership development programs
  • Includes programs at a range of price points
  • Provides opportunities to learn from nationally recognized thought leaders and from ONL Members
  • Facilitates opportunities for nursing teams to collaborate and build connection through professional learning
  • Complements organizations’ internal onboarding and training efforts

 

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Upcoming Leadership Development Programs for Nurse Leaders

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Find the Programs That Are Right for You

Suggested ONL Programs by Audience

Foundational Leadership Development Programs

For Emerging Leaders

  • The Nuts and Bolts of Nursing Leadership - Emerging Leaders
    Build the essential skills and gain the strategies needed to be successful as a new nurse leader. This one-day, interactive workshop and is offered specifically for charge nurses, team leads, clinical leaders, and emerging leaders on certain dates with examples and focus targeted for this audience.
  • Essential Leadership Skills for Charge Nurses
    Led by Dr. Crystal Lawson, this interactive virtual workshop is designed to equip and empower new and aspiring charge nurses with the essential leadership skills needed to be effective and successful across key aspects of the charge nurse role, including promoting quality outcomes, cultivating a healthy work environment, and fostering teamwork. Participants will gain practical tools and strategies that can be put to use immediately on their unit.
  • Preparing Preceptors for Success
    Led by Dr. Crystal Lawson, this interactive virtual workshop is designed to expose preceptors to the principles of adult learning theory and prepare them with tools to help newly hired nurses practice safely and feel welcomed. Participants will learn key strategies for giving feedback and practice skills that will help them effectively pass on their knowledge and promote safe practice.

For Nurse Managers and Directors

  • The Nuts and Bolts of Nursing Leadership - Nurse Managers and Directors (for those new to the role)
    Build the essential skills and gain the strategies needed to be successful as a new nurse leader. This one-day, interactive workshop and is offered specifically for nurse managers and directors on certain dates with examples and focus targeted for this audience.
  • Financial Management and Business Essentials For Nurse Managers and Directors
    This interactive, two-part program is designed to prepare and empower nurse managers and directors who want to hone the essential financial management skills they need to be successful and enhance their business acumen.
  • Quality and Patient Safety Foundations
    This interactive, full-day virtual workshop prepares new nurse managers and directors to understand and act on their unit's quality and patient safety data. Participants leave feeling empowered with new knowledge and skills to actively engage in quality initiatives that lead to more effective and sustained improvements.
  • ONL Leadership Catalyst
    Designed for leaders with two or more years of formal leadership experience, the ONL Leadership Catalyst offers two-days of engaging in-person content, insightful discussions, and collaborative activities focused on helping participants advance their strategic leadership capacity, gain insights about their leadership practice, and refine their leadership purpose to reflect their values.

Timely, Topic-Driven Programs
For All Audiences: Emerging Leaders, Mid-Careerists, and Seasoned Nursing Executives

  • Building Bridges, Not Walls: Leading Multigenerational Nursing Teams
    Nursing teams today span multiple generations, each with distinct attitudes, communication styles, and workplace expectations. For nurse leaders, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity: to bridge generational divides, foster collaboration, and lead teams that thrive. Led by Dr. Rose Sherman, this highly interactive workshop provides actionable tools and strategies for leaders at all levels to help their multigenerational nursing teams build bridges— not walls—as they work together to provide care.
  • Creating Healthy Teams: How Nurse Leaders Can Develop High-Performing Teams
    Collaborative teams and healthy work environments are the foundation for quality patient care and positive employee morale, both of which have significant financial implications for organizations. Nurse leaders looking to develop and lead high-performing teams need to be intentional and hone specific leadership and communication skills to succeed. Led by healthy workforce expert Dr. Renee Thompson, this interactive program equips and empowers nurse leaders with the essential strategies and techniques needed to develop and lead healthy, high-performing teams. Whether you are looking to nurture an already high-performing team or to reestablish team dynamics for working together to enable greater performance, this session offers essential skills and strategies for nurse leaders at all levels.
  • Effective Communication Skills for a Healthier Work Culture: What Nurse Leaders Need to Know
    Ineffective communication is cited as the most common cause of medical error. It's critical for nurse leaders to hone their own communication skills and learn how to develop and foster good communication skills among members of their teams. This interactive virtual workshop, led by Dr. Renee Thompson, equips and empowers nurse leaders with the essential strategies and techniques needed to foster effective communication, which supports a safe and healthy workforce and helps them lead successful teams.
  • Elevating Your Executive Presence and Influence
    Experienced leaders will tell you that getting results is not just about what you do, but how you go about doing it. Led by Dr. Dan Weberg, this interactive workshop will help nurse leaders enhance their executive presence and professional influence. Whether taking on a new role, working across departments, leading change, or building engagement, this session will prepare nurse leaders for higher-level leadership success in an increasingly complex, networked environment.
  • From Traditional Leader to Nurse Leader Coach: Meeting the Needs of the Contemporary Nursing Workforce
    What nurses expect from their leaders is changing, and so, too, are the skills needed to be successful as a nurse leader of today's nursing workforce. Gone are the days of command-and-control leadership when staff were supposed to be grateful for a job; nurses today want leaders who help them grow and develop as professionals. Enter the Nurse Leader Coach: the linchpin in nurse recruitment and retention. Led by Dr. Rose Sherman, this workshop expands participants' leadership skillset to become a Nurse Leader Coach equipped to meet the needs of today's nursing workforce and strengthen retention. Participants learn how to adopt a coaching mindset, develop basic coaching skills, and coach their team to a higher level of performance and well-being.
  • Nursing Leadership in the New World of Work: Strategies and Tools for Success at Every Level of Leadership
    The turbulence of the last five years has impacted healthcare delivery systems and the nursing workforce. Nursing leaders are working tirelessly to pick up the pieces and navigate the new world of work. In this workshop, Dr. Rose Sherman will share what nurse leaders need to do differently to effectively lead in this new world of work with actionable strategies and tools that can be put into practice immediately. Participants will learn how to become a more effective communicator, restore trust, promote professional accountability, encourage engagement, and build a cuture of well-being on their nursing teams. 
  • Succeeding in Difficult Conversations: Strategies for Nurse Leaders
    Difficult conversations are part of every leadership role, and feeling confident in challenging conversations takes practice. In this interactive workshop, Dr. Crystal Lawson will offer practical tools to empower nurse leaders to succeed in executing difficult conversations, reduce anxiety about giving feedback, and gain confidence in managing performance while also demonstrating respect.  

Programs Best Participated in as a Nursing Team
For All Audiences: Emerging Leaders, Mid-Careerists, and Seasoned Nursing Executives

  • ONL Quarterly Meetings and Annual Meetings
    Join us for informative, inspirational, and interactive programs you and your team will not want to miss! You'll gain expert perspectives, actionable strategies, and valuable resources from our keynote speakers while connecting and collaborating with fellow nurse leaders.
  • Leadership Lunch Series
    Learn over lunch as distinguished national thought leaders share insights and tools to help nurse leaders stay informed and inspired in these live, interactive, 90-minute virtual sessions. This program is best viewed as a nursing team—teams can use the presentations as a jumping off point for internal discussion of the ideas shared and can collaborate on application and strategies for implementation within their organization.