A program for developing personal leadership skills in an era of uncertainty and AI revolution.
AI & MIT
MIT Sloan
Management Review
Poland
Class location:
Warsaw
How to become a strong leader in an age of uncertainty and artificial intelligence?
ICAN Personal Leadership Academy™ is a program for leaders who want to build an advantage based on what artificial intelligence can never replace— authenticity, empathy, and relationships based on trust. Participants develop skills in personal leadership and self-awareness, and learn to better manage their emotions and energy.
The program focuses on competencies that cannot be automated: building authority and influence, creating a strong personal brand, mental resilience, and effective communication.
Is your leadership complete?
Watch the video and see if you fulfill the four key roles of a leader according to Professor Dave Ulrich.
See what's new in the ICAN Personal Leadership Academy™ program
Each edition of the program is updated to reflect the current challenges faced by leaders and enriched with new methods, materials, and tools.
Builds lasting authority, credibility, influence, and reputation as a leader within the organization.
He works on real case studies and uses the Future-Ready Leadership™ framework.
Based on the latest discoveries in neuroscience and behavioral psychology.
It uses the renowned Life Styles Inventory™ and Human Synergistics diagnostic tools.
It provides networking opportunities, access to an extensive database of materials, and conferences related to the program.
What do the numbers say?
See for yourself how the program is rated by its direct participants.
program evaluation
assessment of presenters
participants are happy to recommend the program to their friends
Benefits of the personal leadership skills development program
See for yourself how developing soft skills translates into better results for managers, teams, and the entire company.
Benefits for the leader
- You will gain self-awareness of your own decision-making and emotional mechanisms, which will allow you to act intentionally rather than automatically under the influence of stress.
- You will build a strong and authentic personal brand that will naturally increase your authority and influence within the organization.
- You will master techniques for managing your own energy and mental resilience, protecting yourself from burnout in conditions of chronic pressure.
- You will develop the negotiation and communication skills necessary to effectively resolve conflicts and build alliances at the highest levels of power.
- You will learn to combine tough business requirements with empathy and ethics, becoming a leader ready for the challenges of the AI era.
Benefits for the team
- Employee trust and engagement levels increase thanks to working with a leader who is predictable, consistent, and emotionally stable.
- Daily communication becomes clearer, eliminating information chaos and misinterpretations at work.
- Employees gain a greater sense of psychological security, which directly translates into their creativity and willingness to take initiative.
- The team navigates difficult changes and crises more effectively when supported by a leader who can manage the group's emotions.
- Talent retention is increasing because people are more willing to stay in organizations managed by leaders who care about relationships and development.
Benefits for the company
- The organization gains management staff capable of making the right decisions in conditions of high uncertainty and information noise.
- Leadership skills translate into financial results through more effective achievement of business goals.
- The company builds a unique competitive advantage based on the quality of leadership, which cannot be copied or replaced by technology.
- The costs associated with key employee turnover and management errors resulting from poor stress management are reduced.
- Organizational culture is strengthened, becoming more resilient to market turbulence and better prepared for digital transformation.
Who is the ICAN Personal Leadership Academy™ training for?
We recommend that senior leaders participate in the training.
Senior managers who lead key areas of the company under pressure and in volatile conditions.
Business owners and successors building long-term organizational value and leadership culture.
Department directors responsible for implementing strategies and managing large teams.
Functional managers overseeing operations who want to take their personal effectiveness and impact to the next level. Personal effectiveness and impact.
Stories of leaders who have succeeded with ICAN
Read what participants have achieved by attending the ICAN Personal Leadership Academy™ and what they value the training for.
Bayer
MARTA ZIOLKOWSKA
Business Head
When managing a large team, it is important to effectively motivate people and show them that what we are doing makes sense. Personal Leadership Academy™ helps tremendously in this task. Each session changes your perspective, allowing you to take 3 steps forward in the most important areas of management. The program helped not only me, but also my team, to whom I tried to transfer as much of the knowledge gained during the training as possible.
Amplus Sp. z o.o.
MACIEJ SKRZYDLEWSKI
Executive Vice President, Import Director
Today's world is changing at an exponential rate, so as leaders and as an organization we need to be ready for it. The program is designed to meet the challenges of today and the changing business environment. It shows what a leader of today should be, and what a leader of tomorrow should be. It is a program for those who want to continue to grow.
Check Point Software Technologies Poland
BARTOSZ KAMINSKI
Business Development Manager
In my work, it is extremely important to look for elements that will help me stand out from the competition and gain new customers. Participation in the program allowed me to gain comfort in establishing these relationships. It drew attention to my strengths and weaknesses, and allowed me to understand what I can do better. I gained knowledge about how to better negotiate and create a personal brand, position myself in the industry or make better decisions, among other things. Each session was a chance for me to "recharge" my head with new ideas.
ProCardia Medical
KATARZYNA KOŁCZEWSKA
CEO
What I value most about the ICAN Institute and the Personal Leadership Academy™ program is its unique philosophy of approaching business and leadership challenges. Attending the training sessions allows you to realize how to grow your business in a volatile environment, to step outside the realm of your own industry, and to learn from experiences and knowledge based on examples from around the world. This expands your horizons in an incredible way!
KGHM Polska Miedź S.A.
RADOSŁAW STACH
Chief Executive Officer of the Branch of the Mine and Steel Rescue Unit.
The program brought answers to all my questions about being a leader. The Personal Leadership Academy™ sessions are distinguished first and foremost by the high level of instruction provided by world-class trainers who deliver the latest sound business knowledge. PLA empowers leaders to be leaders. I heartily recommend participating in the program!
TAURON Customer Service
MAGDALENA SZYMCZUK
Vice President of CUW HR and Support
To be an authentic leader is to constantly improve - and not only yourself, but also your team. It's acquiring new information and skills and passing them on to your colleagues. Each session brought me many new ideas, which I immediately implemented in my daily work, sharing them with my team. Each participant will find something that is new and surprising to them in this program
8 areas that will determine your company's competitive advantage
Below you will find the foundations of leadership that enable you to lead people in times of change, turbulence, and high expectations. ICAN Personal Leadership Academy™ 2026 develops each of them.
The inner strength of a leader
How to develop strengths, overcome limitations, and build mental resilience?
Emotional and social intelligence in a network of relationships
How to build relationships, trust, and influence in a digital, hybrid, and tense world?
Leader agency: power, influence, and ethics
How to use influence in a transparent, responsible, and effective way?
Personal branding as a tool for persuasion and reputation
How to build recognition, credibility, and presence as a leader within and outside the organization?
Self-presentation of a leader
How to speak, perform, and communicate clearly in real and digital environments?
Negotiations and implementation of complex objectives
How to conduct difficult conversations and reach agreements under pressure and with incomplete information?
Managing life's challenges
How to integrate your personal and professional life, manage stress, and maintain your energy levels?
A leader in the world of AI and turbulent change
How to adapt leadership styles to new technological and social realities?
Training program for senior leaders
See what you will learn and what competencies you will gain.
Kick-off: Leadership in an uncertain and turbulent world
The session prepares participants for working with the program and creates a common framework for personal leadership, consistent with the concept of Future-Ready Leadership . We discuss the contemporary context in which leaders operate— the rapid pace of change, uncertainty, complexity of decisions, and the AI revolution. We show which elements of human nature remain unchanged and how they can become the foundation of effective leadership.
Competencies developed:- Understanding the logic behind a leader's actions in a world of change and uncertainty.
- The basics of self-reflection, self-awareness, and emotional regulation.
- The ability to interpret megatrends and signals of change.
- Understanding the impact of AI on work models and decision-making processes.
- Defining personal development priorities for the duration of the program.
- Willingness to work in a high-pressure information environment.
The inner strength of a leader
We discuss the personal dimension of leadership as a key element of a leader's effectiveness. Participants analyze their strengths, limitations, and behavior patterns that influence their decisions, relationships, and team performance. We show how authenticity, integrity, and conscious use of individual talents build a leader's real, lasting impact. We look at beliefs that can support or undermine effectiveness.
Competencies developed:- Awareness of one's own strengths and individual leadership style.
- Recognizing limitations that undermine effectiveness.
- Working with beliefs that influence decisions and reactions.
- Building authenticity in everyday practice.
- Strengthening strengths without falling into the "dark side."
- Strategies for responding to challenges and pressure.
Leader in the relationship network
The session develops emotional and social intelligence as important competencies for leaders operating in multi-level relationships. Participants learn how beliefs, thinking styles, and ways of interpreting events influence their behavior, communication, and effectiveness. We analyze how different leadership styles affect team engagement. We show how to build relationships based on trust and responsibility.
Competencies developed:- Understanding relationship mechanisms and their impact on culture and performance.
- Awareness of one's own beliefs and thinking styles.
- Recognizing defensive behaviors and their consequences.
- Conscious use of empathy depending on the context.
- Using the ladder of inference to improve communication.
- EQ basics: self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation.
Leader's agency
The session demystifies the topic of power and influence as essential, yet often underestimated, tools in a leader's work. We teach participants to view power as a natural element of action that can support development, decision-making, and responsibility-building. Participants learn tools that strengthen their agency in an ethical way: forming alliances, building trust, and consciously expanding their sphere of influence.
Competencies developed:- Understanding the mechanisms of power and influence.
- Building and leveraging trust capital.
- Effective action in formal and informal networks.
- Gaining influence in various areas of the organization.
- Forming alliances and developing your own network of relationships.
- Conscious and ethical use of power.
The leader's personal brand
The session shows why personal branding is an important tool for a leader's reputation, influence, and persuasion today. We discuss how a consistent presence in the public sphere strengthens a leader's credibility, effectiveness, and strategic position within and outside the organization. We work on online presence, professional social media profiles, style guides, and conscious choice of communication channels.
Competencies developed:- Building a professional presence on social media.
- Developing a consistent communication style for leaders.
- Selecting channels and tools for your personal strategy.
- Developing a network of relationships that strengthen the brand.
- The basics of crisis communication management.
- Understanding the role of personal branding as a tool for influence.
Self-presentation of a leader
The session develops the ability to perform in real and virtual environments. Participants learn about the causes of communication difficulties, the mechanisms of performance anxiety, and the principles of building a convincing message. We discuss the rules of presentation, ways to avoid communication errors, and persuasion techniques: nonverbal communication, maintaining the audience's attention, and conscious use of the voice.
Competencies developed:- Effective in-person and online communication.
- Dealing with anxiety and presentation stress.
- The use of nonverbal techniques and voice work.
- Designing presentations tailored to the needs of the audience.
- Working with slides to support the message.
- Responding to questions and difficult customers.
Lead negotiator
The session shows how leaders can negotiate effectively in highly complex situations, under pressure and with constraints. We analyze the specifics of "top-level" negotiations, the role of senior managers in negotiation processes, and their connection to decision-making. The session introduces four pillars of building agreements. Leaders gain the ability to conduct conversations that solve problems and create future-oriented partnerships.
Competencies developed:- Effective negotiation in complex and high-pressure situations.
- Analysis of the specifics of negotiations at the management level.
- Applying the concept of 3D negotiation in practice.
- Creating and capturing value in negotiations.
- Choosing the right strategy between cooperation and conflict.
Managing life's challenges
The session teaches conscious energy and stress management in various areas of personal and professional life. We discuss the latest findings in neuroscience regarding workload, regeneration, and working under pressure. Participants analyze the differences between individual and organizational burnout and learn about the four dimensions of human functioning according to Loehra and Schwartz. We will show you what habits allow you to stay in top form.
Competencies developed:- Balancing areas of life and conscious self-management.
- Understanding the neurobiology of stress, pressure, and recovery.
- Working with energy – physical, emotional, and mental.
- Recognizing sources of frustration and counteracting its effects.
- Emotion regulation and stress management in a dynamic environment.
- Building supportive habits and rituals for effectiveness.
Meet our experts
It is they—renowned practitioners, researchers, and leaders—who will work with you during our training.
Dr. Witold Jankowski
President of ICAN Institute
Andrzej Jacaszek, DBA
Vice President, ICAN Institute
Dr. Maria Mycielska
Expert in the area of diagnosis and management of organizational culture
Jagna Ambroziak
Psychologist, psychotherapist, trainer, coach
Paula Wąsowska, DBA
Expert in the areas of strategy, new technologies, persuasion and business communication
Izabela Stachurska
International consultant and leadership trainer
Renata Kozlowska
Practice manager with 25 years of experience
Aleksandra Slifirska
Founder of the Institute of Media Communication, whose mission is to educate about communication in business
ICAN Personal Leadership Academy™ Training Location
The training takes place in Warsaw at the ICAN Institute headquarters. It is a convenient, well-connected location right next to the Wilanowska Metro station, so you will have no problem getting there.
The program lasts eight months, with classes spread throughout the year and held in cycles on Wednesdays and Thursdays or Fridays and Saturdays. You can plan your participation in the workshops in advance, and if necessary, you can make up for a given session at a later date.
Check the training schedule and find out when your class group starts!
Your acquired competence is confirmed by the ICAN Institute certificate
Each participant in ICAN Institute's development program will receive a prestigious certificate. This is a document that is valued in the labor market and is desirable for both recruitment processes and internal succession plans.
Business club for graduates
After completing the training, you can join the Alumni Club. Our community brings together leaders, managers, CEOs and directors from all over Poland. This is an elite group of people who focus on development, exchange of ideas and mutual support. This is where true friendships, business partnerships and mentoring are formed. See the value of being with us!
Quality guarantee: zero risk and reimbursement
We know that investing in a comprehensive, year-long program can come with concerns. That's why we are the only ones in Poland to offer you a unique quality guarantee: if after 2 sessions (4 class days) you decide that the training doesn't meet your expectations, you can cancel your participation and receive a full refund.
Yes, we will refund your money 100%. There is no risk associated with participating in the training, only growth opportunities and real results.
Dr. Witold Jankowski
CEO of ICAN Institute
Offer when buying through the site
Standard price: PLN 29,999 net
Get up to a 5% discount when paying online
PLN 28,499.05 net
PLN 35,053.83 grossReserve a seat
LOOK:
- Participation in the ICAN Personal Leadership Academy™ program
- Online access to "MIT Sloan Management Review Poland" resources.
- Premium library with multimedia resources to support development
- Intelligent myICAN assistant to personalize participant development
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Magdalena Witek
Frequently asked questions
During training, we use a variety of teaching methods according to the best standards of executive education. We focus primarily on practice and group interaction. Participants perform exercises, work in groups, discuss issues and exchange experiences and insights.
Yes, as part of our personal leadership training, each participant receives access to the knowledge portal, which contains additional materials, including multimedia content and articles from our business magazines. Access to the knowledge portal is valid for the duration of the training and for 12 months after its completion - you can then use the materials whenever you want and on any device.
Yes, depending on your individual needs, you can purchase individual training sessions. If you would like to purchase a session of your choice, please contact us through the application form on the website or call the hotline at +22 250 11 40.
As a trainee, you receive a guarantee that allows you to cancel after 2 sessions and receive a 100% refund if at that time you feel the training does not meet your expectations. You can also change to another program that is more suited to your needs.
We issue an invoice on the first day of training. This allows the company to quickly include the training in its costs. Payment by installments is possible. There is also the possibility of obtaining funding from the National Training Fund, for which we help prepare applications.