Leadership and Management
Leadership Strategies for Analysts
The Three Essential Ingredients for Success
Instructor: Debra Lang
Who Is This Course For?
Leadership Strategies for Analysts is for anyone working in an analytic or critical thinking-focused profession as well as those managing or considering management positions in an analytic field. This course serves as a foundational leadership course for analytic professionals who aspires to build trust, create a supportive work environment, and thrive regardless of pace or conditions. Such professional might even find that the course enhances their life outside of work also!
The instructor has over 35 years of experience as an analyst and manager of analysts at the Central Intelligence Agency and is a highly-sought-after professional leadership coach. She draws on this extensive experience and her research in the field to craft a well-organized and enlightening course that will help you succeed as an analyst by improving your leadership skills.
Related Courses

Analysts
As an analyst, you probably gained expertise in your subject as a result of academic study, and you spent the first part of your career mastering key analytic skills such as writing and briefing. Regardless of your skill as an analyst, you will not succeed in your career if you are difficult to work, cannot be trusted, or get burned out. This course helps you become aware of your strengths and limitations and teaches the skills you need to be well respected among your peers.

Managers
Managers can use the skills taught in this course to improve their own performance and recognize how to help their analysts improve their leadership skills as well. In particular, Managers will learn more about the delicate task of giving and receiving feedback. Managers also will refine their own leadership skills to better model good leadership, coach your team maintain proper priorities and practice healthy behavior to encourage mental mental and physical resilience.

Everyone
Although the course is specifically designed for analysts and draws heavily from the instructor’s career as a leader of intelligence analysis, the principles taught in the course are applicable to anyone who works and collaborates with others and wants to succeed. Everyone wants to work with colleagues who are reliable, rewarding to work with, and resilient in the face of challenges. Even the most accomplished employees and managers can find areas for improvement as they seek to practice effective leadership.
Become More Purposeful in Your Pursuit of Professional Success
This course will make you more aware of the attitude you must have and the skills you must master to become a valuable member of any analytic team.
Create a Clear Image of Success
Adopt a definition of leadership that will help you meet others’ expectations, grow as a professional, and make you more aware of the need to maintain a healthy balance between your career and your personal wellbeing.
Be The Best Teammate
Understand that analysis is a team sport, and learn to identify the steps you need to take to be the kind of teammate that you would like to have. Your contributions to the team’s success will be more meaningful and rewarding than any solo brilliance you bring to the mission or individual accolades you receive.
Adopt the Proper Attitude
You’ll learn the importance of acting with integrity, humility, and sincerity as you work together to accomplish team goals.
What You'll Get
Video
Content
Course
Transcript
Downloadable
Extras
What You'll Learn
The course offers practical strategies to increase self-awareness, improve relationships, and build resilience for the often tense, fast-paced, and changing tempo of analysis. These skills serve to enhance the academic and professional qualifications that get you in the door and to strengthen your reputation as a team member, collaborator, and manager.
Course Content
Introduction
- Welcome and Introduction: Why Leadership Matters
- The 3 Essential R’s of Success
- Defining Leadership
The First R: Reliability
- Introduction–Reliability: To Deliver Positive Results
- Self Awareness of Strengths
- Self Awareness of Limitations
- Tip Sheet – Self Awareness
- Integrity
- Professional Presence: Why it Matters
- Professional Presence: How to Enhance It
The Second R: Rewarding to Work With
- Introduction – Rewarding to Work With: To Increase Influence
- Exercising Influence
- Enhancing Communication
- Feedback Part 1: Putting it in Perspective
- Feedback Part 2: Giving and Receiving Feedback
The Third R: Resilience
- Introduction: Resilience to Sustain Focus and Well-Being
- Mental Resilience Part 1: Growth Mindset
- Mental Resilience Part 2: Increasing Mental Fitness
- Increasing Physical Stamina
- Prioritizing What Matters
Course Conclusion
- Conclusion: Bringing It All Together
- Course Evaluation
Meet Your Instructor
Debra Lang
Debra Lang served at CIA for 34 years as a manager, analyst, instructor, and organizational leader. As a Professional Certified Coach and Leadership Development expert, she has extensive experience teaching and developing individuals and teams across the Intelligence Community and the private sector. She is dedicated to cultivating agile leaders who bring out the best in those around them to sustain positive results and achieve success.
Before leaving government, Debra served as Deputy Director of Leadership Training in CIA’s Talent Center. She directed Agency-wide leadership training and resources, including flagship transitional programs for new, middle, and senior managers. Debra has a reputation for challenging assumptions, leading objectively and fairly, maximizing inclusion and interpersonal effectiveness, and navigating complexity and conflict to enhance engagement and maximize national security interests.
A native Oregonian, Debra is passionate about connecting with nature, nurturing holistic wellbeing, and fostering healthy relationships. She earned a BA in International Relations from Brown University and a Graduate Certificate in Leadership Coaching from Georgetown University.

Try a sample lecture
Integrity
This lecture on Integrity is part of the JTG Proficiency1 course Leadership Strategies for Analysts: The Three Essential Ingredients for Success by Debra Lang.