Traditionally most scientists were not taught leadership skills. However, increasingly there is recognition that leading any scientific project requires effective leadership, and that these skills become increasingly important as the project become larger and involve more people. How can younger scientists acquire these skills? How does leadership differ from management and does the same person need to have both skills? How should more senior investigators mentor and prepare to turn over large projects to new leaders with a minimum of disruption? We will begin with a brief panel discussion of more senior investigators who will discuss some of the options available for leadership training but we hope to have a lively give and take with the audience on the merits of various approaches to train new leaders and to successfully manage leadership transitions. Participants may be interested in reading http://www.nature.com/news/lifelong-learning-science-professors-need-leadership-training-1.17955 [1] before the session.