Comprehensive Leadership Programs Summary

Harvard Business School's three comprehensive leadership programs address global issues that are critical to executives preparing to assume higher leadership positions. Designed for individuals at all levels of the enterprise—from senior-most executives to up-and-coming leaders—each intensive offering focuses on what companies need most: creating outstanding leaders who can improve organizational performance and position their organizations to thrive in the new economy.

Advanced Management
Program (AMP)		 General Management
Program (GMP)		 Program for Leadership
Development (PLD)
The Participants
  • Senior executives who are one or two levels below the CEO
  • Possess 20 to 25 years of work experience
  • From organizations with annual revenues of at least $250 million
  • Identified as key members of the company's top leadership team
  • Executives with recently acquired or expanded general management responsibilities
  • Possess 15 to 20 years of work experience
  • From organizations with annual revenues of at least $100 million
  • Individuals who seek a broader perspective or who will soon become business-unit, division, or regional leaders
  • Managers or functional specialists
  • Possess approximately 10 years of work experience
  • From organizations with annual revenues of at least $75 million
  • Identified as outstanding prospects for senior management
The Format
  • Eight intensive weeks on campus
  • Five modules in total, consisting of three off-campus modules and two on-campus module
  • Four modules in total, consisting of two off-campus modules and two on-campus modules
The Focus
  • Leading strategically and ethically across all business areas
  • Creating a competitive business position
  • Fostering innovation and building a cohesive enterprise
  • Communicating the company's strategic vision
  • Allocating resources throughout the enterprise
  • Managing the business portfolio
  • Developing a personal leadership plan
  • Examining critical areas of evaluation and decision making
  • Positioning the business for growth and profitability
  • Acquiring support for business-building resources
  • Forging effective cross-functional teams
  • Leading through periods of growth and turbulence
  • Implementing value-creating strategies that deliver results
  • Building core functional skills
  • Understanding how business functions interrelate
  • Developing an integrated approach to business
  • Formulating and implementing business strategies
  • Making effective decisions
  • Gaining a broad perspective of results-oriented management
  • Developing an individual leadership philosophy
The Impact: On the Organization
  • Prepare senior executives to lead the enterprise amid an increasing complex and dynamic global environment
  • Improve the company's business model
  • Increase profitability through new tools, strategies, and frameworks
  • Develop a robust succession plan
  • Reduce cost of organizational transitions and turnover
  • Deepen leadership strength
  • Increase retention of hard-to-fill positions
  • Implement effective strategies to increase profitability and long-term value
  • Accelerate readiness for leadership positions
  • Ensure greater retention of high-potential leaders
  • Drive results throughout the organization
The Impact: On the Individual
  • Enhanced ability to formulate and implement winning strategies
  • Improved leadership performance
  • Higher level of confidence
  • Better decision making
  • Improved capacity for setting and driving the company vision
  • Improve ability to analyze key business issues
  • Enhance capacity to generate strategic alternatives and implement change
  • Refined approach to leading people and creating value
  • Transformed perspective that improves judgment and decision making
  • Enhance capacity to lead cross-functional and corporate initiatives
  • Improve ability to balance core businesses with new growth opportunities
  • Refined capability to set priorities, delegate tasks, manage time and resources, and drive team productivity
Alumni Status
  • Upon program completion, participants will become HBS alumni
  • Upon program completion, participants will become HBS alumni
  • Participants may earn HBS alumni status by completing an additional 10 days (two credit weeks) of HBS Executive Education open-enrollment programs within five years of the PLD program end date.
Company Sponsorship
Each participant must be nominated and supported by a company sponsor—an executive who is involved in the participant's development and who is committed to remaining engaged with the participant throughout the learning process. This indicates that the participant is considered to be an outstanding prospect for company leadership within the organization. Eligible candidates are full-time employees of their sponsoring organizations who agree to return to full-time managerial roles within their companies upon completion of the program.

The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals.

Programs, dates, fees, and faculty are subject to change.

In accordance with Harvard University policy, Harvard Business School does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities.