Developing Yourself as a Leader—Virtual
- Dates: 04 JAN–02 APR 2024
- Format: Virtual Synchronous learning at designated live online session times.
- Fee: $5,500
The program fee covers tuition, online case materials, access to a personal development mentor, and a 1-year subscription to Quantified Communications.
Application Due: 13 DEC 2023

"The program made me reconsider my next steps, giving me tools to help me get where I want to go."
Summary
As high-performing emerging leaders develop their leadership style, it is imperative to have the skillset and knowledge to gain influence and increase impact across an organization. This virtual program will arm you with a number of actionable learning outcomes to help develop yourself as a leader. These learning outcomes include crafting a more strategic and effective approach to your career trajectory grounded authentically in your strengths, experiences and, aspirations; readiness in communications, negotiations, influence and design; and preparation for the moments of potential challenge or derailment, including transitions and collaboration.
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Summary
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As high-performing emerging leaders develop their leadership style, it is imperative to have the skillset and knowledge to gain influence and increase impact across an organization. This virtual program will arm you with a number of actionable learning outcomes to help develop yourself as a leader. These learning outcomes include crafting a more strategic and effective approach to your career trajectory grounded authentically in your strengths, experiences and, aspirations; readiness in communications, negotiations, influence and design; and preparation for the moments of potential challenge or derailment, including transitions and collaboration.
DetailsExpand AllCollapse All
Formulate your leadership skillsetFormulate your leadership skillset
- Apply the HBS PACE (Pick, Apprise, Collect, Elicit) leadership self-development model to increase professional influence and impact
- Build self-awareness and understanding around your leadership profile and trajectory
- Design a development path that nurtures relevant skill sets and channels your passions
Build influence and grow within your organizationBuild influence and grow within your organization
- Prepare for successful transitions, including moving up and laterally in an organization
- Effectively enlist colleagues' and mentors' help in achieving leadership goals and milestones
- Bridge differences and collaborate more effectively across your organization
Expand your personal and professional networkExpand your personal and professional network
- Extend your network by connecting and working with accomplished executives from various backgrounds, industries, and countries across the globe
- Build relationships with a diverse group of peers who can provide wide-ranging insights into your business challenges, career decisions, and who can grow with you over time
Formulate your leadership skillset
- Apply the HBS PACE (Pick, Apprise, Collect, Elicit) leadership self-development model to increase professional influence and impact
- Build self-awareness and understanding around your leadership profile and trajectory
- Design a development path that nurtures relevant skill sets and channels your passions
Build influence and grow within your organization
- Prepare for successful transitions, including moving up and laterally in an organization
- Effectively enlist colleagues' and mentors' help in achieving leadership goals and milestones
- Bridge differences and collaborate more effectively across your organization
Expand your personal and professional network
- Extend your network by connecting and working with accomplished executives from various backgrounds, industries, and countries across the globe
- Build relationships with a diverse group of peers who can provide wide-ranging insights into your business challenges, career decisions, and who can grow with you over time
Who Should Attend
- Emerging leaders who want to develop the tools and techniques to actively manage their leadership trajectory and grow their influence and impact across their organization
- Early- and Mid-Career Professionals that want to assess where they are in their professional development and map out an aspirational plan to take their role and responsibilities to the next level—even if that "level" is lateral
- Top-performing and high-potential individuals with 5-15 years of experience in roles of increasing responsibility

Program for Leadership Development participants earn 2 PLDA Points on completion of this program.
- Emerging leaders who want to develop the tools and techniques to actively manage their leadership trajectory and grow their influence and impact across their organization
- Early- and Mid-Career Professionals that want to assess where they are in their professional development and map out an aspirational plan to take their role and responsibilities to the next level—even if that "level" is lateral
- Top-performing and high-potential individuals with 5-15 years of experience in roles of increasing responsibility

Program for Leadership Development participants earn 2 PLDA Points on completion of this program.
Leaders in Virtual Learning
This program features sessions in the HBS Live Online Classroom.
Just as HBS pioneered the case study method, we also built the first live online classroom in 2014 and have been refining and optimizing our virtual program experience ever since. In a world that is now centered around virtual connection, our programs reflect the input and experience of tens of thousands of participants.
When you participate in a virtual HBS Executive Education program, you benefit from a powerful learning experience carefully designed with a virtual setting in mind. Through live, synchronous program sessions you'll engage directly with our renowned faculty to learn from their latest research, gain actionable takeaways, and facilitate your growth. In addition, virtual discussion groups will connect you to a global group of peers and build your network.
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Leaders in Virtual Learning
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This program features sessions in the HBS Live Online Classroom.
Just as HBS pioneered the case study method, we also built the first live online classroom in 2014 and have been refining and optimizing our virtual program experience ever since. In a world that is now centered around virtual connection, our programs reflect the input and experience of tens of thousands of participants.
When you participate in a virtual HBS Executive Education program, you benefit from a powerful learning experience carefully designed with a virtual setting in mind. Through live, synchronous program sessions you'll engage directly with our renowned faculty to learn from their latest research, gain actionable takeaways, and facilitate your growth. In addition, virtual discussion groups will connect you to a global group of peers and build your network.
Admissions Criteria and Process
Answering Your Questions
Application Submission
Application Review
Fee, Payment, and Cancellations
Answering Your Questions
Application Submission
Application Review
Fee, Payment, and Cancellations
What You Will Learn
Through a rich learning experience that includes live online case discussions, self-paced learning, and personal development mentors you will assess, design, and prepare for your leadership trajectory. You will have self-assessments that identify your leadership profile and the opportunity to design and map out the leader you strive to be. There will be a focus on utilizing your leadership skills to avoid the most common pitfalls that derail emerging leaders while building not just an effective but also transformational career.
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What You Will Learn
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Through a rich learning experience that includes live online case discussions, self-paced learning, and personal development mentors you will assess, design, and prepare for your leadership trajectory. You will have self-assessments that identify your leadership profile and the opportunity to design and map out the leader you strive to be. There will be a focus on utilizing your leadership skills to avoid the most common pitfalls that derail emerging leaders while building not just an effective but also transformational career.
Program Format
Over the course of 12 sessions, you'll experience the power of the Harvard Business School Live Online Classroom—discussing, debating, and engaging live with faculty and peers. Participants will attend live online classroom sessions every Tuesday between January 4 and April 2, except for the week of February 4 (for Lunar New Year), during one of two time slots: from 2:30 to 4:00 PM ET or from 8:00 to 9:30 PM ET. Participants will need to log into the Live Online Classroom 30 minutes before the start of each session to conduct a technical check.
Each week, before the live online session, participants will schedule a discussion group meeting to reflect on the prior week's session, as well as that week's case study. Collaborative learning is an integral part of the experience. To maximize the benefit for everyone, you are expected to attend every session, complete all assignments, and contribute effectively in the class, in small groups, and in the on-going Slack discussion among your classmates and faculty. We advise setting aside a total of 3 hours per week for program work in addition to the live online class sessions.
Participants should expect to spend at least 9-12 hours on self-paced case preparation prior to attending the program. Case materials will be made available approximately two weeks prior to program start.
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Program Format
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Over the course of 12 sessions, you'll experience the power of the Harvard Business School Live Online Classroom—discussing, debating, and engaging live with faculty and peers. Participants will attend live online classroom sessions every Tuesday between January 4 and April 2, except for the week of February 4 (for Lunar New Year), during one of two time slots: from 2:30 to 4:00 PM ET or from 8:00 to 9:30 PM ET. Participants will need to log into the Live Online Classroom 30 minutes before the start of each session to conduct a technical check.
Each week, before the live online session, participants will schedule a discussion group meeting to reflect on the prior week's session, as well as that week's case study. Collaborative learning is an integral part of the experience. To maximize the benefit for everyone, you are expected to attend every session, complete all assignments, and contribute effectively in the class, in small groups, and in the on-going Slack discussion among your classmates and faculty. We advise setting aside a total of 3 hours per week for program work in addition to the live online class sessions.
Participants should expect to spend at least 9-12 hours on self-paced case preparation prior to attending the program. Case materials will be made available approximately two weeks prior to program start.
Key TopicsExpand AllCollapse All
Self-discovery and honest self-reflectionSelf-discovery and honest self-reflection
- Understand your leadership profile
- Select goals to increase your professional influence and impact
- Prepare to take advantage of leapfrog opportunities in your career
Design and planningDesign and planning
- Design a leadership development path that builds relevant skillsets and channels your passions
- Explore leadership development transitions including fluidly moving up and laterally
- Enlist colleagues' help in achieving leadership goals and milestones
Preparing yourself for a thriving careerPreparing yourself for a thriving career
- Communicate for influence across the organization
- Bridge differences and collaborate more effectively
- Learn how to develop your leadership skills throughout your career
Self-discovery and honest self-reflection
- Understand your leadership profile
- Select goals to increase your professional influence and impact
- Prepare to take advantage of leapfrog opportunities in your career
Design and planning
- Design a leadership development path that builds relevant skillsets and channels your passions
- Explore leadership development transitions including fluidly moving up and laterally
- Enlist colleagues' help in achieving leadership goals and milestones
Preparing yourself for a thriving career
- Communicate for influence across the organization
- Bridge differences and collaborate more effectively
- Learn how to develop your leadership skills throughout your career
Special Program Features
Mini-360 and DiSC Self-Assessment
Prior to the start of the program, participants will complete a mini-360 review and DiSC self-assessment. The mini-360 will allow you to provide 3-12 of your closest colleagues (your inner circle at work) an opportunity to confidentially assess where they believe you can make the most progress as a developing leader. To complement those perspectives, the DiSC inventory will provide you with a self-assessment of your leadership style. Together, these tools will help form a foundation for individualizing your discussions in the classroom, with your peers, and with your mentor. Participants should expect to spend roughly 3-5 hours per week for 1-2 weeks on the mini-360 and DiSC self-assessment.
Mentorship Sessions
You will meet one-on-one with a personal development mentor. The one-hour meetings will take place during the fourth, seventh, and twelfth weeks of the program; you will work directly with your mentor to schedule the meetings. Your mentor is intimately familiar with the program and will spend time assessing and preparing you for your leadership journey. They will translate the program curriculum into specific goals for you. At the end of the program, you will have a plan to achieve your leadership trajectory.
Quantified Communications
Participants receive a one-year subscription to Quantified Communications, a talent development lab that helps leading organizations cultivate great communicators at every level. Its human-trained AI uses sight, sound, and language understanding to hone communication skills. Quantified Communications provides participants with personalized feedback on strengths, and opportunities for improvement, as well as resources that will enhance their influence and impact as leaders.
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Special Program Features
Mini-360 and DiSC Self-Assessment
Prior to the start of the program, participants will complete a mini-360 review and DiSC self-assessment. The mini-360 will allow you to provide 3-12 of your closest colleagues (your inner circle at work) an opportunity to confidentially assess where they believe you can make the most progress as a developing leader. To complement those perspectives, the DiSC inventory will provide you with a self-assessment of your leadership style. Together, these tools will help form a foundation for individualizing your discussions in the classroom, with your peers, and with your mentor. Participants should expect to spend roughly 3-5 hours per week for 1-2 weeks on the mini-360 and DiSC self-assessment.
Mentorship Sessions
You will meet one-on-one with a personal development mentor. The one-hour meetings will take place during the fourth, seventh, and twelfth weeks of the program; you will work directly with your mentor to schedule the meetings. Your mentor is intimately familiar with the program and will spend time assessing and preparing you for your leadership journey. They will translate the program curriculum into specific goals for you. At the end of the program, you will have a plan to achieve your leadership trajectory.
Quantified Communications
Participants receive a one-year subscription to Quantified Communications, a talent development lab that helps leading organizations cultivate great communicators at every level. Its human-trained AI uses sight, sound, and language understanding to hone communication skills. Quantified Communications provides participants with personalized feedback on strengths, and opportunities for improvement, as well as resources that will enhance their influence and impact as leaders.
The HBS Advantage
Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe.
Edward W. Conard Associate Professor of Business Administration
Poronui Associate Professor of Business Administration
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The HBS Advantage
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Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors. Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe.
Faculty ChairEdward W. Conard Associate Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Organizational BehaviorFacultyPoronui Associate Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Technology and Operations Management
Your Peers Expand Your Learning
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Your Peers Expand Your Learning
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Global PerspectiveExperience the world in your classroom.Global PerspectiveExperience the world in your classroom.6%Africa12%Asia Pacific20%Europe4%Latin America11%Middle East47%North America6%Africa12%Asia Pacific20%Europe4%Latin America11%Middle East47%North AmericaTop Industries RepresentedInsights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.Insights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.18%High Technology13%Financial8%Chem / Pharma / Bio7%Professional Services6%Health Care6%Manufacturing6%Nonprofit Services6%Consumer Products4%Agriculture4%Real Estate / ConstructionTop Industries RepresentedInsights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.18%High Technology13%Financial8%Chem / Pharma / Bio7%Professional Services6%Health Care6%Manufacturing6%Nonprofit Services6%Consumer Products4%Agriculture4%Real Estate / ConstructionExperienceExperienceYears workedYears workedExperienceYears workedLess than 10 yearsLess than 10 years10-14 years10-14 years15-19 years15-19 years20-24 years20-24 years25-29 years25-29 years30-34 years30-34 yearsLess than 10 yearsLess than 10 years10-14 years10-14 years15-19 years15-19 years20-24 years20-24 years25-29 years25-29 years30-34 years30-34 years
