Growing as a Purposeful Leader

Executives engage in classroom discussion, smiling and interacting

Expand your business acumen while also engaging in a profoundly personal exploration that builds leadership insights and strength. Become a better, more authentic, more purposeful leader who can step up to increasingly challenging leadership roles.

  • Dates

    May 18 – 23, 2025

  • Status

    Accepting Applications

  • Format

    In-Person

  • Location

    HBS Campus

  • Fee

    $17,500

  • Application Due

    Apr 18, 2025

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

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In an increasingly complex and volatile world, companies need leaders with a unique mix of business skills and personal leadership strengths.

Growing as a Purposeful Leader will develop your ability to orient your business around a higher purpose, align your strategy with this purpose, and create an environment that can unleash the potential of your organization. You will also embark on a profoundly personal exploration that builds your self-awareness and emotional intelligence, delving into the core of your experience to strengthen your capacities as a purposeful, authentic leader.

Key Program Features

Key Topics

  • Explore the experiences that have shaped your character and contributed to your development as a leader

  • Reflect on and refine your personal purpose, values, and leadership principles

  • Articulate a meaningful corporate purpose that can unlock higher growth opportunities

  • Tackle issues related to the role of business in society

  • Define your organization’s strategy in line with its purpose—integrating multiple stakeholders in the process and leveraging technology to achieve higher levels of performance

  • Shape your organization’s culture in support of its purpose and its strategy, creating an environment that can unleash the potential of the company

  • Lead effectively in a time of crisis

Program Format

  • 6
    days on the HBS campus
  • ~20
    hours of pre-program work

Case materials and a detailed schedule will be made available approximately two weeks prior to program start.

Who Should Attend

This program is designed for senior leaders of large companies who typically report directly to the CEO or have the potential to in the next few years.

Attendance by two or more representatives of your organization will allow for a broader impact by fostering a common vocabulary and mutual support in their purpose-driven journeys. Please note that executives from the same company will be placed into different purposeful leadership groups.

Related Program: Executives looking to strengthen their global business acumen in addition to the themes of this program can consider the Leading Global Businesses program.

Global Perspective

Two female and two male executives sit and smile around a table filled with notes.
10%
Asia Pacific
11%
Europe
2%
Latin America
77%
North America

Top Industries Represented

  • 35%

    Financial

  • 28%

    Retail Services

  • 14%

    Health Care

  • 6%

    High Technology

  • 3%

    Chem/Pharma/Bio

  • 3%

    Professional Services

  • 3%

    Raw Materials / Energy

  • 3%

    Transportation

  • 3%

    Utilities/Telecommunications

  • 2%

    Consumer Products

Experience

Years Worked

  • 4%

    Less than 10 years

  • 2%

    10-14 years

  • 22%

    15-19 years

  • 22%

    20-24 years

  • 34%

    25-29 years

  • 14%

    30-34 years

  • 2%

    35-39 years

Companies That Have Participated

  • Albertsons
  • Best Buy
  • Edward Jones
  • Instacart
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • Kraft Heinz Co
  • Nordstrom
  • Sabre
  • Wegmans
  • Waste Management

Teaching Team

All our executive education programs are developed and taught by a team of widely recognized HBS faculty. Many are 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 Cochairs

Faculty

The HBS Experience

This in-person program takes place on our storied campus where you'll live and learn at the heart of Boston's vibrant business, academic, and technology hubs.

At HBS, every detail is carefully calibrated to drive your success. Living arrangements and classrooms that spark connection. Unrivaled academic resources. And rejuvenating fitness, dining, and cultural amenities.

View of Executive Education area of HBS campus

The dedicated Executive Education area of campus features multiple classroom buildings and three residence halls around a quad

Residence hall bedroom and bathroom, with woman looking out a window

Our well-appointed residence halls feature private bedrooms, living group lounges, and courtyards to fuel vibrant discussions

Admissions

We admit applicants on a rolling, space-available basis, so you are encouraged to submit your application as soon as possible.

The selective admissions process is based on professional achievement, organizational responsibility, and the admissions criteria for each program as described in Who Should Attend. There are no formal educational requirements for HBS Executive Education programs.

Learn more about the admissions process and requirements.

Program content, dates, schedule, fees, technology platforms, 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.