Growing as a Purposeful Leader
What You Will Learn
Through a rich learning experience that includes four days on the HBS Campus, virtual small group meetings, and live online classes, this program will help you guide your organization in a rapidly changing business landscape, pursue a purpose-driven strategy serving diverse stakeholders, and drive strong performance. Cases examine iconic company transformations of the last decade from the perspective of executives in crucible moments, while special videos created for this program feature interviews with top executives about their purposeful leadership journey. Throughout the program, you will be prompted to rethink traditional leadership models in the context of purpose and consider the significant value purpose can deliver in today's business environment.
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What You Will Learn
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Through a rich learning experience that includes four days on the HBS Campus, virtual small group meetings, and live online classes, this program will help you guide your organization in a rapidly changing business landscape, pursue a purpose-driven strategy serving diverse stakeholders, and drive strong performance. Cases examine iconic company transformations of the last decade from the perspective of executives in crucible moments, while special videos created for this program feature interviews with top executives about their purposeful leadership journey. Throughout the program, you will be prompted to rethink traditional leadership models in the context of purpose and consider the significant value purpose can deliver in today's business environment.
Program Format
This program's structure facilitates ongoing insights into how you can lead from a place of purpose:
- Module 1: The program begins with a four-day intensive in-person module, featuring cases, lectures, and daily Purposeful Leaders Group discussions, which provide the opportunity to explore your leadership path with peers in a supportive small-group environment.
- Module 2: Self-reflection into your purpose and your personal challenges continues in two virtual meetings with your Purposeful Leaders Group between Module 1 and Module 3.
- Module 3: You will reunite with faculty and peers for a two-day virtual module that resumes your exploration of purpose as a fundamental element of modern leadership.
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.
-
Program Format
-
This program's structure facilitates ongoing insights into how you can lead from a place of purpose:
- Module 1: The program begins with a four-day intensive in-person module, featuring cases, lectures, and daily Purposeful Leaders Group discussions, which provide the opportunity to explore your leadership path with peers in a supportive small-group environment.
- Module 2: Self-reflection into your purpose and your personal challenges continues in two virtual meetings with your Purposeful Leaders Group between Module 1 and Module 3.
- Module 3: You will reunite with faculty and peers for a two-day virtual module that resumes your exploration of purpose as a fundamental element of modern leadership.
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 TopicsCollapse All
Leading selfLeading self
- Revisiting your life story, including your key crucibles
- Reflecting on what drives you and your values
- Identifying or refining your personal purpose—why do you work?
- Evolving your leadership style in the pursuit of purpose
- Leveraging authentic leadership practices as you guide your company in pursuit of a greater purpose
- Becoming a leader who leads from a place of purpose and with humanity
Defining a corporate purposeDefining a corporate purpose
- Understanding the role and intent of a corporate purpose
- Exploring the characteristics of an inspiring corporate purpose
- Understanding the process for determining a corporate purpose; considering how ambitious to be with your purpose
- Articulating a meaningful corporate purpose that prompts employees to think about their work in new ways
- Embracing all stakeholders in the definition and pursuit of your company's purpose; addressing the inevitable tensions among stakeholders to create win-win-win outcomes
- Building the connection between your company's ESG (environmental, social, and governance) strategy and practices, and its purpose
Putting a noble purpose to workPutting a noble purpose to work
- Making the chosen purpose the cornerstone of the strategy
- Evolving the company's initiatives accordingly, deciding what activities to stop, evolve, continue, or start
- Exploring what markets to serve and what products/services to launch to align with the purpose
- Overcoming operational challenges
- Measuring performance in the context of your purpose
Creating an environment that unleashes human magic in support of the company's purposeCreating an environment that unleashes human magic in support of the company's purpose
- Understanding and applying the key ingredients of human magic, such as meaning, human connections, psychological safety, autonomy, a learning environment, and a growth mindset
- Making your corporate purpose real and relatable; translating purpose into understandable day-to-day behaviors
- Uniting employees, partners, customers, and other stakeholders around the purpose
- Defining the company's culture in support of its purpose and strategy
- Allowing everyone at the company to write themselves into the corporate purpose "story"
Leading with purpose in a new eraLeading with purpose in a new era
- Recognizing and accepting the new rules of engagement for today's companies, particularly in a multi-stakeholder world
- Deciding when and how to visibly engage in societal issues
- Exploring how the pandemic has prompted new leadership requirements and approaches
- Fostering inclusion and diversity as a key element of business success
- Helping your company develop the agility needed in a digital, constantly evolving business landscape
- Leading through external or internal crises
