Leadership for Senior Executives
- Dates: 17–22 MAR 2024
- Format: In-Person Learning takes place on the HBS campus or a designated location.
- Location: HBS Campus
- Fee: $17,000

"One of the biggest challenges that leaders are facing right now is how to deal with contextual shifts."

"The program helped me pinpoint key areas of strength in my leadership and within my organization."
Summary
Uncertainty and change are relentless challenges for today's leaders. Between expanding globalization, rapid technological shifts, and evolving social norms, how can leaders make the right strategic decisions and leadership choices? In the Leadership for Senior Executives program, you will learn how to manage this uncertainty by exploring five different roles: leader as beacon, leader as coach, leader as innovator, leader as change agent, and leader as architect.
The Leadership for Senior Executives program is presented jointly with the HBS Leadership Initiative.

This program is eligible for the Certificate of Management Excellence. Learn More
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Summary
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Uncertainty and change are relentless challenges for today's leaders. Between expanding globalization, rapid technological shifts, and evolving social norms, how can leaders make the right strategic decisions and leadership choices? In the Leadership for Senior Executives program, you will learn how to manage this uncertainty by exploring five different roles: leader as beacon, leader as coach, leader as innovator, leader as change agent, and leader as architect.
The Leadership for Senior Executives program is presented jointly with the HBS Leadership Initiative.
This program is eligible for the Certificate of Management Excellence. Learn More
DetailsExpand AllCollapse All
Build your contextual intelligenceBuild your contextual intelligence
- Analyze how the environmental context influences how your organization operates and competes
- Sharpen your contextual intelligence on a micro level (e.g., adapt your style to motivate and inspire your team) and macro level (e.g., leverage your awareness of the competitive landscape to make strategic decisions)
- Infuse the organization with a sense of purpose
- Build your personal versatility and enhance the adaptability of your organization
Improve how your organization responds to changeImprove how your organization responds to change
- Discover new ways to lead organizational change
- Identify the factors that are standing in the way of innovation
- Learn from stories about organizations that have successfully or unsuccessfully adapted to change
Strengthen your organizational leadershipStrengthen your organizational leadership
- Understand the five roles of leaders (beacon, coach, innovator, change agent, and architect)
- Evaluate your leadership style and how you give and receive feedback
- Understand and leverage your leadership strengths
Maximize talent in your organizationMaximize talent in your organization
- Apply strategies for leveraging and retaining talent
- Create an environment that brings out the best in your team
Take innovation to the next levelTake innovation to the next level
- Create a context that encourages the development of both bottom-up and top-down ideas for improvement
- Integrate design-thinking principles into your innovation practices
- Evaluate whether your culture is conducive to innovation
Expand your personal and professional networkExpand your personal and professional network
- Extend your network by living 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 and career decisions
Build your contextual intelligence
- Analyze how the environmental context influences how your organization operates and competes
- Sharpen your contextual intelligence on a micro level (e.g., adapt your style to motivate and inspire your team) and macro level (e.g., leverage your awareness of the competitive landscape to make strategic decisions)
- Infuse the organization with a sense of purpose
- Build your personal versatility and enhance the adaptability of your organization
Improve how your organization responds to change
- Discover new ways to lead organizational change
- Identify the factors that are standing in the way of innovation
- Learn from stories about organizations that have successfully or unsuccessfully adapted to change
Strengthen your organizational leadership
- Understand the five roles of leaders (beacon, coach, innovator, change agent, and architect)
- Evaluate your leadership style and how you give and receive feedback
- Understand and leverage your leadership strengths
Maximize talent in your organization
- Apply strategies for leveraging and retaining talent
- Create an environment that brings out the best in your team
Take innovation to the next level
- Create a context that encourages the development of both bottom-up and top-down ideas for improvement
- Integrate design-thinking principles into your innovation practices
- Evaluate whether your culture is conducive to innovation
Expand your personal and professional network
- Extend your network by living 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 and career decisions
Who Should Attend
- Senior executives and executive team members with significant management responsibilities and at least 20 years of experience in large established organizations
- Particularly appropriate for: Chief executive officers, chief operating officers, chief administrative officers, chief accounting officers, chief financial officers, senior vice presidents, general managers, senior human resource professionals, and divisional directors or leaders
Attendance by two or three members of the senior management team will foster teamwork and amplify the program's impact.

Program for Leadership Development participants earn 5 PLDA Points on completion of this program.
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Who Should Attend
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- Senior executives and executive team members with significant management responsibilities and at least 20 years of experience in large established organizations
- Particularly appropriate for: Chief executive officers, chief operating officers, chief administrative officers, chief accounting officers, chief financial officers, senior vice presidents, general managers, senior human resource professionals, and divisional directors or leaders
Attendance by two or three members of the senior management team will foster teamwork and amplify the program's impact.
Program for Leadership Development participants earn 5 PLDA Points on completion of this program.
Learning and Living at HBS
When you participate in an Executive Education program on the HBS campus, you enter an immersive experience where every aspect of the learning model has been carefully designed to facilitate your growth. Your learning will take place on your own, in your living group, and in the larger classroom, driven by the renowned HBS case method.
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Learning and Living at HBS
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When you participate in an Executive Education program on the HBS campus, you enter an immersive experience where every aspect of the learning model has been carefully designed to facilitate your growth. Your learning will take place on your own, in your living group, and in the larger classroom, driven by the renowned HBS case method.
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
Your rich learning experience includes interactive lectures, hands-on workshops, case studies, self-assessments, and other experiential learning opportunities. Exploring the latest research and proven leadership practices, the program balances thought-provoking debate and analysis with structured opportunities for self-reflection and personal development. You will gain new insights for motivating a diverse workforce, leading breakthrough innovation, and fulfilling your organization's mission and vision.
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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What You Will Learn
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Your rich learning experience includes interactive lectures, hands-on workshops, case studies, self-assessments, and other experiential learning opportunities. Exploring the latest research and proven leadership practices, the program balances thought-provoking debate and analysis with structured opportunities for self-reflection and personal development. You will gain new insights for motivating a diverse workforce, leading breakthrough innovation, and fulfilling your organization's mission and vision.
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
Leader as beaconLeader as beacon
- Making leadership decisions in a growth-oriented organization
- Setting a direction (vision, purpose, strategy, identity) for the organization while considering the surrounding landscape
- Communicating and reinforcing the organization's vision and mission
Leader as architectLeader as architect
- Leveraging organizational design components to ensure competitive differentiation
- Managing integration challenges
- Ensuring organizational alignment to consistently deliver on the organization's vision
Leader as coachLeader as coach
- Inspiring and motivating teams to deliver on the organization's mission
- Improving how you give feedback, receive feedback, and coach others in your organization
- Building self-awareness and identifying new opportunities to expand your leadership style and approach
Leader as innovatorLeader as innovator
- Using principles of design thinking (ideation, brainstorming, and prototyping) to tap into your organization's ability to enhance, unleash and harness collective talent and creativity
- Building a culture of innovation and exploration
- Examining the relationship between leadership and innovation
Leader as change agentLeader as change agent
- Exploring how to proactively design and deliver change initiatives
- Discovering ways of addressing resistance to change
- Reviewing effective change models and processes
Leading with passion and purposeLeading with passion and purpose
- Understanding the role of passion and purpose in leadership
- Stepping up to leadership responsibility
Leader as beacon
- Making leadership decisions in a growth-oriented organization
- Setting a direction (vision, purpose, strategy, identity) for the organization while considering the surrounding landscape
- Communicating and reinforcing the organization's vision and mission
Leader as architect
- Leveraging organizational design components to ensure competitive differentiation
- Managing integration challenges
- Ensuring organizational alignment to consistently deliver on the organization's vision
Leader as coach
- Inspiring and motivating teams to deliver on the organization's mission
- Improving how you give feedback, receive feedback, and coach others in your organization
- Building self-awareness and identifying new opportunities to expand your leadership style and approach
Leader as innovator
- Using principles of design thinking (ideation, brainstorming, and prototyping) to tap into your organization's ability to enhance, unleash and harness collective talent and creativity
- Building a culture of innovation and exploration
- Examining the relationship between leadership and innovation
Leader as change agent
- Exploring how to proactively design and deliver change initiatives
- Discovering ways of addressing resistance to change
- Reviewing effective change models and processes
Leading with passion and purpose
- Understanding the role of passion and purpose in leadership
- Stepping up to leadership responsibility
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.
Thomas S. Murphy Senior Lecturer of Business Administration
MBA Class of 1949 Adjunct Professor of Business Administration
James Dinan and Elizabeth Miller Professor of Business Administration
Assistant 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 ChairThomas S. Murphy Senior Lecturer of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Organizational BehaviorFacultyMBA Class of 1949 Adjunct Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Technology and Operations ManagementJames Dinan and Elizabeth Miller Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Organizational BehaviorAssistant Professor of Business Administration
HBS Unit:Organizational Behavior
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.5%Africa8%Asia Pacific24%Europe6%Latin America57%North America5%Africa8%Asia Pacific24%Europe6%Latin America57%North AmericaTop Industries RepresentedInsights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.Insights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.16%Financial10%Professional Services10%Retail Services8%Education6%Manufacturing6%Nonprofit5%Chem / Pharma / Bio5%Consumer Products5%High Technology5%TransportationTop Industries RepresentedInsights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.16%Financial10%Professional Services10%Retail Services8%Education6%Manufacturing6%Nonprofit5%Chem / Pharma / Bio5%Consumer Products5%High Technology5%TransportationExperienceExperienceYears workedYears workedExperienceYears worked15-19 years15-19 years20-24 years20-24 years25-29 years25-29 years30-34 years30-34 years15-19 years15-19 years20-24 years20-24 years25-29 years25-29 years30-34 years30-34 years

"One of the biggest challenges that leaders are facing right now is how to deal with contextual shifts."
