As digital disruption accelerates, companies across all industries need more leaders who can build and motivate creative teams, leverage emerging technologies, and innovate again and again. But fostering innovation requires much more than a vision and direction from the top. This lab-style leadership program immerses you in every stage of the innovation process. You'll roll up your sleeves and experience first-hand what it really takes to build a collaborative culture that encourages idea sharing and creativity. You will return to your company ready to foster the incremental and breakthrough innovations that will drive your company's competitive advantage, growth, and performance.

This corporate innovation program is offered in cooperation with the HBS Leadership Initiative.

Summary

This corporate innovation program is offered in cooperation with the HBS Leadership Initiative.

Key Benefits

Delving into innovation as an essential leadership capability, this program goes beyond product and strategy development to examine the social processes that enable and inspire routine, company-wide innovation. You will leave with a richer understanding of what it takes to lead creative teams—and empower others to collaborate and innovate each day.

DetailsExpand All Collapse All

Inspire continuous and productive innovation Inspire continuous and productive innovation

Enable all areas of your organization to innovate more boldly and consistently
Unleash the "collective genius" of your colleagues by nurturing a culture where people engage in innovative problem solving
Evolve a more agile organization that makes the most of its talent

Adjust your leadership approach to spark creativity Adjust your leadership approach to spark creativity

Understand the difference between establishing a top-down vision and fostering continuous innovation
Empower others by modeling and encouraging behaviors that drive creative thinking and a new level of collaboration
Create a supportive environment that enables people to take risks, experiment, and even learn from their failures
Encourage others to transform themselves and work differently

Embrace your role as change agent Embrace your role as change agent

Create a culture that promotes both incremental and breakthrough change
Work effectively with peers and upper management to facilitate necessary change and realize the potential of pioneering ideas
Ensure that your organization can take full advantage of new technologies and platforms

Expand your personal and professional network 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

Key Benefits

Details

Inspire continuous and productive innovation

Enable all areas of your organization to innovate more boldly and consistently
Unleash the "collective genius" of your colleagues by nurturing a culture where people engage in innovative problem solving
Evolve a more agile organization that makes the most of its talent

Adjust your leadership approach to spark creativity

Understand the difference between establishing a top-down vision and fostering continuous innovation
Empower others by modeling and encouraging behaviors that drive creative thinking and a new level of collaboration
Create a supportive environment that enables people to take risks, experiment, and even learn from their failures
Encourage others to transform themselves and work differently

Embrace your role as change agent

Create a culture that promotes both incremental and breakthrough change
Work effectively with peers and upper management to facilitate necessary change and realize the potential of pioneering ideas
Ensure that your organization can take full advantage of new technologies and platforms

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

General managers who lead companies, business units, divisions, or other large-scale organizations, as well as executives with cross-functional responsibilities
Change management executives
Leaders focused on innovation, R&D, or IT, including chief innovation officers, chief technology officers, and chief information officers
Leaders from corporate strategy, finance, legal, human resources, marketing, manufacturing, customer service, and sales

Individuals and teams are welcome to attend. Participation by multiple company representatives will foster teamwork and amplify the program's impact on your organization.

Dive Deeper into the Experience

Pioneers, Drivers, Integrators, and Guardians

The four primary work styles and strategies for accomplishing shared goals.

Learn More

We Celebrate New Ways of Thinking. Are You Ready?

Thrive in a learning environment that welcomes diverse ideas and perspectives.

Discover more about business. And yourself.

Global perspectives > Leadership growth > Organizational impact.

Who Should Attend: General managers who lead companies, business units, divisions, or other large-scale organizations, as well as executives with cross-functional responsibilities

Change management executives

Leaders focused on innovation, R&D, or IT, including chief innovation officers, chief technology officers, and chief information officers

Leaders from corporate strategy, finance, legal, human resources, marketing, manufacturing, customer service, and sales

Individuals and teams are welcome to attend. Participation by multiple company representatives will foster teamwork and amplify the program's impact on your organization.

Dive Deeper into the Experience

Pioneers, Drivers, Integrators, and Guardians

The four primary work styles and strategies for accomplishing shared goals.

Learn More

We Celebrate New Ways of Thinking. Are You Ready?

Thrive in a learning environment that welcomes diverse ideas and perspectives.

Watch the Video Watch the Video

Discover more about business. And yourself.

Global perspectives > Leadership growth > Organizational impact.

Watch the Video Watch the Video

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.

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.

Admissions Criteria and Process

We admit candidates to specific sessions on a rolling, space-available basis, and encourage you to apply as early as possible. Although most programs have no formal educational requirements, admission is a selective process based on your professional achievement and organizational responsibilities.

Admissions Criteria and Process

Answering Your Questions

Our Program Advising team can help you at any stage of the admissions process—starting with identifying the program that best addresses your learning and development goals. Contact a program advisor via email or call 1.800.427.5577 (outside the U.S., call +1.617.495.6555).

Application Submission

We recommend that you apply at least four weeks before the program start date. You may use our online form or download an application. HBS maintains all application information in strict confidentiality. We acknowledge receipt of applications via email. In the unlikely event that you do not receive an acknowledgment, please email us at exed_admissions@hbs.edu or call us at +1.617.495.6226.

Application Review

To optimize the learning experience and maximize the exchange of ideas, our Admissions Committee makes selections that balance each participant's experience, scope of current responsibilities, and type of organization. HBS seeks candidates who reflect a broad range of industries, functions, countries, and backgrounds. We review applications monthly and will contact you via email with the Admissions Committee's decision.

Fee, Payment, and Cancellations

The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals. No payment is necessary until you have been accepted. Payment is required prior to the program start date. If you need to cancel or defer participation, you must submit your request in writing more than 30 days before the start of the program to receive a full refund. Cancellations or deferrals received 14 to 30 days prior to the start of the program are subject to a fee of one-half of the program fee. Requests received within 14 days are subject to full payment.

What You Will Learn

This hands-on program takes place in a unique learning space very different from a typical classroom. Here you will immerse yourself in the real-world process of exploration, experimentation, failure, and examination. You will discover new ways to surface and develop ideas—and set the stage for ongoing innovation. As you dig into the characteristics of innovative organizations, you will learn what it takes to lead the changes that transform promising ideas into reality.

Balancing Collaboration and Personal Reflection

While this corporate innovation program emphasizes team collaboration, you also will engage in guided self-reflection and a unique approach to peer coaching that is designed to boost your creativity and expand your innovation mindset as you continue your leadership journey.

Your Innovation Challenge

During the program, you will work with a self-organized team of peers, known as a "brain trust," to spark new thinking on innovation and help you fine-tune your skills. You'll have the opportunity to define an innovation leadership challenge facing your organization, present it to your brain trust team, and obtain feedback that can help you develop an action plan for achieving your goals.

What You Will Learn

Balancing Collaboration and Personal Reflection

Your Innovation Challenge

Key AreasExpand All Collapse All

Understanding the realities of innovation Understanding the realities of innovation

Exploring the differences that distinguish vision, innovation, and change
Considering innovation broadly as any new idea that can help your organization succeed
Recognizing that innovation is a mandate for everyone in every function
Identifying common practices that can stifle collaboration and innovation
Growing contextual intelligence to compete and thrive in different environments

Developing a leadership approach that fosters innovation Developing a leadership approach that fosters innovation

Accepting the responsibility for driving innovation
Understanding the leader's role as social architect
Becoming a change agent and advocating for change at all levels of your organization
Embracing the often-messy process of collaborative innovation
Balancing the inherent tensions and paradoxes of leading innovation
Fulfilling three key leadership imperatives—managing yourself, your team, and your network—in ways that facilitate innovation

Instilling habits that can unleash creative potential throughout your organization Instilling habits that can unleash creative potential throughout your organization

Creating more opportunities for productive collaboration
Recognizing how diversity expands the range of possibilities and elicits more ideas
Fostering trust and a shared sense of purpose and values
Understanding and managing creative abrasion, creative agility, and creative resolution
Institutionalizing experimentation, risk-taking, and the tolerance for failure

Creating structures that support innovation in your organization Creating structures that support innovation in your organization

Designing spaces that support collaborative problem solving
Introducing new rules of engagement
Developing an effective marketplace of new ideas
Identifying and overcoming obstacles to collaboration and innovation
Evolving decision-making processes to align with the nature of innovation
Allowing multiple ideas to be combined rather than choosing one over the other

Transforming innovative ideas into reality Transforming innovative ideas into reality

Analyzing and managing the implications of a promising new idea
Leading the changes needed to execute an innovative idea for maximum impact
Overcoming obstacles to change
Working with different constituencies in your organization to ensure successful implementation

Key Areas

Understanding the realities of innovation

Exploring the differences that distinguish vision, innovation, and change
Considering innovation broadly as any new idea that can help your organization succeed
Recognizing that innovation is a mandate for everyone in every function
Identifying common practices that can stifle collaboration and innovation
Growing contextual intelligence to compete and thrive in different environments

Developing a leadership approach that fosters innovation

Accepting the responsibility for driving innovation
Understanding the leader's role as social architect
Becoming a change agent and advocating for change at all levels of your organization
Embracing the often-messy process of collaborative innovation
Balancing the inherent tensions and paradoxes of leading innovation
Fulfilling three key leadership imperatives—managing yourself, your team, and your network—in ways that facilitate innovation

Instilling habits that can unleash creative potential throughout your organization

Creating more opportunities for productive collaboration
Recognizing how diversity expands the range of possibilities and elicits more ideas
Fostering trust and a shared sense of purpose and values
Understanding and managing creative abrasion, creative agility, and creative resolution
Institutionalizing experimentation, risk-taking, and the tolerance for failure

Creating structures that support innovation in your organization

Designing spaces that support collaborative problem solving
Introducing new rules of engagement
Developing an effective marketplace of new ideas
Identifying and overcoming obstacles to collaboration and innovation
Evolving decision-making processes to align with the nature of innovation
Allowing multiple ideas to be combined rather than choosing one over the other

Transforming innovative ideas into reality

Analyzing and managing the implications of a promising new idea
Leading the changes needed to execute an innovative idea for maximum impact
Overcoming obstacles to change
Working with different constituencies in your organization to ensure successful implementation

The HBS Advantage

Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by top 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 Chair

Linda A. Hill

Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration

HBS Unit:

Organizational Behavior

Read Full Bio

Faculty

Ryan L. Raffaelli

Assistant Professor of Business Administration

HBS Unit:

Organizational Behavior

Read Full Bio

Maurizio Travaglini

Ècole des Ponts Business School:

Adjunct Professor of Leadership and Innovation

Read Full Bio

The HBS Advantage: Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by top 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 Chair

Linda A. Hill

Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration

HBS Unit:

Organizational Behavior

Read Full Bio

Faculty

Ryan L. Raffaelli

Assistant Professor of Business Administration

HBS Unit:

Organizational Behavior

Read Full Bio

Maurizio Travaglini

Ècole des Ponts Business School:

Adjunct Professor of Leadership and Innovation

Read Full Bio

Your Peers Expand Your Learning

Global Perspective

Experience the world in your classroom.

Global Perspective

Experience the world in your classroom.

39%

North America

10%

Latin America

18%

Europe

16%

Africa/Middle East

17%

Asia/Pacific

39%North America

10%Latin America

18%Europe

16%Africa/Middle East

17%Asia/Pacific

Industry Representation

Insights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.

23%

Financial

12%

Nonprofit Services

10%

Manufacturing

Chem / Pharma / Bio

Consumer Products

13%

High Technology

11%

Other

Professional Services

Raw Materials / Energy

Real Estate / Construction

Industry Representation

Insights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.

23%

Financial

12%

Nonprofit Services

10%

Manufacturing

Chem / Pharma / Bio

Consumer Products

13%

High Technology

11%

Other

Professional Services

Raw Materials / Energy

Real Estate / Construction

Experience

Years worked

Experience

Years worked

Less than 10 yearsLess than 10 years

10-14 years10-14 years

15-19 years15-19 years

20-24 years20-24 years

25-29 years25-29 years

30-34 years30-34 years

35-39 years35-39 years

40 years or more40 years or more

Less than 10 yearsLess than 10 years

10-14 years10-14 years

15-19 years15-19 years

20-24 years20-24 years

25-29 years25-29 years

30-34 years30-34 years

35-39 years35-39 years

40 years or more40 years or more

Participating Companies Have Included:

Fidelity

Google

HEB Grocery Store

KPMG

Microsoft

Mitsubishi

NASA

Nissan

Oracle

PwC

Swiss Federal Railways

Your Peers Expand Your Learning: Global Perspective

Experience the world in your classroom.

Global Perspective

Experience the world in your classroom.

39%

North America

10%

Latin America

18%

Europe

16%

Africa/Middle East

17%

Asia/Pacific

39%North America

10%Latin America

18%Europe

16%Africa/Middle East

17%Asia/Pacific

Industry Representation

Insights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.

Insights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.

23%

Financial

12%

Nonprofit Services

10%

Manufacturing

6%

Chem / Pharma / Bio

5%

Consumer Products

13%

High Technology

11%

Other

9%

Professional Services

5%

Raw Materials / Energy

6%

Real Estate / Construction

Industry Representation

Insights from a range of industries ignite your thinking.

23%

Financial

12%

Nonprofit Services

10%

Manufacturing

6%

Chem / Pharma / Bio

5%

Consumer Products

13%

High Technology

11%

Other

9%

Professional Services

5%

Raw Materials / Energy

6%

Real Estate / Construction

Experience

Experience

Years worked

Years worked

Experience

Years worked

Less than 10 yearsLess than 10 years
10-14 years10-14 years
15-19 years15-19 years

20-24 years20-24 years
25-29 years25-29 years
30-34 years30-34 years

35-39 years35-39 years
40 years or more40 years or more

Less than 10 yearsLess than 10 years
10-14 years10-14 years

15-19 years15-19 years
20-24 years20-24 years

25-29 years25-29 years
30-34 years30-34 years

35-39 years35-39 years
40 years or more40 years or more

Participating Companies Have Included:

Fidelity

Google

HEB Grocery Store

KPMG

Microsoft

Mitsubishi

NASA

Nissan

Oracle

PwC

Swiss Federal Railways

Apply Download Brochure

More Admissions Information

Program Sneak Peek

Take an exclusive look at the Leading and Building a Culture of Innovation program experience.

"Participants learn how to unleash the creative potential in their colleagues and create a more innovative organization."

Linda A. Hill

Faculty Chair

Maurizio Travaglini

Faculty

Need Help? Contact Us:

Program Advising team

Email: executive_education@hbs.edu

Program Sneak Peek

Take an exclusive look at the Leading and Building a Culture of Innovation program experience.

Apply

Download Brochure

Program Finder

"Participants learn how to unleash the creative potential in their colleagues and create a more innovative organization."

Linda A. Hill

Faculty Chair

Maurizio Travaglini

Faculty

Learn More

Need Help? Contact Us:

Program Advising team

Email: executive_education@hbs.edu

"I was impressed that the faculty members orchestrated different learning methods into something really cohesive."

Laura O'Reilly

Co-founder and Director , Hireup, Australia

Need Help? Contact Us:

Program Advising team

Email: executive_education@hbs.edu

"I was impressed that the faculty members orchestrated different learning methods into something really cohesive."

Laura O'Reilly

Co-founder and Director , Hireup, Australia

Need Help? Contact Us:

Program Advising team

Email: executive_education@hbs.edu

Related Programs

Explore All Programs Download Program Calendar

Explore All Programs Application PDF

Leading and Building a Culture of Innovation

"Participants learn how to unleash the creative potential in their colleagues and create a more innovative organization."

"Participants learn how to unleash the creative potential in their colleagues and create a more innovative organization."

"I was impressed that the faculty members orchestrated different learning methods into something really cohesive."

"I was impressed that the faculty members orchestrated different learning methods into something really cohesive."

Summary

Summary

DetailsExpand AllCollapse All

Inspire continuous and productive innovationInspire continuous and productive innovation Dropdown down

Adjust your leadership approach to spark creativityAdjust your leadership approach to spark creativity Dropdown down

Embrace your role as change agentEmbrace your role as change agent Dropdown down

Expand your personal and professional networkExpand your personal and professional network Dropdown down

Inspire continuous and productive innovation

Adjust your leadership approach to spark creativity

Embrace your role as change agent

Expand your personal and professional network

Who Should Attend

Who Should Attend

Learning and Living at HBS

Learning and Living at HBS

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

Balancing Collaboration and Personal Reflection

Your Innovation Challenge

What You Will Learn

Balancing Collaboration and Personal Reflection

Your Innovation Challenge

Key AreasExpand AllCollapse All

Understanding the realities of innovationUnderstanding the realities of innovation Dropdown down

Developing a leadership approach that fosters innovationDeveloping a leadership approach that fosters innovation Dropdown down

Instilling habits that can unleash creative potential throughout your organizationInstilling habits that can unleash creative potential throughout your organization Dropdown down

Creating structures that support innovation in your organizationCreating structures that support innovation in your organization Dropdown down

Transforming innovative ideas into realityTransforming innovative ideas into reality Dropdown down

Understanding the realities of innovation

Developing a leadership approach that fosters innovation

Instilling habits that can unleash creative potential throughout your organization

Creating structures that support innovation in your organization

Transforming innovative ideas into reality

The HBS Advantage

The HBS Advantage

Your Peers Expand Your Learning

Your Peers Expand Your Learning

"Participants learn how to unleash the creative potential in their colleagues and create a more innovative organization."

"Participants learn how to unleash the creative potential in their colleagues and create a more innovative organization."

"I was impressed that the faculty members orchestrated different learning methods into something really cohesive."

"I was impressed that the faculty members orchestrated different learning methods into something really cohesive."

DetailsExpand All Collapse All

Inspire continuous and productive innovation Inspire continuous and productive innovation

Adjust your leadership approach to spark creativity Adjust your leadership approach to spark creativity

Embrace your role as change agent Embrace your role as change agent

Expand your personal and professional network Expand your personal and professional network

Key AreasExpand All Collapse All

Understanding the realities of innovation Understanding the realities of innovation

Developing a leadership approach that fosters innovation Developing a leadership approach that fosters innovation

Instilling habits that can unleash creative potential throughout your organization Instilling habits that can unleash creative potential throughout your organization

Creating structures that support innovation in your organization Creating structures that support innovation in your organization

Transforming innovative ideas into reality Transforming innovative ideas into reality