The topic of leadership can be overwhelmingly broad, encompassing multiple disciplines in academia that study the complexity of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational dynamics. But where do we begin to build our executive leadership abilities or hone our skills for the next chapter of our professional lives?
The Leadership Essentials (Online) program offers a four-week learning journey for aspiring, new, and mid-level leaders to immerse themselves into the essentials of effective leadership with real-world application and research-based insights presented by renowned Columbia Business School faculty and executive coaches in the field.
“This program provides an evidence-based approach to enhancing how you think and act as a leader while giving you considerable control over the learning process.”
Hear from Faculty Director Joel Brockner with an introduction to the Leadership Essential (Online) program, where he emphasizes the importance of leadership and how it can affect the people around you and your organization.
The Leadership Essentials (Online) program helps you improve your effectiveness in working with individuals and teams by developing your essential leadership abilities, including team leadership, emotional intelligence, and change management.
By taking this program, you will:
“What it takes to manage your team is a somewhat different skill set”
Leadership Essentials (Online) guides you through a sequential learning experience of four modules over the course of four weeks:
Each module features a series of faculty lecture videos, self-assessment tools, group activities, and interactive discussion forums. You will allocate about two to three hours per week to digest the bite-sized lecture videos, reflect on your own learning and takeaways, and share your ideas and reflections with your peers who can bring new insights and broader perspectives to the discussion.
Every step of the way, your program facilitator will support your journey, bringing your questions to the faculty and cultivating a safe space for you and your peers to maximize your learning experience.
Schedule Online: 4 weeks with an estimated time commitment of 2-3 hours/week.
Dates and fees are subject to change.
Introduction to Leadership Styles and Emotional Intelligence
Leadership Essentials (Online) is designed for mid-level executives who want to lead people more effectively, manage teams, and adapt their approach to different leadership situations.
Mid-level executives who want to practice core leadership skills and apply them directly to the challenges they face with their teams
Faculty and speakers are subject to change.
“The way in which we implement decisions has a profound effect on employee productivity and morale.”
After three decades in clinical practice and academia, Sami Alnafea moved into executive coaching and management consulting, helping leaders in Riyadh and across the Gulf navigate change. Leadership Essentials (Online) deepened his approach to adaptability, emotional intelligence, and change leadership, built on Professor Joel Brockner’s work and the Change Implementation Survey.
As Senior Manager of CEO Communications and Engagement at Avangrid, Mariel Huerta builds trust and influences colleagues across the organization without formal authority over them. Through Leadership Essentials (Online), she strengthened the self-awareness and leadership skills that support that work.
General
What is the educational approach of your online programs?
You can expect a robust, multi-layered learning experience that emphasizes the development of the higher order thinking skills which were proposed by educational psychologist Dr. Benjamin Bloom in “Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning.” According to Bloom, the development of higher order thinking skills requires guiding the learner from just knowledge recall to comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Bloom’s Taxonomy was later revised and expressed in more action-orientated terms as 1) remembering, 2) understanding, 3) applying, 4) analyzing, 5) evaluating and 6) creating. In online learning at Columbia Business School Executive Education, you will have an opportunity to progress through these key phases of learning so that by the end each program, your return on learning will be clearly measurable.
Format
How long do your online programs run for?
Our online programs range between 3 to 18 weeks in length.
Are your online programs synchronous or asynchronous?
Our online programs are mostly asynchronous, meaning that there is generally no live contact with faculty. Unless otherwise specified in the program description, all lectures are delivered through recorded media. Interactions between learners, facilitators, and faculty are conducted via discussion boards, email, and announcements, and all program material is posted on a course site.
Each online program is divided into time-sequenced modules with new modules released each week. This is to allow you to move through the course with a cohort of fellow learners to ask questions and share your learnings and experiences. We encourage you to take advantage of the opportunities you will have to connect with fellow learners in each particular online program.
Are assignments graded and if so, how?
An assignment is marked as either complete or incomplete based on whether or not it meets the assignment requirements. If an assignment is submitted without meeting the essential requirements, it will be marked as incomplete, however, you will be able to resubmit the assignment for further review.
Will there be any pre-program work?
No. There is no pre-program work in our online programs.
Learning Experience
Who will be my main point of contact?
Each online program is managed by a dedicated Online Facilitator who will be available to answer any questions, provide feedback, and send reminders as needed. Your Online Facilitator will contact you shortly before the program begins.
How will I access the program materials?
Each program has a dedicated course site to which you will have a login and password. The course site will contain all program materials — syllabus, video content, readings, and assignments.
Will I be able to interact with the faculty?
This varies from program to program. Questions raised in discussion boards and assignments will be curated by your Online Facilitator/Learning Coach. At a minimum, the faculty will post weekly or bi-weekly announcements addressing those themes. Some programs may feature periodic live online sessions to provide an opportunity to engage with the faculty live.
What is the role of the Online Facilitator/Learning Coach?
In online learning at Columbia Business School Executive Education, we emphasize facilitated cohort learning and development. Our online programs are guided by a dedicated Online Facilitator/Learning Coach who provides feedback on your learning to help you re-examine your assumptions in order to expand your understanding of the program’s concepts and achieve your learning objectives.
How will I interact with my cohort of online learners?
Connecting with other learners in an asynchronous online learning environment takes place through weekly discussion boards as well as peer or small group sessions.
What is the online student code of conduct?
Whether attending an online or in-person program, every participant at Columbia Business School Executive Education is expected to adhere to the student code of conduct which requires the following:
Learning Environment
How will I access the program materials?
Each program has a dedicated course site to which you will have a login and password. The course site will contain all program materials — syllabus, video content, readings, and assignments.
When will I receive access to the course site?
You will receive access to the course site generally within one to five business days of the course start date.
Can I access the course site on a mobile device?
Yes, the course sites are accessible on mobile devices via the course website log-in page at CourseWorks or via the Canvas app:
» Download Canvas app for Android
» Download Canvas app for iOS
To find Columbia Business School Executive Education on the Canvas app, you may need to type our URL in the "Find your school or district" box. The URL is courseworks2.columbia.edu.
Please note that there will be differences in how the course site is displayed in the app versus on desktop. We recommend that you experiment with accessing the course site on a mobile device and laptop or computer to see which works best for you.
How long will I have access to the course site after the program concludes?
You will have access to the course site for an additional three months after the program concludes.
Certification for Online Programs
Do your online programs provide any university credits?
No. All of our Executive Education programs, both online and in person, are non-degree courses and as such, do not provide accreditation or lead to an accredited diploma or a degree. Upon successful completion of the program, participants receive a certificate of participation.
Do online programs count towards earning the Certificate in Business Excellence (CIBE)?
Online programs provide credits towards the Certificate in Business Excellence (CIBE)*. Please visit the program page for the exact number of credits each online program earns toward this certificate.
*Except Professional Certificate in Corporate Finance (with edX), Alumni Edge programs, and TIME for Learning classes, which do not earn credits toward the Certificate in Business Excellence.
Cohort
Who typically attends your online programs?
The executive cohort for each online program consists of a global audience at various stages of their careers, from mid- to senior-level leaders and managers with an average of 10-15 years of management experience. Participants come from a range of functional areas including general management, IT, finance/accounting, sales, operations, marketing, human resources, customer service, engineering, and strategy. The top 10 industries represented include financial services, energy/natural resources, retail, technology, education, consulting, manufacturing, consumer products, and non-profit industries.
How large are the online program cohorts?
We limit the enrollment levels of our online programs to ensure every participant receives consistent feedback from the Online Facilitators. This makes it possible for us to provide you with a level of attention and feedback not typical in other online programs.
All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of Columbia Business School Executive Education.
Sign up for program updates and content relevant to today's business leaders from Columbia Business School Executive Education.
