Leadership Essentials identifies several of the skill sets that great leaders possess. Through engaging lectures delivered by Columbia Business School faculty, dynamic discussions with colleagues, and hands-on training and workshops, participants explore the most crucial areas of leadership development.
Participants emerge from the Leadership Essentials program with fresh insights into how to be better decision-makers, leaders of people and groups, and agents of organizational change.
“You'll walk out of there with frameworks and specific things to do differently.”
At the core of every successful organization are leaders who excel not just in decision-making but in inspiring and guiding their teams. Leadership is about harnessing emotional intelligence, navigating through change, and understanding the intricate dynamics that drive team and organizational performance.
Cultivating Leadership through Self-Awareness
Leadership Essentials identifies several of the skill sets that great leaders possess. Through engaging lectures delivered by Columbia Business School faculty, dynamic discussions with colleagues, and hands-on workshops, participants explore the most crucial areas of leadership. The in-person format provides a unique opportunity to engage in group activities together. This fosters a collaborative environment in which to discuss survey results and other program materials in real-time, enhancing the learning experience and creating a more dynamic and impactful environment.
In just two days, participants in Leadership Essentials take away several tangible benefits. They learn how to:
“What it takes to manage your team is a somewhat different skill set”
Leadership Essentials 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
“I highly recommend Leadership Essentials. All too often, leadership is thrust upon high achievers, but this creates a situation where one does not have time to reflect on where they are or how to improve. This program gives you those tools and time.”
“The program provided an opportunity for me to polish my leadership skills through a profound understanding of the importance of transactional leadership as a support and balance to transformational leadership.”
“The Leadership Essentials program was truly impactful on my professional journey. From the insight on EI vs. IQ to transactional vs. transformational leadership, I feel more prepared for the next steps in my career as a leader, influencer, and change maker. Professors Joel Brockner and Sarah Brazaitis were encouraging, engaged, and full of wisdom. I'd highly recommend this program to anyone seeking to become the best version of themselves, for their teams and those they seek to inspire."”
“Leadership Essentials is a crash course in the most relevant topics that can immediately impact your leadership style. I took away tools that can help me as a professional, a non-profit board member, a Girl Scout troop leader, and as a parent.”
“Leadership Essentials will foster your EQ and will help you become the leader you want to be.”
“I was promoted to a new role and needed to shape up my management skills. In the Leadership Essentials program, I learned that how you deliver your message can often have a greater impact than the message itself. I immediately applied this to my role when I returned, and instead of judging a team member, I changed my tone of communication and was able to get results much faster.”
“This program teaches you everything you need to know about effective leadership in two days. Amazing theory and the perfect marriage of theory and practice. I can't wait to put these concepts into action at my company.”
“After taking the Leadership Essentials program, I started to let the people in my company have more ownership in the decision-making. I try to be better at delegating. One thing we do differently after I returned from the program is that we changed a weekly management meeting to a daily management meeting. Every person talks about a piece based on their department, and everyone gets to see what everyone else is doing.”
“A big component of the program was the interactivity within the group. Participants came from all around the world, and I received a lot of input. I work with people from Dubai, China, and Japan, so working well cross-culturally is absolutely essential for my role. The cross-cultural feedback in this course, hearing their points-of-view, and how they come to conclusions was absolutely phenomenal.”
“Although only two days long, the program was filled with useful, practical information balanced with the right amount of theory. I will definitely be able to use the tools in my daily work life.”
“48 hours of Ivy League genius that will last throughout your career.”
“The Leadership Essentials program was a real breakthrough in my self-development journey at work — a real eye-opener on unconscious bias and business patterns. Professors Joel Brockner and Sarah Brazaitis built bridges between research theory and practical work experience, going beyond common thinking. If you're looking to embrace change and nurture your growth mindset, you can't miss this program."”
Faculty and speakers are subject to change.
“The way in which we implement decisions has a profound effect on employee productivity and morale.”
After nearly a decade advising pension boards and investment committees, Evalinde Eelens moved to the other side of the table, now serving on several Dutch pension fund and supervisory boards. Through Leadership Essentials, she sharpened the self-awareness, energy management, and listening skills she uses to build agreement among directors with competing priorities.
Certification
I’m interested in the Certificate in Business Excellence (CIBE), how do I get started?
At Columbia Business School Executive Education, you’ll be able to customize a unique learning experience by selecting programs that best interest you and are most suited for your needs. Any completed program, regardless of format (live online, in-person, or online), will count towards the Certificate in Business Excellence.
Which programs qualify for the CIBE?
Any completed executive education program, regardless of format (live-online, in-person, or online), will count towards the Certificate in Business Excellence. Partner programs will also count towards the certificate.
What programs are considered partner programs?
Executive education programs developed and administered with our educational partners, bring the best of our combined knowledge, thought leadership, resources, and expertise. Kindly find a list of our partners here on our partnership page.
What are the costs of the certificate?
There’s no set cost associated with the certificate path since you’re able to customize your learning journey with in-person and online programs (price will vary depending on the program type and length).
Are there any tuition assistance or scholarships?
At Columbia Business School Executive Education, we offer non-degree and non-credit-based professional development programs to the global business community. As our programs are non-degree and non-credit, they do not qualify for financial aid.
How are CIBE credits determined?
Credits for a program are determined by the program duration and total learning hours.
Where do I find information on the credit value for a program?
You will find this information on each program page. Credits range from 0.5 credits – 26 credits per program.
How do I get enrolled in the CIBE?
Your certificate journey will start with your first program, and you have 4 years to complete your CIBE. You may register for any of our executive education programs on each program page. You may enroll using the “View My Application Cart” button, and the application process should take 5-10 minutes.
How do I receive credits?
You are required to fully attend a program and complete all necessary coursework in order to receive CIBE credits. Credits are only awarded after you complete a program.
How do I check the status of my Certificate completion?
Kindly reach out to a Learning Solutions representative for any questions on the status of your CIBE credit count.
Do CIBE credits expire?
Credits are only valid for four years. If you have not completed your CIBE within four years, we will only count non-expired credits towards your CIBE credit total.
Does the Certificate in Business Excellence expire?
Your Certificate in Business Excellence does not expire. Once you become a certificate recipient, you will join the greater alumni community at Columbia Business School.
I’ve reached 18 CIBE credits, what’s next?
Congratulations! You should receive a digital copy of your certificate at the end of your program. If you do not receive a copy from your program manager, kindly contact your Learning Solutions representative or your program manager for next steps.
Will I receive a physical certificate?
Upon completion, you will receive a secure, digital certificate through Accredible. Within the platform you will have the option to print your credential, post it to your LinkedIn feed, or display it on your profile as a certification. Please contact your program manager for the status of your digital certificate.
How do I get access to my alumni benefits?
Once you complete your CIBE, we kindly ask for your patience as we process your alumni credentials. The processing time can take anywhere from 8 to 10 weeks long.
Can I add the Certificate in Business Excellence to LinkedIn?
Yes! We will provide you with instructions on how to add your certificate to your LinkedIn profile after you become a Certificate recipient.
Preferred Pricing and Tuition Benefits for Alumni
Are there preferred pricing options available?
Yes, preferred pricing is available for groups of two or more. To inquire, email execed@gsb.columbia.edu.
As a Columbia Business School alumni am I eligible for tuition benefit?
When you earn a Certificate in Business Excellence you will receive a 25 percent tuition benefit for full-price Executive Education in-person programs lasting three and four days and all full-price online programs. Exclusions apply**
Which programs do not qualify for a 25 percent tuition benefit?
Assignments
Will there be any homework or assignments?
For select programs, there will be some assignments to complete after the end of select program sessions. Assignments will typically consist of readings, self-reflections, and brief assessments. This approach is designed to help you practice your learnings.
How long will assignments take?
We do not expect that homework assignments will take up a large amount of time to complete.
Will there be any examinations or grades?
There will be no examinations or grades for our live online programs.
Access
When will I receive information on how to log in?
You will receive your login information immediately before the program start date. Kindly reach out to your Program Manager for further instructions on how to prepare and log in for the program.
What platform do you use to deliver live online programs?
We use the Zoom platform.
Recordings
Will sessions be recorded?
Most live online sessions (depending on the faculty and program) will be recorded and will be available for you upon request. In-person programs are not recorded.
How long will they be available for?
Recordings will be available for the duration of the program. Depending on the program, some recordings may have additional availability post-program.
How do I gain access to the recordings?
Your Program Manager will provide you with further instructions on how to gain access to recorded sessions.
Experience
How do participants network during the live online programs? Will I participate in group work?
Our live online programs are fully virtual and highly interactive. Most programs also feature small group work for a high-touch learning experience. The virtual program experience allows participants to feel comfortable and productive learning at home while preserving the interconnectivity of an in-person program.
What are the networking opportunities during the live online sessions?
Yes. Examples of this may include: virtual lunches, virtual receptions, use of the chat function, and virtual office hours for you to connect with participants and faculty. Please refer to the agenda of the specific live online program you are interested in for details.
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.
