Overview
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.
Based on the popular in-person Leadership Essentials program at Columbia Business School Executive Education, which has been highly rated by nearly 1,000 participants since its inception in 2008, this online executive leadership program offers the same great learnings in a convenient online format, making it accessible to leaders around the world.
Please contact our Learning Solutions Specialists at +1 212-854-3395 for a personal conversation to learn more.
“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.”
Joel Brockner
The program's FacultyHear 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.
Impact
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:
- Learn how to identify different leadership styles and leverage your own style for the evolving leadership roles at your organization
- Enhance your emotional intelligence and learn how to apply it appropriately as a leader
- Get equipped with essential leadership skills to make more effective business decisions and better communicate them to your team members
- Build strategies to influence your team more effectively and motivate them to maximize their potential
- Develop best practices to lead organizational change
- Understand how to manage the dynamics and climate in your team so you can collectively strengthen your organizational performance
Hear from the program's faculty director on the leadership essentials acquired in the program:
Program Structure
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.
To view the agenda for the Leadership Essentials (Online), please connect with a Learning Solutions specialist. Contact us.
Introduction to Leadership Styles and Emotional Intelligence focuses on the difference between a “leader” and a “manager” and the relationship between emotional intelligence (EQ) and leadership effectiveness. You will go through a series of hands-on activities to understand the topics and self-assess your own EQ.
Participant Profile
Leadership Essentials (Online) is designed for aspiring, new, and mid-level business leaders looking to improve their effectiveness working with individuals and teams. This online program is designed for leaders looking for the same great learnings from the in-person program in a convenient online format.
Faculty
FAQ
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.
What is the difference between live online and online programs?
Compare our two formats for distance learning here.
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:
- Respect the privacy of other students. Do not share or disclose personal or proprietary company information on public forums.
- Respect the diversity of opinions and cultures that will be present in your program. The use of language that is harassing or denigrating will not be tolerated.
- Your program login credentials are for your personal use only. Do not allow anyone else to access the course site using your login.
- Do not reproduce content from any online program unless allowed by the copyright terms laid out by the course administrator.
- Do not submit the work of others as your own work.
- Violation of this code of conduct may result in disciplinary action including cancellation of program enrollment with no reimbursement of fees.
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 https://courseworks2.columbia.edu/ 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.
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