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On Campus
Session Date-Application DeadlineProgram Fee$10,900Faculty ChairProgram Director
Program Fee: The program fee includes tuition, housing, curricular materials and most meals.
Executive Certificate: This program is a core program in the Public Leadership concentration. This program can also be used as a third program for any concentration in the Executive Certificate series.
Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs): This program aligns with one or more Executive Core Qualifications.
Program Overview
Highly interactive and experiential, Art and Practice of Leadership Development executive program is tailored for executive leadership development professionals from around the world, including leadership consultants, teachers, and trainers. During this one-week, on-campus program, you will work closely with our distinguished vlog leadership faculty team, led by Faculty Chair Tim O’Brien, to develop innovative leadership frameworks and teaching methods that address the unique demands of this work. Through class discussions, participant cases, and small group work, Art and Practice of Leadership Development provides a powerful, reflective, and unique opportunity for those focused on developing the leadership capabilities of others.
PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Developed by Harvard Kennedy School faculty, Art and Practice of Leadership Development features a distinctive teaching pedagogy exploring:
- Common assumptions about leadership and how they can restrict leadership development training methods
- Organizational factors that either foster or hinder leadership development work
- Distinctions between formal leadership training programs and broader personal growth experiences
- The role of values, passion, and character in executive leadership courses
- Ethical considerations when using hands-on or immersive learning for leadership development
Participants will each craft a case exploring a previous or ongoing leadership dilemma for peer consultation. These peer-led discussions—key to the executive leader development program—underscore the importance of diagnosing issues and tailoring leadership certification strategies to specific contexts.
Application Information
Art and Practice of Leadership Development is designed for experienced leadership development and consulting professionals from global organizations in the public, corporate, and nonprofit sectors.
Because the professional experience and expertise of the classroom participants is critical to the learning process, the cohort chosen will reflect a broad spectrum of perspectives and backgrounds, including:
- Government training and development officers
- Senior HR leaders championing leadership development training courses within corporate settings
- Senior managers from nonprofit and grassroots community-building organizations delivering leadership training
- University academics involved in leadership curricula, including leadership certification pathways
- Consultants who guide clients in leadership training programs across multiple sectors
Immerse yourself with a cohort of fellow leaders on Harvard’s historic campus. View a sample program schedule. Note that module titles, speakers, and sequence may change.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS ARE SAYING
“I wanted to capitalize my professional experience with the most incredible school in the world. I also wanted to strengthen my leadership skills and experiences.”
Faculty & Research

Timothy O'Brien

Farayi Chipungu

Ronald Heifetz

Hugh O'Doherty
2015 alumnus, Lloyd Denton heading to the polls in Istanbul for the historic Turkish Constitutional Referendum. Specializing in leadership development in Turkey and the Middle East for 15 years, Lloyd is seeing up-close how the turbulent climate is affecting his client base of senior executives and promising young leadership talents.