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This course is part of the Leadership & Management track.
Leadership Principles
Woman leading a meeting

Leadership Principles

Develop the Leadership Skills to Advance Your Career, Team, and Organization

Leadership Principles is designed to help new and aspiring leaders unleash the potential in themselves and others, and cultivate high-performing teams. Become a more versatile leader who can mobilize others by immersing yourself in real-world leadership challenges, self-assessments, and 360-degree feedback from colleagues and peers.

Apply Now

What You'll Learn

Play an Introduction to Leadership Principles video
Play an Introduction to Leadership Principles video
Go to Course Syllabus
  • Understand your motivational drivers, emotional intelligence, and communication methods to establish a personal leadership style
  • Apply or adapt your leadership style to meet specific challenges
  • Manage the conditions that drive team performance
  • Coach colleagues and share feedback in ways that enable them to develop and deliver
  • Handle stressful and demanding leadership situations
  • Take charge of your professional development as you navigate the challenges of transitioning from an individual contributor to a leader

About the Professors

Professor Joshua Margolis - Leadership Principles

Joshua Margolis is the James Dinan and Elizabeth Miller Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, Unit Head of the School’s Organizational Behavior Unit, and Faculty Chair of the Program for Leadership Development and the Christensen Center for Teaching and Learning. He is co-author of the book People and Profits: The Search for a Link between a Company’s Social and Financial Performance, and has won numerous awards, including the Robert F. Greenhill Award and the Apgar Award for Innovation in Teaching.

Professor Anthony Mayo - Leadership Principles

Anthony Mayo is the Thomas S. Murphy Senior Lecturer of Business Administration and C. Roland Christensen Distinguished Management Educator in the Organizational Behavior Unit at Harvard Business School. He served as director of the School’s Leadership Initiative for 16 years and was previously the course head for FIELD, a required experiential, field-based course in the first year of the MBA program. He is co-editor of the volume Race, Work, and Leadership: New Perspectives on the Black Experience.

Who Will Benefit

Briefcase

Early- and Mid-Career Professionals

Prepare for leadership roles after working as an individual contributor or functional specialist.

Group of People

New Leaders

Build greater self-awareness and explore how you can adapt your leadership style to meet specific organizational challenges.

Idea bubble

Early-Stage or Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Develop techniques for building high-performing teams, coaching, delivering feedback, and handling stressful leadership situations.


Is Leadership Principles Right for You?

Program Structure

Play What Sets Leadership Principles Apart Video
Play Sets Leadership Principles Apart video

The course begins with a two-week prework period in which you’ll be asked to complete a self-assessment and solicit feedback from colleagues, such as managers, peers, and direct reports. The prework will take approximately one hour of your time and roughly 30 minutes for each colleague who participates.

Upon successful completion of the prework—which requires obtaining ratings from at least two colleagues in addition to the self-assessment—you’ll receive a detailed report that provides insight into your emotional intelligence and how you’re perceived by others. Emotional intelligence is a central theme of the Leadership Principles course. By completing the prework, you’ll enhance your knowledge of both the course materials and your personal leadership.

The course content is delivered over a four-week period after the prework concludes. The course also features several video upload exercises in which you'll be presented with scenarios and asked to video record yourself reacting to various leadership challenges. These exercises have been developed to let you step into the shoes of decision-makers, gain insight into your leadership style, practice techniques taught in the course, and—in some cases—share feedback with fellow learners. You can record yourself on a phone, computer, or other video recording device and will be asked to upload the video to the course. You should expect to spend approximately seven to nine hours per week on coursework, which can be completed on your own time while meeting regular deadlines.

October 2022
  • Length: 6 Weeks
  • Program Prework: 10/5/22 – 10/18/22
  • Program Content: 10/19/22 – 11/16/22
  • Cost: $1,750
  • Application Deadline: September 26
  • Detailed Calendar
  • Course Platform
  • Certificate Program
Apply Now
December 2022
  • Length: 6 Weeks
  • Program Prework: 12/7/22 – 12/20/22
  • Program Content: 12/21/22 – 1/18/23
  • Cost: $1,750
  • Application Deadline: November 28
  • Detailed Calendar
  • Course Platform
  • Certificate Program
Apply Now
February 2023
  • Length: 6 Weeks
  • Program Prework: 2/1/23 – 2/14/23
  • Program Content: 2/15/23 – 3/15/23
  • Cost: $1,750
  • Application Deadline: January 23
  • Detailed Calendar
  • Course Platform
  • Certificate Program
Apply Now

Leadership Principles is part of the Leadership and Management Learning Track. If you’re interested in developing deeper insights and expertise, you can choose to complete three leadership and management courses within 18 months to earn a Certificate of Specialization.

Syllabus

Leadership Principles leverages self-assessments, 360° feedback from colleagues, and the perspectives of fellow learners to help participants build greater self-awareness and enhance the versatility of their leadership style and approach. Through multimedia case studies and interviews with experts, participants in this program will experience wide-ranging leadership challenges and develop the skills needed to address different situations capably and authentically.

Learning requirements: In order to earn a Certificate of Completion, participants must thoughtfully complete all modules (Prework and Modules 1-4) by stated deadlines.

Prework: In the first two weeks after the course start date, you'll complete a self-assessment and ask colleagues, managers, and/or direct reports to rate you on dimensions of emotional and social intelligence. These two components comprise the 360° assessment known as the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory (ESCI).

Please note that starting in July 2022, we will not be able to offer the ESCI or the Personal Values Questionnaire to participants located in Russia.

Leaders Interviewed:

  • Gonzalo Muñoz Sanz, Leadership Development Program, Amadeus North America
  • Yvonne Chen, VP of Marketing, Udemy for Business
  • Mike Anello, Managing Director/Co-Founder, M33 Growth
  • Mia Mends, CEO, Inspirus and Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services, USA
  • Iz-Lynn Chan, CEO, BHG Retail REIT
  • Mark Ellis, CEO/ Co-Founder, Liftoff

Download Syllabus

Modules Takeaways Key Exercises
Module 1: Taking Charge
  • Appreciate how the work of leadership is different in supporting, driving, and guiding others
  • See how a leader’s self-perception and mindset must change in order to bring out the best in others
  • Understand the importance of emotional intelligence in transitioning to a leadership position
  • Build a foundation of self-awareness through 360° assessment (Emotional and Social Competency Inventory)
  • Video upload: Record yourself reacting to leadership scenarios
Module 2: Leading Your Team
  • Learn dashboard indicators of team effectiveness
  • Explore how to manage the conditions that drive team performance through team purpose, composition, processes, and launch
  • N/A
Module 3: Unleashing Potential in Yourself and Others
  • Understand the dimensions, functions, and drives of your leadership style and how to apply or expand it to meet specific challenges
  • Learn how to motivate and equip your team and unleash each individual’s unique talents
  • Explore the internal drivers of your motivations as a leader through the Personal Values Questionnaire self-assessment
  • Video upload: Deepen your understanding of how others experience you as a leader through recording yourself and learning from the peer assessment exercise
Module 4: Your Network
  • Learn techniques for coaching and delivering feedback and how to influence with and without authority
  • Learn how to leverage strategic, operational, and developmental networks, and explore ways to expand and develop them
  • Explore avenues for managing the stress of leadership
  • Video upload: Practice giving feedback and coaching, and apply dimensions of leadership style to evaluate effectiveness
  • Create a diagram of your professional network in order to visualize, reflect on, and better utilize professional relationships
  • Reflect on what you’ve learned throughout the course, and consider your personal leadership development plan

The HBS Online Advantage

Play an Introduction to the HBS Online Platform video
Play an Introduction to the HBS Online Platform video
  • World-class faculty
  • Edge-of-your-seat online learning
  • Global peer collaboration and networking
  • Real-world, case-based learning

Harvard Business School Online offers a unique and highly engaging way to learn vital business concepts. Immerse yourself in real challenges faced by a diverse group of leaders, including Gonzalo Muñoz Sanz of the Leadership Development Program at Amadeus North America; Yvonne Chen, vice president of marketing for Udemy for Business; Mike Anello, managing director and co-founder of M33 Growth; Mia Mends, CEO of Inspirus and Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services, USA; Iz-Lynn Chan, CEO of BHG Retail REIT; and Mark Ellis, CEO and co-founder of Liftoff. Step into their shoes and wrestle with the same issues they faced, while engaging with fellow learners from around the world.

Play Participants share their experiences video
Play Participants share their experiences video

Stories from Our Learners

  • "Leadership Principles was an informative and introspective experience that gave me insight into further developing my leadership skills. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to gain a 360° perspective on their own leadership tendencies along with a look at how others from vastly varied backgrounds approach different, complex situations in the workplace."
    Jimmy McCormick,
    Digital Marketing Specialist
  • "I really enjoyed the case studies about how leaders have faced and overcome real-life challenges at work. Leadership Principles made me more mindful of how my colleagues experience me, and less averse to having difficult conversations."
    Juliana Casale,
    Head of Marketing


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Request More Information

Sign up to receive additional information about this course. Find out what other learners are doing with the skills they gained, and evaluate if this course is the right fit for you.

Learn More

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to log in at a set time? How does the 360-degree assessment work? At this point, you probably have a few questions, and we’ve got answers.

Learn More

Learn More


Application

Enrollment Eligibility

Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the course. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application.

Apply Now

Apply Now


Leadership Princples Certificate of Completion from HBS Online
Earn Your Certificate

Enroll today in Harvard Business School Online's Leadership Principles course.

Apply Now
 
All FAQs

Top FAQs

How are HBS Online courses delivered?

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We offer self-paced programs (with weekly deadlines) on the HBS Online course platform.

Our platform features short, highly produced videos of HBS faculty and guest business experts, interactive graphs and exercises, cold calls to keep you engaged, and opportunities to contribute to a vibrant online community.

Do I need to come to campus to participate in HBS Online programs?

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No, all of our programs are 100 percent online, and available to participants regardless of their location.

How do I enroll in a course?

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All programs require the completion of a brief application. The applications vary slightly from program to program, but all ask for some personal background information. You can apply for and enroll in programs here. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before starting an application for the program of your choice.

Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

After submitting your application, you should receive an email confirmation from HBS Online. If you do not receive this email, please check your junk email folders and double-check your account to make sure the application was successfully submitted.

Updates to your application and enrollment status will be shown on your Dashboard. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application.

Does Harvard Business School Online offer an online MBA?

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No, Harvard Business School Online offers business certificate programs.

What are my payment options?

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We accept payments via credit card, wire transfer, Western Union, and (when available) bank loan. Some candidates may qualify for scholarships or financial aid, which will be credited against the Program Fee once eligibility is determined. Please refer to the Payment & Financial Aid page for further information.

We also allow you to split your payment across 2 separate credit card transactions or send a payment link email to another person on your behalf. If splitting your payment into 2 transactions, a minimum payment of $350 is required for the first transaction.

In all cases, net Program Fees must be paid in full (in US Dollars) to complete registration.

What are the policies for refunds and deferrals?

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After enrolling in a program, you may request a withdrawal with refund (minus a $100 nonrefundable enrollment fee) up until 24 hours after the start of your program. Please review the Program Policies page for more details on refunds and deferrals. If your employer has contracted with HBS Online for participation in a program, or if you elect to enroll in the undergraduate credit option of the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, note that policies for these options may differ.

 

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