What are the learning requirements in order to successfully complete the course, and how are grades assigned?

Participants in Organizational Leadership are eligible for a Certificate of Completion from Harvard Business School Online. Participants are expected to fully complete all coursework in a thoughtful and timely manner. This means completing each course module and fully answering questions posed therein by the required deadline. This course also features recommended weekly deadlines to help ensure participants proceed through the course at a similar pace and can take full advantage of social learning opportunities. In addition to module and assignment completion, we expect you to offer feedback on others’ reflections and contribute to conversations on the platform. Participants who fail to complete the course requirements will not receive a certificate and will not be eligible to retake the course. More detailed information on course requirements will be communicated at the start of the course. No grades are assigned for Organizational Leadership. Participants will either be evaluated as complete or not complete.

What is the Learning Path Tool?

The Learning Path Tool (LPT) is a 360-degree assessment developed at Harvard Business School to provide leaders with insights into key areas of competence essential for effective leadership. At the beginning of Organizational Leadership, you’ll be asked to complete a self-assessment and solicit feedback from colleagues, such as direct reports, clients, or managers, for the assessment. Upon successful completion of the LPT—which requires obtaining ratings from at least two colleagues (and ideally at least six)—you will receive a detailed report that provides insight into your leadership and how others experience you. Please note that Qualtrics—the tool used in the delivery of the Learning Path Tool—does not provide services to individuals in Russia and Belarus. If you take Organizational Leadership from any of these countries, you won't be able to complete the Learning Path Tool. However, you'll still be eligible to complete the course successfully. Please contact the HBS Online Support Team for more information.

What materials will I have access to after completing Organizational Leadership?

You will have access to the materials in every prior module as you progress through the program. Access to course materials and the course platform ends 60 days after the final deadline in the program. At the end of each course module, you will be able to download a PDF summary highlighting key concepts used throughout the course. At the end of the program, you will receive a PDF compilation of all of the module summary documents. We hope the module summary documents will serve as a helpful resource after you finish the course.

How should I list my certificate on my resume?

Harvard Business School Online Certificate in Organizational Leadership [Cohort Start Month and Year] List your certificate on your LinkedIn profile under "Education" with the language from the Credential Verification page: School: Harvard Business School Online Dates Attended: [The year you participated in the program] Degree: Other; Certificate in Organizational Leadership Field of Study: Leave blank Grade: "Complete" Activities and Societies: Leave blank For the program description on LinkedIn, please use the following: Organizational Leadership is a 7-week, 40-hour online certificate program from Harvard Business School. Organizational Leadership equips experienced team leaders with the skills, strategies, and tools to set and communicate direction, influence through other managers, generate organizational alignment, drive innovation, and engineer change. The program was developed by leading Harvard Business School faculty and is delivered in an active learning environment based on the HBS signature case-based learning model.

Leadership & Management

Organizational Leadership

Lead across teams, functions, and geographies by aligning people, strategy, and organizational performance.

Time
45-50 hrs, 6-8 hrs/week
Calendar
Oct 28, 2026 Weekly calendar
Price
$1,949
Pay by
Oct 26, 2026

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Key Concepts

Identify any misalignments between the dynamics of your organization and external market conditions
Communicate purpose and vision, and inspire your organization to execute on that vision
Extend the reach of your influence by leading through other managers
Elevate your leadership style to meet the distinct challenges of leading larger, more dispersed teams
Develop strategies for planning and engineering organizational change and innovation initiatives
Shape your organizational culture and architecture to maximize talent, leverage diversity, and drive performance

Prepare for the next phase of your leadership journey, whether you’re expanding your overall scope of responsibilities or taking over a larger department or organization.

I'm now more mindful of how my colleagues are experiencing me, and less averse to having difficult conversations.
Juliana Casale; Head of Marketing at Crazy Egg

92%

of learners said they developed increased confidence after completing an HBS Online course

11x

return on investment, with 24% of learners reporting an average $20,466 salary increase

82%

Felt more confident leading initiatives at work

What You'll Earn

Learn More

**Certificate of Completion**
Boost your resume with a Certificate of Completion from HBS Online
Earn by: completing this course

**Certificate of Specialization**
Prove your mastery of leadership and management
Earn by: completing any three courses within this subject area to earn a Certificate of Specialization

Course Syllabus

7 Modules, 45-50 Hours

Download full syllabus (pdf)

Module 1

Leading at Scale and Scope

6-8 Hours

Understand the key imperatives of transitioning to a new organizational leadership role, including common dangers to avoid.

Highlights

0:31

The T-Shaped Leader

0:22

Transitioning to a New Role

Module 2

Leader as Beacon: Understanding the Context and Setting Direction

6-8 Hours

Develop a direction for your division, unit, or organization, informed by the external context in which your organization operates.

Highlights

0:21

Understanding the Context

0:11

Developing Contextual Intelligence

Module 3

Leader as Beacon: Communicating Direction

6-8 Hours

Use vision, purpose, strategy, and identity to craft a statement of direction and apply techniques to communicate that direction to every level of the organization.

Highlights

0:25

Setting Direction

0:36

Motivating Others Through a Setback

Module 4

Leader as Architect: Designing to Deliver Value

6-8 Hours

Understand the critical design choices to align the people, systems and structure, and culture in your division, unit, or organization to deliver value.

Highlights

0:16

Follow the Orange

0:46

Value Creation at Medtronic

Module 5

Project Week

6-8 Hours

Identify a performance or opportunity gap within your division, unit, or organization and develop an action plan to address it. Identify personal leadership development opportunities using feedback from the Learning Path Tool assessment.

Highlights

0:19

Conducting a Root Cause Analysis

0:18

Learning from 360-degree Feedback

Module 6

Leader as Catalyst of Change

6-8 Hours

Diagnose the need for organizational change in response to external shifts or internal challenges, and utilize the CHANGE model to implement organizational change successfully.

Highlights

0:10

Leader as Catalyst Role

0:19

Stepping into a Messy Situation

Module 7

Leader as Catalyst of Innovation

6-8 Hours

Describe the steps for driving innovation within established organizations and explain how to transform your organization's culture into one of innovation.

Highlights

0:32

Driving Innovation

0:20

Handling Resistance

Upcoming Cohorts

Start Date	Pay by	Price	Time	Calendar
Oct 28, 2026	Oct 26, 2026	$1,949	45-50 hrs, 6-8 hrs/week	Oct 28, 2026 Calendar
Jan 20, 2027	Jan 18, 2027	$1,949	45-50 hrs, 6-8 hrs/week	Jan 20, 2027 Calendar
Mar 3, 2027	Mar 1, 2027	$1,949	45-50 hrs, 6-8 hrs/week	Mar 3, 2027 Calendar

Prices shown are in USD and do not include applicable international taxes.

Led by World-Renowned HBS Faculty

HBS Online courses are taught by Harvard Business School faculty, bringing the renowned HBS classroom experience directly to you.

Experience

Immersive Learning

Stay active by engaging in a new activity every three to five minutes and applying your knowledge through peer feedback, self-assessments, and a project.

HBS Online courses allow you to immerse yourself in a
dynamic, interactive learning experience. You’ll engage in a new activity every
three to five minutes and apply your knowledge through polls, quizzes, and
problem-solving exercises designed to accelerate and reinforce your learning.

Real-World Connections

Get social by collaborating with a global community of peers before, during, and after your course. Learners who successfully complete an HBS Online program will be added to the HBS Online Community's Official Networking Group and gain exclusive access to events and other networking opportunities.

See how the HBS Online course platform engages you in social learning. You exchange ideas, offer input, and seek out viewpoints from a community of learners gathered from around the globe. In the process, you learn from each other’s experiences and perspectives, and leave the program with a broader outlook on the world.

Real-World Cases

Immerse yourself in real-world, case-based examples brought to life by industry-leading experts from companies like General Mills, Medtronic, and Levi Strauss & Co.

Our courses allow you to apply your learning through
real-world examples and experience Harvard Business School’s signature case
method. Business leaders will share challenges they’ve faced. As the story
unfolds, you’ll leverage course concepts, vital tools and frameworks, and the
diversity of your peers’ perspectives to analyze the problem and determine a
path forward.

Real-World Outcomes