GSBC partners with the University of Colorado Boulder to deliver a Certificate in Executive Leadership in partnership with the Leeds School of Business. This certification is exclusively for GSBC alumni.

This program builds on leadership concepts that are delivered annually during GSBC’s Annual School Session, delivering an organizational leadership, crisis management, and change curriculum.

“Our program is something beyond the basic managerial skills, such as providing feedback and setting goals,” states Russell Cropanzano, Professor of Organizational Behavior at the CU Boulder Leeds School of Business. “Rather, our emphasis is on difficult leadership problems — change management, ethical dilemmas, crises and diversity. “We teach managers how to find solutions to difficult business and social challenges.”

2024 courses include (subject to change):

 

Leading Organizational Change taught by Doug Bennett

To remain viable in the today’s hyper-competitive business environment, the ability to adapt and change has become a key strategic competency. This module discusses the essential parts of the change process. We begin with a discussion of how organizations change and why change efforts usually fail. We then discuss the essential steps of leading change, paying special attention to challenges faced by business change agents along with methods for allaying these concerns. Key ideas are illustrated with actual business change efforts.

Creating an Ethical Climate taught by Joshua Nunziato

If leadership were black and white, it would be as easy as following a playbook. Unfortunately, business and leadership are often grey and therefore leaders must constantly make judgement calls in new situations and unfamiliar environments. It is the role of the leader to manage this grey. In order to lead in this uncertain environment, it is critical that leaders and organizations are clear on who they are and what they believe. This clarity of purpose results in sound decision making based on pre-determined criteria such as values, ethics, and established priorities. In this program, we will explore how to create this clarity of purpose and alignment to assist both individuals and organizations in reaching their fullest potential.

Conflict Management taught by Jennifer Bone

Workplace conflict can tax operations and be painful for all. However, what is less well known is that conflict can also be a source of innovation and constructive change. In this module, participants will learn five basic methods for resolving these difficulties through better communication. Afterward, we will turn our attention to constructive conflicts discussing ways to facilitate these beneficial, though sometimes challenging, exchanges. Finally, using invitational theory as a guiding principle, you will learn about the importance of creating an ideal environment for managing difficult conversations, consider strategies for mediating conflict between others, and identify ways to regulate your own emotions when dealing with challenging situations.

Leading Through a Crisis taught by Cory Cunningham

In today’s highly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world, successful business leaders understand that experiencing an organizational crisis is a matter of when, not if. Organizational leaders’ communication and actions before, during, and after a crisis determine if the organization survives, can recover, and ultimately utilize the crisis as an opportunity for growth. This course takes a message-centered approach to the study of crisis communication. The purpose of this course is to explore the role of communication and strategic communication practices throughout the three stages of crisis management. Both theoretical and applied research areas are considered to provide an overview of the established and emerging perspectives on risk and crisis from the communication perspective.

Leader Reactions Course taught by Seth Webb and Silverstone Leadership Ventures

The Leader Reactions Course was derived from military special operations assessment and selection courses. It is designed to place individuals in challenging situations which require leadership skills, decision making, creative problem solving, teamwork and effective communication. Teams will move through different “missions” rotating leadership positions with facilitators providing feedback and adjusting complexity to ensure students experience a safe, fun, challenging and impactful learning experience.

Persons with disabilities or physical limitations will be accommodated for the Leader Reactions Course. Contact Blair Suddarth for more information.