Yale School of Management Executive Education
Women’s Strategic Leadership Program
- Transformative curriculum: Become a more strategic, influential leader with an in-depth curriculum that teaches you to change the way you think about leadership, power, and influence.
- Fully online: Benefit from interactive videos, comprehensive module notes, podcasts, assignments, live sessions, and guided class wide discussions.
- Esteemed faculty and a global network: Learn from Yale SOM faculty and industry experts. Receive 1:1 support. Grow your network and make lasting connections over five months.
Start date
To be confirmed
96%
Cohort-based learning
Group learning, expert guidance
5 months
Excluding orientation
English
Access resources from start date
6–8 hours per week
Self-paced learning online
Program overview
The percentage of women in the workforce in S&P 1500 companies, where only 6% of CEOs are women.
Yale Insights (Aug, 2025).
The global gender gap score for all 148 economies in the 2025 Global Gender Gap Report.
World Economic Forum (Jun, 2025).
Duration: 5 months (Including orientation and 2 week-long breaks)
The online Women’s Strategic Leadership Program from the Yale SOM Executive Education portfolio offers a comprehensive leadership journey. Over 5 months, you'll explore a range of essential leadership topics — from self-leadership to team dynamics to power and influence — with each topic building on the last.
Designed to change how you lead, not just what you know, the online Yale SOM Executive Education Women’s Strategic Leadership Program will equip you with the strategic skills to cultivate self-leadership, navigate team dynamics, and effectively harness power and influence. This immersive learning experience emphasizes the competencies that will set you apart as a leader, including values-based leadership, emotional intelligence, and innovative thinking. You'll also learn practical tools and proven frameworks to put your skills to work right away.
Learn how to maximize your leadership potential, transform your workplace, and drive business growth with this integrated learning journey. Over five months, you will identify and strengthen your inherent leadership abilities, improve your strategic decision-making skills, and form valuable connections with a strong network of other ambitious female leaders.
Is this program for you?
This online program aims to support women leaders at every point in their leadership journeys. It caters to senior business leaders who aim to leverage their influence to drive success. Additionally, mid-level women managers and aspiring leaders seeking to take the next step in their careers will find value in this program. Individuals who advocate for women's leadership development will also benefit from the content of this program.
Program overview
Introduction
Duration: 5 months (Including orientation and 2 week-long breaks)
The online Women’s Strategic Leadership Program from the Yale SOM Executive Education portfolio offers a comprehensive leadership journey. Over 5 months, you'll explore a range of essential leadership topics — from self-leadership to team dynamics to power and influence — with each topic building on the last.
Designed to change how you lead, not just what you know, the online Yale SOM Executive Education Women’s Strategic Leadership Program will equip you with the strategic skills to cultivate self-leadership, navigate team dynamics, and effectively harness power and influence. This immersive learning experience emphasizes the competencies that will set you apart as a leader, including values-based leadership, emotional intelligence, and innovative thinking. You'll also learn practical tools and proven frameworks to put your skills to work right away.
Learn how to maximize your leadership potential, transform your workplace, and drive business growth with this integrated learning journey. Over five months, you will identify and strengthen your inherent leadership abilities, improve your strategic decision-making skills, and form valuable connections with a strong network of other ambitious female leaders.
Is this program for you?
This online program aims to support women leaders at every point in their leadership journeys. It caters to senior business leaders who aim to leverage their influence to drive success. Additionally, mid-level women managers and aspiring leaders seeking to take the next step in their careers will find value in this program. Individuals who advocate for women's leadership development will also benefit from the content of this program.
Get this course for your team
Leading organisations recognise the value of this course and invest in it to enhance their employees' skills and expertise.
What will set you apart
A personalized self-development plan based on your own unique strengths that can be used for future growth and achievement.
Practical skills and frameworks you can use to navigate team dynamics, improve your self-knowledge, and amplify your influence.
Strategic habits and confidence, forged by several months of testing and challenging leadership frameworks in your real-world context.
Lasting relationships with a diverse cohort of women united in their pursuit of adding value to their organizations and communities.
Access to the exclusive Yale School of Management Executive Education Community group on LinkedIn upon successful completion of your program.Program curriculum
Program orientation
Welcome to your Online Campus
Section I: Women’s leadership
In the first six weeks, you'll explore how emotional self-mastery impacts outcomes and strengthens leadership styles. You'll learn to align your leadership with core values, experiment with your strengths, and enhance innovation. By using emotional intelligence in challenging conversations, you'll learn how to exchange constructive feedback for effective leadership and a safe environment. With guidance from Yale SOM faculty, you'll understand the significance of leveraging your network to achieve goals and create a positive leadership development plan.
Section II: Women’s leadership program: Leading teams
Following a one-week program break, you will focus on three key topics that will elevate your ability to lead others — decision-making, understanding your network, and everyday leadership — and gain practical approaches to leveraging each effectively. Over six weeks, you’ll learn to connect your personal experiences with functional skills and strategies and uncover ways to improve your overall leadership style.
Section III: Women’s leadership program: Leading with power and influence
After a one-week break, you'll learn strategies to enhance your influence and power. The six-week program analyzes power in various contexts and presents it as a constantly growing skill set. You'll explore the significance of positive interactions for leadership and learn how to conduct a PARC analysis to identify power dynamics in organizational structures. Reflecting on creating a growth culture will bring insights into transforming your organization. Lastly, you'll be empowered to become a changemaker, by using everyday situations for power and change.
Get more information
Program Co-Conveners
Rodrigo Canales
Former Lecturer in Organizational Behavior, Yale School of Management
Marissa King
Former Professor of Organizational Behavior, Yale School of Management
Heidi Brooks
Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behavior, Yale School of Management
Emma Seppälä
Lecturer in Management, Yale School of Management; Faculty Director, Yale School of Management’s Women’s Leadership Program
About the certificate
Learn effective leadership in your organization and earn a certificate of participation from Executive Education at the Yale School of Management.
Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. It culminates in a final capstone project. In order to be issued your digital certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the program handbook. You can chat to an enrollment specialist to learn more about the program requirements before you register, or view the program handbook once you start. You can also view general assessment information here.
Get more information
Want to know more?
Why choose GetSmarter?
GetSmarter delivers online education from world-leading universities and institutions to transform the lives of thousands of students across the globe. GetSmarter’s online certificate courses are designed to advance your career and fit in with your busy lifestyle. Each course is expert-led, fully supported and community-based, helping you build career-critical skills. GetSmarter is owned by 2U. Find out more about GetSmarter’s approach to digital learning, course design, and online delivery here.
Payment options
You can pay your course fees before the course starts, or you may opt for a split payment plan on courses that are nine weeks and shorter. For courses 10 weeks and longer, there is a four-part payment plan available. To find out more about payment options please visit our Payment and Financing page, or contact an Enrollment Specialist, to find out which option you qualify for.
Manage your time
GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The course work is broken up into weekly, manageable bite-sized modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the course and allow you the legroom to work when it suits you best.
At the beginning of each module you'll be presented with the course content and assignments necessary for completion. You also have access to your enrollment specialist who will help you manage your time, and support you with any administrative or technical queries you might have.
Seek employer assistance
By improving your skills and industry knowledge, you'll have an influence on the success of your organization. Why wouldn't you ask your boss to help you fund your studies if it's going to have an impact on the way you do business?
Of our past students, 37 percent have received financial assistance from their employers. You can ask for help, too. Here is a guide to show you how to request financial assistance from your employer.
If you are a Learning & Development (L&D) manager, or involved in training and upskilling for an organization, you can request information regarding our corporate offering on our GetSmarter for business page.
How to change your start date
As part of our commitment to your professional development, GetSmarter offers you a two-week period to change your course start date or request your money back if you’re not fully satisfied.
To qualify for a deferral of your course start date, or to cancel your enrollment and receive a refund of your course fee, your request would need to reach our enrollment specialists before the release of Module 2. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions.
Discover the Online Campus
The Online Campus will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your course. Through its easy-to-use interface you'll have access to a diverse variety of course content formats including: interactive videos, module notes, practice quizzes, presentations, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.
On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and teaching team through the discussion forums. If you are looking for your Online Campus login, please visit your Account page here.
