Yale School of Management Executive Education
Women's Leadership Program: Leading With Power and Influence
Effectively harness your unique sources of power to become a positively energizing woman leader and changemaker.
Start date
05 March 2025
Course duration
6 weeks
Excluding orientation
Language
English
Access resources from start date
Effort
4–6 hours per week
Self-paced learning online
Program overview
The amount that women leaders save their organizations for every 1,000 employees by driving greater engagement.
Potential Project (Mar, 2022).
The share of women managers that consistently check on employee well-being (7% more than their male counterparts), while 31% provide emotional support (compared with 19% of men), and 21% take action to curb burnout (versus 16% of men).
McKinsey (2021).
Duration: 6 weeks (excluding orientation)
For years, power in the workplace has been associated with traits such as persuasion, charisma, and outward displays of authority and strength. This has caused some women leaders to disidentify with power as a concept, even undermining their own progression. However, as traditional productivity metrics become unsustainable in the face of growing burnout and disengagement, a new leadership approach focusing on well-being, purpose, and belonging is needed. Communication, empathy, authenticity, and honesty hold more value than ever before.
The Women’s Leadership Program: Leading With Power and Influence from the Yale School of Management Executive Education equips you to become the positively energizing leader to drive change. Over the course of six weeks online, you’ll discover a broader definition of power as a buildable skill set that incorporates both strong and empathic traits and can shift depending on context. You’ll explore existing power structures and dynamics in organizations, and uncover how a growth mindset can help you influence others and effect positive change in your sphere of influence. Guided by experts, you’ll also discover key strategies that can help you use everyday junctures for power and change, and enhance your ability to cultivate positive relational energy to promote organizational success. Walk away with the tools and knowledge to effectively harness your unique power as a woman leader, and an official certificate of participation from a world-leading business school.1
1Yale SOM (Mar, 2021).
Yale SOM Executive Education offers multiple online, on-campus, and live-online women's leadership programs. This program is a natural continuation of the online and on-campus versions of the Women’s Leadership Program and the online Women’s Leadership Program: Leading Teams. Each can be taken independently, as a stand alone program, but they also build on each other to offer a holistic approach to leadership. View all Yale SOM programs for women and those who support them here.
Is this program for you?
This program will benefit women leaders, including those in the C-suite and entrepreneurs or owners seeking to generate long-term success. Mid- and senior-level women managers will have the opportunity to build their skill sets and networks to advance in their careers, and professionals such as product or project managers, analysts, and consultants will gain the tools to become highly effective and energizing leaders. Professionals from across sectors, such as business development, media and marketing, finance, education, and the public sector will find great value in the program’s insights. While the program is primarily aimed at women, it will also be of relevance to all who want to understand structures of power and support positive change.
Program overview
Introduction
Duration: 6 weeks (excluding orientation)
For years, power in the workplace has been associated with traits such as persuasion, charisma, and outward displays of authority and strength. This has caused some women leaders to disidentify with power as a concept, even undermining their own progression. However, as traditional productivity metrics become unsustainable in the face of growing burnout and disengagement, a new leadership approach focusing on well-being, purpose, and belonging is needed. Communication, empathy, authenticity, and honesty hold more value than ever before.
The Women’s Leadership Program: Leading With Power and Influence from the Yale School of Management Executive Education equips you to become the positively energizing leader to drive change. Over the course of six weeks online, you’ll discover a broader definition of power as a buildable skill set that incorporates both strong and empathic traits and can shift depending on context. You’ll explore existing power structures and dynamics in organizations, and uncover how a growth mindset can help you influence others and effect positive change in your sphere of influence. Guided by experts, you’ll also discover key strategies that can help you use everyday junctures for power and change, and enhance your ability to cultivate positive relational energy to promote organizational success. Walk away with the tools and knowledge to effectively harness your unique power as a woman leader, and an official certificate of participation from a world-leading business school.1
1Yale SOM (Mar, 2021).
Yale SOM Executive Education offers multiple online, on-campus, and live-online women's leadership programs. This program is a natural continuation of the online and on-campus versions of the Women’s Leadership Program and the online Women’s Leadership Program: Leading Teams. Each can be taken independently, as a stand alone program, but they also build on each other to offer a holistic approach to leadership. View all Yale SOM programs for women and those who support them here.
Is this program for you?
This program will benefit women leaders, including those in the C-suite and entrepreneurs or owners seeking to generate long-term success. Mid- and senior-level women managers will have the opportunity to build their skill sets and networks to advance in their careers, and professionals such as product or project managers, analysts, and consultants will gain the tools to become highly effective and energizing leaders. Professionals from across sectors, such as business development, media and marketing, finance, education, and the public sector will find great value in the program’s insights. While the program is primarily aimed at women, it will also be of relevance to all who want to understand structures of power and support positive change.
What will set you apart
An expanded view and definition of power as a skill that encompasses both strong and empathetic attributes, and can be built up and adjusted contextually.
A greater understanding of organizational power dynamics, and tools for thriving within existing structures while promoting positive change. 
Strategies for harnessing your internal power and utilizing everyday junctures to become a highly impactful, positively energizing leader.
Unlimited access to 2U’s Career Engagement Network, offering you exclusive resources and events to support your professional journey and drive your career forward.Program curriculum
Orientation module
Welcome to your Online Campus
Module 1
Reframing power
Module 2
Leading with positive energy
Module 3
Harnessing your power
Module 4
Navigating structures of power
Module 5
Growth and power
Module 6
The power of the changemaker
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Program Co-Conveners
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Michael Kraus
Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior, Yale School of Management
Heidi Brooks
Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behavior, Yale School of Management
Rodrigo Canales
Former 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
Get recognized for your knowledge when you earn an official certificate of participation from the Yale SOM Executive Education.
Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with your digital certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the course handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the program.
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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 three-part payment plan available. To find out more about payment options please visit our Payment and Financing page, or contact an Enrollment Adviser, to find out which option you qualify for.
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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 Success Adviser who will help you manage your time, and support you with any administrative or technical queries you might have.
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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 Success Advisers 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.
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