Strategic Leadership Development Program

Haskayne Executive Education

Become a more effective leader and strategic thinker

Strategic leadership is the ability to articulate a clear vision for your organization and to motivate and persuade others to acquire that vision. Strategic leaders are able to build strong yet flexible organizational structures, allocate resources effectively, find ways to encourage innovation, coach and support emerging talent, and execute organizational change. 

The Haskayne Strategic Leadership Development Program will prepare you for this next level of leadership.

Running over a period of seven months, this program blends self-directed online modules with live, interactive online workshops. Program themes alternate between strategic and leadership topics. Content is taught through cutting-edge cases, virtual group simulations and interactive class discussions. Throughout the program, new skills, knowledge and behaviors are learned and applied through immediate integration in the workplace. You will practice creating and implementing strategy, leading hybrid teams, making effective decisions, understanding the impact of global events on you and your organization, and leading through turbulent and uncertain times.

Throughout the program, you will complete leadership diagnostic assessments and receive one-on-one executive leadership coaching, which will influence the creation of a personalized Leadership Development Plan. Alongside the program, you will complete a mentored Action Learning Project, which provides the opportunity for program content to be applied to a real and relevant business opportunity within your organization.

For further information or to reserve your place, contact execed@haskayne.ucalgary.ca

Dates: November 29, 2024 - July 18, 2025

Format: Live online sessions every other Friday morning, plus ongoing coursework

Delivery: Online

Commitment: 95 hours

Investment: $9,500

The detailed content schedule for the current program is in the program brochure.

Hear from Strategic Leadership Development alumni

Throughout the Strategic Leadership Development Program strategy and leadership topics are intentionally intertwined, with each week’s theme building off of what has come before. The Action Learning Project and Personal Leadership Development components provide structure and cohesion to the program.

Live online sessions are held every Friday morning. In the intervening weeks you will be required to complete learning engagement activities, which may take the form of leadership diagnostic assessments to complete, one-to-one coaching or mentoring sessions, or post-session exercises or resources.

Learn to think like an executive and reap the benefits of strategic thinking:

  • Become a more effective leader, strategic thinker and agent of change within your organization;
  • Contribute to your organization’s future direction through enhanced strategic thinking;
  • Lead change within your organization through the immediate application of newly acquired ideas, tools and templates;
  • Complete a professionally meaningful and relevant project with guided support and mentorship to provide significant return on investment to your organization;
  • Discuss personal goal setting and problem-solving techniques in one-on-one coaching sessions with an executive coach, enabling you to develop a pragmatic plan for your leadership practice;
  • Build a business network while learning from peers across various industries and Haskayne’s most experienced professionals

A critical success measure of the Strategic Leadership Development Program is ensuring that what is learned is applied to real, relevant and timely business issues and opportunities. The Action Learning Project (ALP) process is designed to give you the opportunity to practically apply program content, assess knowledge gained and drive action through critical thinking and effective communication.

Your ALP will be designed in consultation with your senior leader and guided through an in-depth mentorship process to produce tangible outcomes that are beneficial to both you and your organization.

When developing your ALP, consider what your organization's greatest challenges are at the moment. Is there an opportunity for you to focus your ALP on an area that might overcome current business challenges?

Examples of what past participants have achieved with ALPs:

  • Development of a new process to reduce mandatory auditing costs by approximately $5M over 5 years;
  • Identification of an additional 20% in annual revenues by identifying a new opportunity in the sales process;
  • Creation of a system to reduce company risk and testing costs by 75%;
  • Identification of $500K inventory cost savings through more effective supply chain management;
  • Excess of $1M incremental revenue opportunity from equipment rental vs. sale.

This program is designed for experienced leaders, including those who:

  • Have been identified for succession and promotion opportunities
  • Taking on enhanced leadership responsibilities within their organizations;
  • Moving from one functional area into a broader organizational role;
  • Developing into a role that requires a more strategic outlook;
  • Proactively seeking to refresh and update their leadership skills.

In the past, we have seen a range of industries represented, from the energy sector to education, from healthcare to hospitality, from retail to real estate. Whether you are working in the private sector or within a not-for-profit, this program will be of benefit to you.

Participants commonly include Senior Directors, Vice Presidents, C-Suite, Senior or General Managers, Controllers, and Managing Partners.

Program investment is $9,500 per participant. Your investment includes the following:

  • Program launch and orientation;
  • 48 hours of live, synchronous program content; approximately 47 hours of self-directed, asynchronous learning and project preparation;
  • All materials and copyrights, access to the virtual learning platform and to the University of Calgary library;
  • 2 leadership diagnostic assessments;
  • 2 coaching clinics with a Certified Executive Leadership Coach;
  • 2 ALP group mentoring clinics;
  • 1 ALP presentation preparation clinic with Haskayne faculty mentor;
  • Framed certificate from the Haskayne School of Business.

Organizations that enrol multiple participants in the program may receive a program discount. For more information: execed@haskayne.ucalgary.ca.

Upcoming events


5 things you’ll get from Strategic Leadership Development

5 things you’ll get from Strategic Leadership Development

From personalized professional development to completing a real-world business project for your organization, here are 5 things you’ll get from the Strategic Leadership Development program.

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