Open Enrollment Programs
Open enrollment programs provide professionals with access to award-winning faculty, experiential learning and contemporary content on critical business topics. These programs equip participants with practical skills and insights that can be applied immediately, fostering both personal growth and organizational impact.
Bearcats Executive Leadership Program
Program Description: This intensive, live online executive education program is designed to elevate high-potential, mid- and senior-level leaders into strategic, executive-level thinkers. The Bearcats Executive Leadership program offers a holistic development journey, including how to manage self and others in a manner that sets the stage for a high-performing organizational culture.
Attendees have the option of registering for any of the eight individual modules or the entire Bearcats Executive Leadership Program.
When: February 6 (9 a.m.-12 p.m.) through May 15 (9 a.m.-12 p.m.).
Learning Outcomes
- Think Strategically: Develop the ability to analyze complex issues, recognize interdependencies and make decisions that advance the broader organizational mission.
- Lead Authentically: Strengthen self-awareness and emotional intelligence to lead with integrity, empathy and credibility across all levels of the organization.
- Communicate with Influence: Enhance executive presence and communication effectiveness to inspire, align and mobilize others toward shared goals.
- Foster Collaboration and Resilience: Navigate conflict, ambiguity and competing priorities with composure — building trust and accountability across boundaries.
- Elevate Organizational Impact: Shift from a functional mindset to an enterprise perspective, driving sustainable performance and strategic alignment beyond one’s immediate team or unit.
Modules
February 6: 9 a.m-12 p.m.
Authentic leadership begins with self-awareness and extends to building trust through transparency and integrity. This session explores the four dimensions of authentic leadership — self-awareness, relational transparency, balanced processing and internalized moral perspective — supported through assessments, reflection and peer dialogue. Participants will discover how to align their values and behaviors, foster psychological safety, and lead with empathy and credibility across teams.
February 20: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Coaching is one of the most powerful tools for developing others and driving engagement. This session equips leaders with a structured yet flexible approach to coaching, emphasizing active listening, inquiry, feedback and goal setting. Participants will apply proven coaching frameworks such as GROW to real scenarios, practicing how to unlock potential, foster accountability and support professional growth. The outcome is a leader who can both guide performance and empower others to think critically and act with ownership.
March 6: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Executive communication requires more than clear messaging — it demands presence, influence and strategic storytelling. This module enhances leaders’ ability to communicate across diverse audiences with clarity, empathy and authority. Participants will practice smart brevity and storytelling, framing messages for impact, adapting tone and delivery, and using narrative to inspire and align stakeholders. By the end, leaders will possess a communication toolkit that enhances credibility, strengthens relationships and mobilizes others toward shared goals.
March 20: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Conflict, when managed well, is a catalyst for innovation and trust. This session helps leaders differentiate between task and relational conflict, assess their default conflict management styles, and apply communication frameworks to turn disagreement into productive dialogue. Through case scenarios and reflection, participants will build confidence in navigating tension with composure — fostering psychological safety, collaboration and performance across teams.
April 3: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Great executives make bold, data-informed and context-aware decisions. This module explores individual and team decision-making dynamics using an in-depth case approach. Participants will practice evidence-based decision tools such as the Vroom-Yetton model, risk orientation assessment and structured voting methods to improve judgment, balance speed with inclusion, and enhance decision quality under pressure.
April 17: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Time is an executive's scarcest resource — and managing it strategically determines leadership effectiveness. This module blends productivity science and self-leadership principles to help participants prioritize, focus and execute with discipline. Drawing on methods like time blocking, task-to-time alignment, and the “Diplomatic No,” leaders will design a personalized productivity system that maximizes energy, protects focus, and ensures alignment between daily actions and strategic priorities.
May 1: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
This session strengthens leaders’ ability to analyze complexity, challenge assumptions, and synthesize information for more effective strategic decisions. Through applied frameworks and case analysis, participants will learn to distinguish facts from inferences, identify cognitive biases, and construct logical arguments that enhance clarity and confidence in judgment. The module cultivates disciplined reasoning — a foundational capability for executives who must navigate ambiguity and make informed choices that shape organizational direction.
May 15: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
In today’s fast-paced, paradox-filled environments, the best leaders don’t choose between opposing priorities — they integrate them. Drawing on the both/and thinking framework, this module teaches participants to recognize tensions and reframe them as opportunities for creative integration. Using tools like tension mapping and reframing exercises, leaders will learn to replace either/or tradeoffs with both/and solutions that drive innovation, adaptability, and long-term success.
Contact Us
Scott Dust, PhD
Associate Dean, Partnership Development, and Kirk and Jacki Perry Professor in Leadership
513-556-7828