Course Syllabus

In today's dynamic business environment, unprecedented volatility, uncertainty, and complexity have become constants that are nearly impossible to conquer. Disruptive forces such as shifting geopolitical power, economic fluctuations, regulatory changes, and polarizing societal demands fuelled by social media can have profound, detrimental impacts on organizations. The pace of change has outstripped our capacity for generating answers.

CEOs who practice “The Learning Mode” gain the transformative power of diverse insights, the opportunity to foster an engaged and empowered workforce, the pulse of their customers and the market, and the competitive edge from exploiting a new realm of emerging possibilities in a turbulent world.

Adverse events such as economic recessions, natural disasters, and geopolitical conflicts can unleash a torrent of operational problems, shaking the foundations of organizations. The resilience and strategic acumen of leaders are put to the ultimate test–navigating through the treacherous waters of operational problems while seeking financial stability, imminent opportunities to exploit, and an optimal path towards long-term success.

Globally, rapid change and the emergence of technological advancements is unavoidable and has outpaced organizations’ ability to adapt their systems due to increasing complexity, interconnectivity, data security and privacy, evolving customer expectations for personalized experiences, shortages of specialized talent, financial constraints–and let’s not forget the uncertain impact of artificial intelligence (AI).

Expectations of consumers have undergone profound transformation. Customers have more complex, faster-changing, widely-broadcast expectations about current products, yet they also struggle to articulate the needs they want satisfied by future products. What happens when organizations’ fail to anticipate and adapt to evolving customer needs? Historically, organizations suffer irrelevance, loss of market share, decline in influence, or obsolescence.

Stakeholders and activists have increased pressure for sustainability– prioritizing the long-term well-being of the planet by operating in a way that balances environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic prosperity. They require CEOs to take a stance and address pressing issues such as climate change, social justice, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), globalization, political polarization, and more. If CEOs do not adequately address these expectations, they risk reputational damage, consumer backlash or boycotts, legal or regulatory scrutiny, investor pressure, and employee discontent/attrition.

Successful CEOs are intrinsically driven–in productive and unproductive ways– by the insatiable “hunger for more” which inevitably sacrifices meaningful relationships and is exacerbated by increasing pressure for transparency. They find themselves possessing an abundance of material wealth, power, status, and achievements; yet, still facing an underlying sense of lacking. The pursuit of more–more success, more knowledge, more growth, and more impact–is a diminishing returns game. It’s a double-edged sword, propelling them forward while simultaneously sowing seeds of discontent. Additionally, the weight of constant expectations, unending challenges, difficult decisions,and sacrifices made along the way manifests as a sense of isolation– disconnected from others, from our own emotions, and from the meaningful joys of life beyond work. Despite demands for transparency, CEOs face many circumstances where transparency is detrimental. These are the side-effects of CEOs neglecting vital elements of “Mastering Oneself” in their roles as CEOs and beyond, thus, denying their true potential rather than fully embracing their quintessential greatness.