An executive leading a group of business people on a project around a circular table.

Whether you are challenged to deliver sustained outcomes or disrupt the status quo, to be competitive in today’s market you must be able to boldly lead high-performing, future-prepared organizations. The best C-suite leaders know this requires sound strategic vision, courage to drive innovation and the savvy to motivate teams to deliver on their goals.

The Cox Executive Leadership Program (CELP) - formerly the Cox Leadership Academy - is designed to help growth-minded leaders like you develop and enhance your executive skill set through learning experiences that will deliver measurable results and help you leapfrog levels of expertise.

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In this program, you will:
  • Complete a 360° assessment to identify personal strengths and areas for growth.
  • Learn through discussions and interactive learning experiences led by world-renowned faculty and instructors from the esteemed SMU Cox School of Business.
  • Gain thought-provoking new perspectives from guest speakers.
  • Put your newfound skills to the test in an immersive executive capstone challenge.
  • Benefit from individual and group executive coaching sessions throughout the six-month program, with the option to continue after program completion.
  • Collaborate with a highly select group of executive peers from diverse industries to expand your professional network and build your personal board of directors.

Proven Success for our Partners

The SMU Cox Executive Education team has over forty years of experience delivering transformative leadership programs that have a lasting impact.
Recent Partners include:

  • AT&T

  • Baylor Scott & White Health

  • BP

  • EY

  • Kimberly-Clark

  • Lockheed Martin

  • PepsiCo

  • Toyota

  • State Farm

  • Walmart

 

Register Now

Course feature Course detail
Dates: April 09, 2025 – September 11, 2025
Topic: Leadership
Format: On Campus
Location: James M. Collins Executive Education Center
Credentialing:

Credly digital certificate also awarded upon course completion
Price:

$18,000 if you register before October 31, 2024.*

Discounts available when three or more people from the same organization register.

*$19,500 after October 31, 2024.
Questions?

If you’d like to speak with an Executive Education team member about the CELP, contact Sally Siegel at 214.768.6444 or sallys@smu.edu.

Topics

A Career-Changing Curriculum

Discover the latest trends and create immediate impact through our highly focused curriculum and innovative program format.

February - March

  • 360 Pre-assessment

April - Lead Boldly Into the Future

  • Leadership Insights
  • Demystifying AI and Leading through Ethical Dilemmas
  • Coaching and Effective Leadership

May - Execute Strategy and Innovation

  • Future-Proofing Strategy
  • Leading Globally
  • Think Big and Bold: Everyday Innovation
  • Creative Disruption

June - Lead the Future of Work

  • The Future of Work-Culture Accountability
  • Leading Change with Neuroscience
  • Leading in Times of Crisis

August - Communicate to WIN

  • Communication with Power, Presence and Poise
  • Negotiating to WIN

September - Strengthen Business Intelligence

  • Financial Intelligence
  • Strategic Risk Management and Personal and Organizational Resilience
  • Executive Capstone Challenge

Who Should Attend?

  • Growth-minded seasoned senior leaders (VP+) with at least 10 years of experience at the executive level
  • Senior executive teams leading organizational change

Schedule

February - March

  • Pre-work: 360 Feedback
    (About six weeks prior to program start)

April: Leading into the Future

Module 1

Leading into the Future

April 9

Leading into the Future

April 10
7:30 AM
 Breakfast & Welcome

Collins Center
 Breakfast

Collins Center

8:15 AM

Leadership Insights

S. Allen

Coaching and Effective Leadership

J. Magar

12:00 PM

Lunch and 360 explanation

Lunch: Leading with Your Values

1:00 PM

Demystifying AI &
Leading Through Ethical Dilemmas

S. Allen

Coaching and Effective Leadership

J. Magar

5:00 PM

Reception & Dinner with Executives

Collins Center

May: Executing Strategy & Innovation

Module 2

Executing Strategy & Innovation

May 21

Executing Strategy & Innovation

May 22
7:30 AM Breakfast

Collins Center		 Breakfast

Collins Center

8:00 AM

Future-proofing Strategy

H. Ludwig

Think Big & Bold:
Everyday Innovation

V. Shankar

12:00 PM

Lunch with Executive

Lunch with Kevin Peck, CMO, AT&T

1:00 PM

Future-proofing Strategy

H. Ludwig

Creative Disruption

June: Leading the Future of Work

Module 3

Leading the Future of Work

June 4

Leading the Future of Work

June 5

7:30 AM

Breakfast

Collins Center

Breakfast

Collins Center

8:00 AM

The Future of Work: Culture of Accountability

T. Bridwell

Leading Change with Neuroscience

C. Bray

12:00 PM

Lunch with Executive

Lunch with Executive

1:00 PM

 

The Future of Work<

T. Bridwell

Leading in a Time of Crisis

August: Communicating to WIN

Module 4

Communicating to Win

Day 1

Communicating to Win

Day 2

7:30 AM

Breakfast

Collins Center

Breakfast

Collins Center

8:00 AM

Communication with Power, Presence & Poise

J. Rife

Negotiating to WIN

R. Pinkley

12:00 PM

Lunch with Executive

Lunch

1:00 PM

Communication with Power, Presence & Poise

J. Rife

Negotiating to WIN

R. Pinkley

September: Making Smart, Calculated Decisions

Module 5

Making Smart, Calculated Decisions

September 10

Making Smart, Calculated Decisions

September 11

7:30 AM

Breakfast

Collins Center

Breakfast

Collins Center

8:00 AM

Financial Intelligence

K. Kowarki

Executive Challenge Simulation

12:00 PM

M&A with Shane Goodwin

Lunch

1:00 PM

Strategic Risk Management &
Personal and Organizational Resilience

S.Goodwin

Executive Challenge Simulation
brent h bio photo

Healthy and hitting metrics

The biggest impact is the change I’ve seen in my team. As I’ve changed how I communicate, the health of our team has improved and we’re still hitting our metrics.

Brent H.
SVP, Acquisition & Development

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Course Certification

We have partnered with Credly to translate the learning outcomes you’ve demonstrated into a badge, issued and managed through Credly's digital badging platform.

Click here to learn more about this Credly certification

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three men at a table

Hettie Tabor, Academic Director, SMU Cox School of Business

"Data-driven companies are harnessing the power of advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to make smarter decisions, optimize service and streamline operations. Where does your organization stand in its evolution?"

This course will help you embrace the imperatives of digital transformation, envision where your teams and organization need to be in 10 years—and how to get them there.

three students at a table working

Carolina Roa, Sr. Land & Facilities Development Manager, DFW International Airport

"CEDP was an eye-opener: deeper self-awareness creates the space for intentional, authentic leadership. It was a rich experience that has shaped my professional life."

Delivered in three phases over seven months, this will offer training and networking opportunities to high-potential Hispanic managers and directors preparing for executive levels of responsibilities.

someone standing

Sally Siegel, Program Director

"This course will introduce new ideas and techniques and challenge you to question conventional thinking. These shared challenges, together with the push to excel that each participant experiences here, create bonds that can last a lifetime."

The Cox Executive Leadership Program is a 6-month program that helps grow the skills and business acumen needed to successfully fulfill the role of a senior leadership team member or enterprise level leader.

Examine Our Other Offerings

Finance

To compete and succeed, companies need leaders in every department who can speak the dollars-and-cents language of business. Managers who can interpret financial reports, assess the impact of decisions and communicate operating strategies have a definite career advantage.

Learn more
Multidimensional Diversity

Multidimensional Diversity

Diverse perspectives open doors to enhanced business success. A recent Boston Consulting Group study suggests that greater leadership diversity spurs innovation and boosts financial performance. On average, diverse companies enjoy a 19% increase in revenue compared to their less diverse counterparts, and SMU Cox Executive Education offers award-winning programs to raise up the diverse perspectives within your own organization.


Learn more
Strategy

Strategy

You are challenged everyday to uncover ways to create value for ever more demanding customers and their rapidly changing needs. A sound strategy can guide what you choose to do and how you choose to do it to survive, grow, and prosper.

Learn more

Want To Keep Exploring?

See the Course Calendar

collins center

Next Steps

Questions? Not sure which program fits your needs? Reach out to our team.
Request more information