Wharton Executive Presence and Influence Program Review [DEC 2024]

Leadership.

It’s a concept that has permeated every industry, every niche, and every field. It’s an idea that, when nurtured and developed, can be the driving force behind the success of any venture.

As a leader, your role goes beyond merely managing tasks – you’re required to inspire, motivate, and, most importantly, influence.

With that in mind, let’s take a close look at a unique online program that aims to enhance these core skills – the Wharton Executive Presence and Influence program.

What is the Wharton Executive Presence and Influence Program?

The Wharton Executive Presence and Influence program is a comprehensive 6-week course designed to cultivate and elevate your leadership capabilities.

The changing landscape of executive leadership places a higher demand on current and future leaders. As a leader, you’re expected not only to perform but to shape opinions, drive your team forward, and deliver to standards higher than ever before.

This program equips you with the necessary tools to navigate this evolving landscape and leverage your executive presence for meaningful influence.

Through the strategic application of persuasive techniques, you’ll learn how to craft a commanding presence, expand your network, and communicate your vision effectively.

This program isn’t just about how you present yourself, but how you can channel your personal growth into professional influence. And it’s all facilitated by the world-renowned Wharton School – a name synonymous with excellence in business education.

Key Features

The Wharton Executive Presence and Influence program is built on some key features that set it apart. It goes beyond conventional executive programs, focusing on a blend of mindset transformation and strategic application of leadership skills. Here are the key takeaways:

• Mindset Enhancement: The program targets the participant’s mindset and behaviors to expand their presence as an influential leader.
• Leadership Principles: Participants will gain an understanding of the critical principles of effective leadership.
• Rhetorical Strategy: The course facilitates the analysis of rhetorical strategies to shape your ability to advance your agendas.
• Networking: The program teaches strategic considerations for networking opportunities, building, and maintaining authentic connections.
• Leadership Narrative: You’ll learn to construct a personal leadership narrative to set actionable goals.

Highlights – Wharton Executive Presence and Influence

One of the main highlights of this program is its practical approach to leadership.

Rather than focusing on theoretical aspects, the course uses real-world examples, live webinars, and video lectures to provide you with actionable insights you can apply in your professional life. This is supplemented with a series of assignments, case studies, polls, and quizzes that ensure you’re actively engaging with the course material.

Wharton’s Executive Presence and Influence program also emphasizes the creation of a personal leadership narrative. This narrative allows you to set actionable goals and translate your personal vision into a strategic direction for your team or organization.

Curriculum and Modules

The Wharton Executive Presence and Influence program curriculum is intelligently designed to foster key leadership skills and strategies.

Its modules align to focus on three fundamental themes: Influence & Communication, Leadership Presence, and Strategic Networking.

Influence & Communication: These elements run like a thread through the course, starting from the first module ‘Introduction and Informal Influence’, continuing through ‘Leading with Persuasive Communication’, and concluding in ‘A Framework for Persuasion’ and ‘Persuasively Communicating Your Vision and Strategy’.

Here, the curriculum focuses on enhancing your ability to shape opinion, leverage informal channels, and utilize the principles of effective leadership to advance agendas. The emphasis is on refining your communication skills, understanding the underpinnings of successful persuasion, and applying these techniques strategically to communicate your vision effectively.

Leadership Presence: This is a central theme that the course aims to build in its participants. In the modules ‘Strengthening Your Leadership Presence’ and ‘Leading with Persuasive Communication’, the curriculum dwells deep into helping learners enhance their interpersonal style and develop a leadership narrative that can influence others without micromanagement.

It’s all about cultivating a commanding presence that speaks volumes even before you utter a word.

Strategic Networking: The importance of a strong and diverse professional network in today’s leadership landscape is addressed through the ‘Cultivating Informal Networks’ module.

It teaches you to strategically build and maintain authentic connections that can be leveraged effectively to expand your influence and realize your vision.

These overarching themes, addressed through distinct modules, offer learners a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to be a leader who can make a real impact.

The curriculum ensures that participants leave the program not just with theoretical knowledge, but with actionable strategies and techniques that they can immediately apply in their professional lives.

The Wharton Exective Presence and Influence Faculty

The faculty for the Wharton Executive Presence and Influence program are industry veterans with extensive experience in their respective fields:

• Michael Useem: The William and Jacalyn Egan Professor of Management, Director of the Wharton Center for Leadership and Change Management. Michael Useem is a professor of Management and faculty director of the Center for Leadership and Change Management and McNulty Leadership Program at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
• Cade Massey: Practice Professor, Operations, Information, and Decisions, The Wharton School. Cade Massey received his PhD from the University of Chicago and taught at Duke University and Yale University before moving to the University of Pennsylvania.

These experienced and accomplished professors will guide you through the journey of discovering your true leadership potential to realize your vision and goals as a C-suite member.

Pros

The Wharton Executive Presence and Influence program comes with an array of advantages:

• World-class Faculty: The opportunity to learn from world-class faculty, including Professor Michael Useem and Cade Massey, who are recognized experts in their fields.
• Flexible Learning: The online format allows for flexible learning that can be accessed anywhere, anytime.
• Practical Learning: The course focuses on real-world examples, case studies, and practical application, bridging the gap between theory and practice.
• Networking Opportunities: You’re not just gaining knowledge, you’re also expanding your professional network, an invaluable resource for any leader.
• Prestigious Certificate: A digital certificate of completion from the Wharton School is provided upon successful completion, enhancing your professional credibility.

Cons

Though the program holds immense value, a few potential drawbacks might include:

• English Proficiency: All instructions and coursework are delivered in English. For non-native English speakers, this could pose a challenge.
• Commitment Required: The program suggests a time commitment of 4-6 hours per week. Balancing this with a full-time job may be challenging for some participants.

Learning Experience

The learning experience in the Wharton Executive Presence and Influence program is both immersive and interactive. Through a blend of video lectures, live webinars, real-world examples, polls and quizzes, playbook activities, and peer discussions, the program offers a dynamic learning environment that goes beyond traditional lecture-based learning.

The program also includes various active learning exercises for self-reflection and to demonstrate an understanding of core topics. This format allows you to apply the skills and knowledge you acquire directly to your professional life.

Pricing

The Wharton Executive Presence and Influence program is priced at $2,600.

Given the level of expertise and resources offered by this high-caliber program from a world-renowned institution, this investment offers a significant value proposition.

The program does offer early-bird discounts, providing prospective learners an opportunity to get the same valuable learning experience at a reduced price. By taking advantage of these discounts, the program becomes even more accessible to aspiring leaders.

What I Like About the Wharton Executive Presence and Influence Program

The Wharton Executive Presence and Influence program does more than just provide a certificate – it cultivates leadership skills. It hones your natural abilities and equips you with the tools necessary to lead with confidence and effectiveness.

The fact that this program doesn’t merely focus on theoretical aspects, but emphasizes practical application and real-world scenarios, is quite impressive. This practical approach prepares you for real leadership challenges, making you ready to tackle anything your career throws at you.

The certificate is not just a piece of paper – it’s a badge of credibility from a world-renowned institution that adds weight to your professional profile.

What Sets This Course Apart?

The Wharton Executive Presence and Influence program stands out because of its comprehensive approach to leadership development. It doesn’t just focus on one aspect of leadership but offers a holistic overview, from persuasive communication to networking and strategic planning.

This program also emphasizes the cultivation of a personal leadership narrative. The idea that you, as a leader, can have a unique narrative that guides your leadership style and decisions, is a transformative concept that sets this course apart.

What’s the Course Missing?

While the course is well-rounded, it might benefit from more opportunities for real-time interaction with faculty and peers. Although the course includes webinars and moderated discussions, more structured opportunities for interaction and feedback could enhance the learning experience.

Who Should Take This Course?

The Wharton Executive Presence and Influence program is designed for individuals who are committed to advancing their leadership journey. Whether you’re a seasoned executive seeking to expand your influence, a mid-level manager aiming to break into senior leadership, or an entrepreneur wanting to refine your leadership narrative, this program is a fit for you.

It’s also an excellent choice for professionals in non-leadership roles who are tasked with leading projects or teams. Additionally, if you’re someone who often finds themselves in positions where you need to persuade others, be it clients, colleagues, or stakeholders, this program could provide the tools you need.

Ultimately, if you’re motivated to enhance your leadership abilities, expand your influence, and make a lasting impact in your professional arena, the Wharton Executive Presence and Influence program is a strategic choice that could catalyze your career advancement.

Bottom Line

The Wharton Executive Presence and Influence program is a comprehensive and valuable program for any professional looking to boost their leadership capabilities.

While it requires commitment and investment, the potential returns in terms of enhanced leadership skills, networking opportunities, and career advancement make it a worthwhile endeavor. It’s a strategic career move for those ready to step up and take their leadership to the next level.