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) 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.

Want more general info about the program from the program director?

Proven Success for our Partners

The ok×ÊÔ´Íø 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 State Farm
Toyota Walmart


Course feature Course detail
Dates: April 21, 2027 – September 16, 2027
Topic: Leadership
Format: On Campus
Location: James M. Collins Executive Education Center
Credentialing:

 digital certificate also awarded upon course completion
Price:

$20,500 

Early registration pricing ends September 30, 2026. Group and veteran discounts available*. Contact Sally Siegel at 214-768-6444 or sallys@smu.edu for more information.

*Limit one discount per program. Some exclusions may apply.
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

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 ok×ÊÔ´Íø 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.

Schedule Overview

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

February - March

  • 360 Pre-assessment

April - Leading What's Next

  • Personal leadership insights
  • The future of leadership 
  • Leading in the digital age
  • Transformative forces that will define the future

May -Navigating Complexity

  • Future-proofing strategy
  • AI strategy
  • Corporate ethics and board governance
  • Making decisive decisions at the enterprise level

June - Leading Through Uncertainty

  • Leading with agility
  • Leading change with neuroscience
  • Leading in times of crisis
  • [Optional] Service project

August - The Art of Executive Influence

  • Communicating at the executive level and creating culture

  • Building your high performing team

September - The Value Creation Imperative 

  • Financial intelligence

  • Private equity and M&As

  • 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

Detailed Schedule

February - March

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

April: Leading What's Next: Understanding the Forces Shaping the Future and the Leadership Required to Navigate Them

Module 1 

 April 21 Schedule April 22 Schedule
7:30 AM
 Breakfast
Breakfast

8:00 AM

Welcome & setting the stage for the program

  
8:30 AM The Future of Leadership  Transformative Forces that Will Define the Future

12:00 PM

Lunch - Leadership Lessons from Top Gun

 Lunch - 360 Overview

1:00 PM

Leading in the Digital Age

Transformative Forces that Will Define the Future

5:00 PM

Opening Reception

May: Navigating Complexity Through Strategy, Governance and Sound Judgement

Module 2 May 19 Schedule
May 20 Schedule
7:30 AM Breakfast Breakfast

8:00 AM

Future-Proofing Strategy

Enterprise-Wide Decision-Making in Polarities

12:00 PM

Lunch

 Lunch

1:00 PM

AI Strategy

Board Governance and Corporate Ethics

June: Leading Through Uncertainty: Agility, Resilience and Innovation in a Changing World

Module 3 June 9 Schedule
June 10 Schedule
 June 11 Schedule 

7:30 AM

Breakfast*

Breakfast*

  

8:00 AM

Leadership Agility

Leading Change with Neuroscience

 8:45 AM Start - Feed My Starving Children -- meeting time

12:00 PM

Lunch

Lunch at the Bush Library

 9:00-10:45 AM Feed My Starving Children volunteer session

1:00 PM

Creative Disruption: Leading a Corporate Culture of Innovation

Leading in a Time of Crisis; Personal Resilience

  

August: The Art of Executive Influence: Political Savvy, Storytelling and Team Leadership

Module 4 August 18 Schedule
August 19 Schedule

7:30 AM

Breakfast

Breakfast

8:00 AM

Executive Conversations: Political Savvy

Building and Leading High Performance Teams 

12:00 PM

Lunch

Lunch

1:00 PM

Creating Culture Through Storytelling

Building and Leading High Performance Teams

September: The Value Creation Imperative: Financial Intelligence, Strategic Transactions and Executive Decision-making

Module 5 September 15 Schedule
September 16 Schedule

7:30 AM

Breakfast

Breakfast

8:00 AM

Financial Intelligence

Executive Challenge Simulation

12:00 PM

Lunch

Lunch

1:00 PM

M&A; Private Equity

Executive Challenge Simulation
3:00 PM   Sim Readouts and Executive Panel
photo of Ryan Harper

Immediately Applicable Insights

"The Cox Executive Leadership Program stands apart. This program is laser-focused on personal leadership development with insights that are immediately applicable. The program helps you grow from the inside out. CELP showed me that slowing down isn't a weakness; it's a leadership tool. The science behind health, recovery and environment has shifted how I work and how I support my team."

Ryan Harper

CEO and Co-Founder, Harper Belmont

ok×ÊÔ´Íø Cox EMBA '26

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Hettie Tabor, Academic Director, ok×ÊÔ´Íø 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

Photo of accounting sheets

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 ok×ÊÔ´Íø Cox Executive Education offers award-winning programs to raise up the diverse perspectives within your own organization.


Learn more
Strategy

Strategy

You are challenged every day 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.