Cox Executive Leadership Program


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. 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

  • Dates

    4/9/2025 8:00 AM - 9/11/2025 5:00 PM

  • Format

    Two days per month, 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
    April 9-10
    May 21-22
    June 4-5
    August 6-7
    September 10-11

  • Location

    James M. Collins Executive Education Center
    3150 Binkley Ave.
    Dallas, Texas, 75205

    Map it >

  • Price

    $18,000 if you register before September 30, 2024.*

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

    Upon successful completion of the program, participants receive a certificate.

    Credly digital certificate also awarded upon course completion.

    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.  

    *$19,500 after September 30, 2024.

  • 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




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

Course Certification

CredlyBadge - Cox Leadership Academy

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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Next Steps

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