Competence is like the leaves on a tree, and character is its roots.
The stronger the root system, the stronger the tree.
Registration is now open for our Spring 2025 Leader Character Practitioner Certification Program beginning on 15 April 2025. See the full schedule below.
If you have any questions, please email us here.
About the program
The Leader Character Practitioner Certification Program provides you with the opportunity to take a deep but accessible dive into the Institute's ground-breaking research, while developing the character and competence to become a subject matter expert in this area. This advanced program will cultivate your ability to guide organizations and deliver character leadership workshops that will foster:
1. Awareness on what leader character is and its impact on individuals and organizations seeking sustained excellence;
2. The ability to assess and develop character in individuals, teams and organizations; and
3. The capacity to embed leader character in organizational practices.
These three modules will be delivered virtually over the course of 13 days using a “train-the-trainer” approach. The sessions will furnish you with an understanding of the research underpinnings of leader character, and provide a practical approach, roadmap and resources.
Upon the successful completion of the program, participants will receive the designation of a certified Leader Character Practitioner.
Program details
Program Fees: $9900
Program fees include:
- All virtual sessions;
- A robust course package of readings and resources; and
- One session of personalized observation and feedback on your workshop facilitation delivery provided by Dr. Crossan.
Payment options: Participants will be able to pay online by credit card or elect to be invoiced. The option to have an invoice addressed to an employer/organization will be available.
Spring 2025 Program Dates (Tuesdays & Thursdays):
- Week One: 15 & 17 April
- Week Two: 22 & 24 April
- Week Three: 29 April & 1 May
- BREAK: 6 & 8 May
- Week Four: 13 & 15 May
- Week Five: 20 & 22 May
- Week Six: 26, 27 & 29 May*
*This week is Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday
Program Instructors
Dr. Mary Crossan
Professor, Strategic Leadership, Ivey Business School
Mary Crossan is a Professor of Strategic Leadership at the Ivey Business School and was awarded Western University’s highest honour – Distinguished University Professor – for sustained excellence in teaching, research and service over a substantial career at Western. She earned a BA, MBA, and Ph.D. from Western University.
Mary teaches in the undergraduate, MBA, Ph.D. and Executive Programs. Her research on organizational learning and strategic renewal, leader character and improvisation has been widely published in many peer-reviewed academic journals.
Her recent research focuses on the development of leader character as a critical foundation to support and elevate leader competencies. She and her colleagues have developed courses, cases, a diagnostic assessment to develop leader character and she is a co-author of Developing Leadership Character and The Character Compass published by Routledge.
Her research, case-writing and consulting have provided broad exposure to companies around the world including HSBC, Mattel Asia, Bank of Montreal, TD Bank, CIBC, Sun Life, Manulife, General Dynamics, many public sector organizations, and an NHL team.
Dr. Corey Crossan
Co-Founder & Executive Director at Virtuosity Character; Research & Teaching Fellow at The Oxford Character Project
Corey Crossan is a research and teaching fellow at The Oxford Character Project where she develops and facilitates character development programs for students, industry, and university partners. Her research examines how character can be developed, how it can be embedded into organizations, and its impact on performance and well-being. Her research in Exercise Science inspired her unique application of exercise and habit development that shed light on what it takes to implement a daily practice of character development. Corey’s love for elite performance developed as she competed in elite athletics for most of her life, highlighted by competing as a NCAA Division 1 athlete. Corey translated her understanding of elite performance into a passion for helping individuals and organizations develop sustained excellence. She is the co-founder of Virtuosity Character, a mobile software application created to support the daily, deliberate practice of character-based leadership development.
If you have any questions, please email us at leadership@ivey.ca.