MEET PHILIP MCADOO, TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP ALUMNUS “I decided to be a part of the Transformative Leadership program because it spoke to my need to give back to inner-city youth and to be an advocate for “transformation,” not just change.” Read more » Q & A with ALFONSO MONTUORI, TLD PROGRAM DIRECTOR “More than ever, there is an active dialogue about how we may best embody the qualities of leadership in the context of our community and the world at large.” Read more » Listen to Riane Eisler's interview with Dep't Chair Alfonso Montuori LEARN MORE Request more information How to apply Contact an admissions counselor with your questions: Allyson Werner awerner@ciis.edu 415.575.6155 Next CIIS Open House Read more about student Capstone projects

In today’s turbulent world, more and more people want to make a difference and be agents of positive change, whether in organizations, communities, or addressing environmental, social justice, or other pressing issues. Tired of outmoded, rigidly hierarchical approaches to leadership, they want to be leaders in ways that stress creativity, partnership, and an integral view of the world. Transformative Leadership is an action-oriented program created for individuals who are passionate about the connection between personal and social transformation. The focus is on the development of innovative ways to take the initiative and make a contribution in an area the student is passionate about.

What does it mean to be a leader at the beginning of the 21st century? This program offers students the opportunity to delve deeply into why, where and how they want to lead. It invites them to challenge assumptions about leadership, and provides them with a context in which they can create their own approach to leadership, designed to reflect their own personal values, capacities, and mission. The course of study develops the students’ ability to act creatively and effectively in the world. Working with a supportive learning community, students can explore their mission in life and develop the skills needed to make it a reality.

Learners approach leadership from four interrelated perspectives:

1. Leadership Philosophy: Students develop their own leadership philosophy informed by their deepest values, their immersion in the research on leadership and transformation, and their situatedness in a complex, global context;
2. Personal Growth: The program places great emphasis on students’ personal growth, their creativity, spiritual and ethical commitment, and their personal capacities to be leaders;
3. Learning Community: Through the interaction of a learning community, in a diverse and supportive group of students and faculty who share a passion for transformation, students learn how to learn with and from others;
4. Real-life experience: Students ground their work in their real-life experience, where they can develop practical skills and apply their learning on an ongoing basis, culminating in a Capstone Action Project.

The program focuses on skill-building in the areas of:

Knowing: Understanding the role of mindsets, and the role they play in our understanding and of the world, students are invited to explore and challenge their own and others’ assumptions and ways of thinking. They also draw from the arts to develop new perspectives and insights and foster their creativity. The focus is on learning to think creatively, strategically and using systems and complexity theories to address the uncertain, ambiguous, complex nature of today’s world.

Relating: Students develop interpersonal, group, and cross-cultural relational skills, learn to see diversity as a source of creativity, immerse themselves in group dynamics and conflict resolution, challenge fundamental assumptions about the nature of human relationships, and explore less rigidly hierarchical, more caring and creative partnership approaches to human relations.

Being: Students coming to CIIS are aware that how we lead is a reflection of who we are. There is a strong focus on self-reflective skills, the exploration of transformative practices for personal growth and ongoing development, and ways to mobilize students own creativity to become the kind of leader—and the kind of human being—they want to be.

Doing: Acting effectively in the world is the bottom line of leadership. From planning a successful project to motivating others, communicating ideas effectively, to addressing and mobilizing the press and public opinion, central to this program is the ongoing integration and application of the courses to their actual experience through the development of specific skills and the implementation of their vision.

The program is designed for present and future leaders and change agents. It is relevant for individuals in the corporate world as well as in non-profits, community action, and grass-roots social justice and environmental movements. It is also ideal for individuals who are simply passionate about doing something to create a better world, and want to take some time to reflect, immerse themselves in their own creative process, and make the first steps towards making their contribution.

Partnership Concentration

Frequently Asked Questions about taking online programs.

User's Manual for the CIIS Online Learning Center (Caucus)