Compassionate Leadership Certification Training
Accelerated Three Week Online Program Begins January 30, 2025
Save $300 with Early Bird Discount through January 10
Additional Savings for Nonprofits and Groups
Serves as Prerequisite for 2025 Compassionate Leadership Teacher Training
It’s not easy being a compassionate leader in a combative world, especially when driving change can feel lonely and uncertain. Leading with compassion requires great strength and great courage. We can’t do this work alone - we learn and grow in community.
The call to compassionate leadership is urgent and the stakes are high for our common humanity. The good news is that compassionate leadership works and delivers results. Research shows that compassionate organizations have stronger trust, make better decisions, and catalyze thriving that bolsters increased performance.
Since 2019, more than 600 alumni from 54 countries have joined the Compassionate Leadership Certification Training to conspire for good, learning how to use evidence-based practices to transform the ways leaders and teams thrive. They experience lasting results through growth across three core dimensions:
Ground in Inner Strength – leverage awareness, self-compassion, and vulnerability to elevate your leadership presence and potential
Deepen Connection – foster high-quality relationships, create cultures of safety, increase belonging, and navigate difficult conversations skillfully
Start to Shift Organizations – increase compassion competence to build high-performing teams utilizing proven frameworks and evidence-based tools
At the end of the experience, you’ll transform the way you connect with and lead other people. You will be ready to:
Create immediate impact through the application of research-proven levers that increase compassion competence within your organization
Confidently approach organizational challenges with more human-centric methods to help people thrive
Apply embodied practices to be the change and influence teams and organizations for long-lasting results
This community welcomes your passion, vision, and skills. We are a global movement that needs you now, more than ever.
“This training gave me the personal and professional tools to believe in the possibility of
transformational change, and then to dare take the first steps.”
– University Administrator
Are we looking for you?
This program is a good fit for people who:
Long for a better way of leading that aligns with values, increases engagement, and helps your team live up to its potential
Are looking for ways to live and lead compassionately to have lasting results
Are sensitive to the painful realities of today’s world - you’re motivated to take action now
Know you have a role to play in addressing personal and organizational struggles, and you’re wondering how to get started
Want connection with peers who believe change is possible and support each other as you navigate the path
May have experienced some compassion or mindfulness training before, and are ready to amplify your skills and impact
Are you looking for us?
We’re a good fit for leaders who are seeking:
A human-centric approach to lead, tending to individual, team, and organizational needs
Pragmatic solutions for complex issues
Research-based curriculum developed and taught by experts in the field
Proven interventions for accelerating change regardless of where you sit in the organization
New tools to bring to your work - especially if you’re an experienced coach, consultant, or practitioner working with leaders and teams
To build relationships with peers who care deeply about people and the planet
Regardless of title or tenure, participants gain practical skills to change organizations in ways that stick. Alumni tell us they experience a deep sense of common purpose and belonging in our community. You can too.
This program is designed both for individual leaders and their teams. Past participants have been a part of the following sectors:
Compassionate colleagues from the following nonprofits, corporations, NGOs, universities and other organizations have taken our trainings, both as participants in our public programs or in customized organizational trainings:
“The course provided an intentional break from our normal routines to gather, ground, learn, and cultivate compassion. I would recommend this course for anyone who is interested in learning the overarching theories and benefits of compassionate leadership, and who also wants to gain practical tools to implement compassionate practices within their lives and workplaces.”
– Senior Program Associate
The evidence for compassionate leadership is clear.
Our training shares the evidence-based benefits that demonstrate the power of leading with compassion. This program offers an efficient and effective opportunity to integrate the tools and principles needed to be an impactful, compassionate leader.
Stronger individual and organizational resilience
Improved financial performance
Accelerated learning and agility
Clarity of mission, purpose and values
Improved employee engagement and retention
Richer creativity and innovation
More effective collaboration
Improved service quality
The evidence for our program’s effectiveness is clear, too.
In 2023, the Center for Compassionate Leadership completed an 18 month longitudinal study of the course curriculum by world-class educational evaluators at Claremont Graduate University. They found that program participants showed statistically significant increases in:
Self-compassion
Compassion for others
Compassion at work
Resilience
90% of alumni said that they would recommend the course to their friends and colleagues.
70% of alumni interviewed said they had seen changes in their organization as a result of this Compassionate Leadership Certification Training.
Do you share these curiosities?
How do I operationalize compassion to build high performing teams in my organization?
Over half of the curriculum focuses on specific ways to bring more compassion into an organization, whether it is a large company or a solo practice.
Can I use compassion and still hold people accountable?
Yes! We’ll show you how.
How can I use compassion to create a culture of belonging?
Belonging is at the heart of living and leading compassionately. Together we learn how to expand our circle of belonging to include everyone.
Can I be compassionate and still have difficult conversations?
Yes! Not only that, but compassionate leadership can help you have difficult conversations more effectively.
Can compassion help me strengthen my resilience, and avoid or reduce burnout?
Yes! This course will help you deepen your inner compassion, understand the difference between compassion and empathy, and respect the limits of compassion. All of this will strengthen your resilience and help you avoid burnout.
How can I be a trauma-informed leader?
Trauma-informed leaders create conditions of safety and support, where everyone can acknowledge, heal, and grow from the most difficult circumstances. You will find that trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive best practices are woven throughout our compassionate leadership training.
Path for the Accelerated Learning Journey
What will you experience?
In the cohort community, we explore core topics through a mix of faculty teachings, collaborative group discussion, and small-group conversations.
The three-week accelerated program covers all eight modules of our research-validated certification curriculum for a total of 12 hours of group class time. Two additional one-hour integration sessions offer space for longer practices and faculty Q&A.
There is no formal homework; however we use reflection questions that you may contemplate on your own and offer additional reading should you choose to go deeper.
Accelerated Course Schedule
Modules 1, 2: January 30 – 1:00-4:00 Eastern Time/18:00-21:00 UTC
Modules 3, 4: January 31 – 1:00-4:00 Eastern Time/18:00-21:00 UTC
Integration and practice session: February 6 – 1:00-2:00 Eastern Time/18:00-19:00 UTC
Integration and practice session: February 7 – 1:00-2:00 Eastern Time/18:00-19:00 UTC
Modules 5, 6: February 13 – 1:00-4:00 Eastern Time/18:00-21:00 UTC
Modules 7, 8: February 14 – 1:00-4:00 Eastern Time/18:00-21:00 UTC
First Alumni Session: February 19 - 1:00-2:00 Eastern Time/18:00-19:00 UTC
You can find more detail on the curriculum, including content and sequence of the eight modules here.
How will you grow?
Our research-backed program equips you with tools and evidence-based practices to lead with compassion, courage, and confidence. Faculty and peers guide and inspire one another through internal and external shifts.
Together, we tackle the issues, challenges, and opportunities the current world is presenting to us. We cultivate the wisdom and courage required to choose and act wisely, and contemplate what compassionate leadership means for each of us inside and out of the classroom. Wherever you are, you can start implementing changes to shift your team and organization right away.
“What I did experience was powerful on several levels; I felt deeply cared for by faculty and concluded each exploration feeling more informed with a sense of connection and inspiration.”
– Healthcare Executive Coach and Facilitator
Stay connected as part of our global community.
You join a group of courageous alumni who lead with compassion first – in their own lives, with their teams, and across their organizations. Alumni meet monthly in facilitated gatherings for on-going motivation, inspiration, and support. There is also a private LinkedIn Group for ongoing connection, sharing, and resourcing.
This course serves as a prerequisite for our 2025 Compassionate Leadership Teacher Training for those wanting to bring this curriculum into their organization or community.
Tuition
The course investment is $1,250 USD. Early Bird tuition is $950, and saves you $300 through January 10. Tuition can be billed to your organization or paid via credit card, or Paypal.
Nonprofit organizations receive an additional $100 savings off tuition. Simply choose the nonprofit icon at check-out.
Some organizations send several team members together to build an internal base of compassionate leadership community and support. We are pleased to offer group rates if three or more employees at your organization want to participate in the same cohort. Please contact cfclprograms@gmail.com for details.
We are committed to providing access to the practices and principles of compassionate leadership to everyone who can benefit. Investment need not be an obstacle for participation. If this is limiting, please apply for a scholarship.
Lead Faculty
To learn more about faculty for this cohort, please click on the photos below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours of work are required to complete the certification? Is there homework?
There is a total of 12 hours of group class time plus the two one-hour integration sessions. There is no formal homework; however there will be reflection questions that you may contemplate on your own and additional reading should you choose to go deeper.
Will I have access to lead faculty?
Yes. Each session is designed with opportunities to engage in dialogue around participant questions. There are two additional one-hour sessions available to meet with lead faculty and peers for integration, practice, Q&A, and open discussion.
Will I receive a certificate upon completing this program?
Yes, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Center for Compassionate Leadership. Formal certificates will be delivered electronically, so that they can be shared on LinkedIn or other digital platforms.
How is this different from the Compassionate Leadership Certification Training in the 8-week online format?
Same content, different pace. The 3-week program and the 8-week program cover the same research-validated, twelve-hour certification curriculum. In the accelerated training, we meet for three hour sessions. In the 8-week training, each session is 90 minutes. In addition to the core modules, this accelerated program offers two one-hour practice and integration sessions, while the 8-week program offers six.
Do I have life-long access to the course material?
Yes, you will be able to access the materials and recordings at any time in the future.
What payment methods are accepted for the program?
Payment may be made directly online with a major credit card or via PayPal or an invoice can be sent directly to your organization.
Will you refund my fee if I have to withdraw?
If you must withdraw up to two weeks prior to the start of the course, your fees are refundable in full, less a $100 USD administrative fee.
Are scholarships available?
Yes. We are committed to providing access to the practices and principles of compassionate leadership to everyone who can benefit. Investment need not be an obstacle for participation. If this is limiting, please apply for a scholarship here.
What is covered in the program fee? Are there any additional costs?
The program fee covers the entire training, access to the live Zoom sessions, and lifetime access to session recordings, program materials, and the ongoing alumni community. There are no additional fees.
Can my organization pay for the program?
Yes. We can invoice your organization directly or provide you with an invoice to submit. Please contact cfclprograms@gmail.com for details.
Are group rates available?
Yes. Some organizations send several team members together to build an internal base of compassionate leadership community and support. We are pleased to offer group rates if three or more employees at your organization want to participate in the same cohort. Please contact cfclprograms@gmail.com for details.
What technology is required to access the course?
Live sessions will be conducted on the Zoom platform. You will need a free subscription to Zoom to connect to the course. Zoom may be accessed through computers, tablets, or any mobile phone. If you need further information on Zoom, please visit www.zoom.us to sign up for free.
Can I participate from anywhere in the world?
Yes, indeed. The program was developed for global leaders around the world. Sessions are delivered online and are available from anywhere Zoom can be accessed with an internet connection or telephone line.
Still curious or have additional program questions?
We'd love to hear from you. Email us at cfclprograms@gmail.com.