Compassionate Leadership Certification Program
Next Eight-Week Cohort Begins Early 2024
It’s time to become the compassionate leader you know you were born to be! Join a remarkable peer group of compassionate change-makers from around the world to explore the principles and practices that will transform your leadership and your life.
What will I gain by joining this Compassionate Leadership Certification program?
Our groundbreaking program will equip you with empowering tools and evidence-based practices to lead with compassion, courage and confidence. The shift happens from the inside out. Our proven Compassionate Leadership Training Framework and curriculum begins with a focus on the inner self, moves into the realm of relationships and organizational compassion, and then extends outward to systems change.
You will grow to:
Increase awareness of self, others, and your surroundings
Befriend your nervous system – overcome stress and burnout
Create cultures of safety, connection, and belonging
Build high-performing teams that are accountable and engaged
Navigate difficult conversations and give feedback skillfully
Apply courageous compassion to impact systems change
“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
What will this transformational compassionate leadership training experience look like?
Each week, we gather to create a culture of compassionate learning and growth. We begin by laying the foundation with scientific data and evidence-based leadership practices. Together, we integrate and embody these concepts with reinforcing practices, collaboration in small group breakouts, and through supportive conversation with the larger cohort community.
“The course provided an intentional mid-week break from our normal routines to gather, ground, learn, and cultivate compassion. I would recommend this course for anyone who is interested in learning some of 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
Path for the Eight-Week Learning Journey
The participant experience includes:
Weekly 90-minute live online experiential learning sessions, guided by expert faculty
Peer breakout groups for deeper exploration, connection, and skill-building
Customized practices, meditations, and reflections
Additional (optional) weekly sessions for compassion practice and Q&A with lead faculty
Program materials and recordings posted online and available for convenient streaming
Choice of cohort track:
Cohort 1: 11:00-12:30 Eastern Time Tuesdays / 15:00-16:30 UTC
Cohort 2: 19:30-21:00 Eastern Time Tuesdays / 23:30-01:00 UTC /
07:30-09:00 AWST Wednesdays
Click here for detailed schedules for each cohort covering a range of international time zones.
“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
Why me, and why now?
In this challenging and uncertain world, it often feels as if we are forced to choose between our own personal well-being, the protection of others, and the deliverance of peak leadership performance. Just like you, we’ve experienced this tug of war between precious internal resources and the weight of leadership responsibilities for the well-being of colleagues, families, communities, and organizations. We’ve created a transformational experience to help you align and strengthen your internal and external capacities to not only meet these challenges, but to thrive and flourish in the times ahead.
We all have so many questions. What are the steps? Can you prescribe the formula for the best outcome? As a community we’ll explore the possibilities, learn best practices, hone our skills, and support our shared intentions. While it’s true that each of our unique experiences and circumstances inform what works for us in the moment, together we will cultivate the wisdom and courage required to choose and act wisely, and contemplate the following questions related to compassionate leadership. Do you share some of these curiosities that are frequently raised by compassionate leaders?
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 easily.
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.
“I’m grateful for feelings of preparedness around tragedies and how my organization can respond and lead with compassion.”
– NGO Chief-of-Staff
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.
The evidence-based benefits of compassionate leadership offer proven outcomes:
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 Compassionate Leadership program supports you and gives you ideas on the whys, what, and hows to assist our workplaces to be compassionate, purposeful, and psychologically safe for all employees. It's a great training to connect with others from around the world, to learn together and to share our experiences, insights, and hopes. I recommend this training to anyone seeking to transform their workplace for the greater good of all.”
– Rehabilitation Counselor and Leadership Coach
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 8-week curriculum by world-class educational evaluators at Claremont Graduate University. They found that 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 that they had seen changes in their organization as a result of this compassionate leadership training.
“We were pleasantly surprised that we could influence the CEO who became part of the conversation of building compassionate culture and then supported us bringing this training to our internal teams.”
– Human Rights NGO Leader
With this solid, independent verification of the program’s effectiveness, you can be assured of the benefits you’ll achieve for yourself and your organization by taking our Compassionate Leadership Certification Program.
“I would highly recommend this course to anyone who is looking to understand how compassionate leadership can be cultivated. This course offered an island of pause, reflection and learning in the middle of a busy week for 8 weeks. It was a weekly meeting I was sure never to miss!”
– Graduate Business School Professor
We are passionate about the quality of your experience.
Meaningful interpersonal connections create the foundation of your growth experience in our programs. Our class size is limited to ensure high-quality attention, engagement, and participation across our close-knit peer community. You will also have ample access to faculty to address your specific needs and concerns along the way. These peer and faculty networks serve as a new home base to support your own compassionate leadership journey.
“This course was a respite in the middle of a stressful week. You managed to connect a community of people during a very disconnected time.”
– Anonymous
The live online interactive format is tailored to the specific needs and questions of the cohort, as they arise in real time. Together we tackle the issues, challenges, and opportunities that are emerging in the field.
“The future is community. How do we build a community of care to take care of each other? This group is the seed for the future.”
– Executive Leadership Coach
How have other compassionate leaders transformed their lives since completing this training?
Compassionate Leadership Certification Program alumni around the world report that the program delivers a transformational experience for their growth and development within their internal landscape, in relationship to others, and the organizational impact they are making to the greater whole. Our courageous alumni now lead with compassion first – in their own lives, with their teams, and across their organizations. Alumni evaluations consistently rate the overall program experience as excellent, and 9 out of 10 would recommend the course to a friend or colleague.
“This course was an incredibly enriching experience. I especially enjoyed the deep connection we cultivated as a group which created a safe space for us to share our individual experiences and unique perspectives and challenges. It was a transformative eight weeks that left me feeling inspired and ready to lead with compassion, both personally and professionally.”
– Nonprofit Executive
“Life is dynamic and therefore every action of leading in life is dynamic. There is nothing more important, and nothing that will change relationships, systems and self so much than honing the skills of leadership so that they are dynamic and adaptive. This course did just that – it worked with the awareness that our leadership is dynamic in an ever changing globally connected world. And it brought together ways to be comfortable when leading compassionately, to be clear when leading kindly, to be perceptive when leading in challenges, to be true to self when leading for change.
– University Assistant Principal of Global Health
Stay Connected With Compassionate Leadership Training Alumni Around the World
We are constantly inspired by alumni who are out in the leadership field and changing the world! Just ask the several hundred leaders from 43 countries who have already been through our training programs. We gather monthly with alumni to stand together for change and to stay inspired and resourced. The work is hard, and we need each other to keep our commitment strong. Our alumni community is a unique and powerful resource to ensure success your compassionate leadership journey.
“This community brings so much insight, a place to stop and think about ambition.”
– University Administrative Director
Who benefits from this compassionate leadership certification program?
We welcome leaders from a wide range of for-profit and non-profit sectors, including education, healthcare, finance, technology, media, government, agriculture, international development, consulting, coaching, and HR. Whether you are a C-suite executive, division head, entrepreneur, investor, or a dedicated manager on a mission, you will find a deep sense of common purpose and belonging.
Over the years, we’ve certified people from JP Morgan Chase, Cap Gemini, the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, Stanford University, University of Notre Dame, University of Edinburgh, Wharton School of Business, Portland Public Schools, Kaiser Permanente, and Sallie Mae, to name but a few.
Some participants are new to mindfulness and compassion, while others have been putting their compassion into action for some period of time. Whatever your level of practice and/or wherever you’re coming from, what really matters is that we’re all on this compassionate leadership journey to create more positive impact in the world! We come together in community to inspire and support each other during this eight-week program and beyond.
“The training on Compassionate Leadership is a great opportunity to self-audit, share challenges and opportunities with fellow colleagues in similar circumstances, and start a new journey with optimism.”
– NGO Country Director
A look inside the transformational learning journey week by week.
Our time-tested Compassionate Leadership Framework fosters personal and leadership development from the inside out. The learning journey and curriculum are enhanced by connecting and supporting each other in a powerful peer community during the eight-week program and beyond. We gather live online at 11 am ET – 12:30 pm ET for eight consecutive Tuesdays.
Week 1
Igniting Our Community for Impact
Stepping into the Journey Together
Come together as a community with your colleagues and learn about compassionate leadership fundamentals from everyday practices to systems-changing force.
Week 2
The Case for Compassionate Leadership
Science, Organizational Evidence, and Model for Integration
Gain an understanding of the science of compassion, the evidence supporting the power of compassion in organizations, and the challenges to compassionate leadership.
Week 3
The Role of the Leader
Courageously Bringing Systems Change
Learn how to apply courageous compassion and take action to change systems from the inside out.
Week 4
Anchoring Our Leadership with Inner Strength
Inner Work of Compassionate Leadership:
Awareness, Self-Compassion, and Vulnerability
Deepen your ability to lead from a grounded, anchored place supported by awareness, self-compassion, and resilience.
Week 5
Building a Culture of Compassion
Psychological Safety, Mindset, and Resilience
Learn how to create a culture of compassion through evidence-based organizational leadership principles and skills.
Week 6
Fostering Belonging in Organizations
Inclusion for Everyone: Othering, Bias, and Belonging
Explore new perspectives and tools to foster a culture of belonging in organizations for everyone.
Week 7
Communication as a Transformational Tool
Compassionate Communication and Feedback
Develop the skills to have difficult conversations and share meaningful feedback with colleagues.
Week 8
Interconnectedness and Impact
Integrating Compassion and Leadership for the Benefit of All
Chart your personal path and commit to integrate compassion into your daily life and leadership for the benefit of all.
Additional time for practice and Q&A with lead faculty
In addition to the weekly live sessions on Tuesday we will also host an optional session each Friday at 11 am ET.
Each Friday session will feature a compassion and/or awareness practice to strengthen our skills and broaden our capacities. The practices will reinforce principles from the curriculum covered during the main course session earlier in the week. Together we will explore the power of these practices in community. We’ll have time and space to experience which ones feel most appropriate for our unique individual and organizational situation.
After practice, there will be time for question and answers on anything related to the weekly content, compassionate leadership in general, or the practices.
“I feel transformed by the course and confident about practicing compassionate leadership.”
– Anonymous
Compassionate Leadership Certification Program Fees and Discounts
The course investment is $1,250 USD.
Please click the button below to apply. You will find a short application, which ensures that you will be well-served by the course experience and well-supported in contributing to this robust compassionate community.
“I could not have taken the Compassionate Leadership Certification Program at a better time. I walked away from the course with skills that are beneficial to my personal and professional life. The participants were from all over the world and brought varied experiences and expertise, which added additional value to the course. Not only did I learn a great deal from the presenters, I gained a wealth of knowledge from the other participants. I received tangible leadership skills that I will be able to incorporate into my department and overall organization.”
– University Director
“A safe place to feel what you feel and not be judged.”
– Planning Specialist
“The course gave me a sense of security that you can speak about compassion openly and make it something tangible.”
– Anonymous
About the Center for Compassionate Leadership
The nonprofit Center for Compassionate Leadership convenes and supports a global community of transformational leaders dedicated to building a new world of connection, safety, belonging, equity, and justice. Together we are courageously pioneering solutions to the great challenges of our time through the lens of compassion, love, and flourishing.
This exceptional eight-week Compassionate Leadership Certification Program is based on decades of leadership experience and wisdom practice, coupled with emerging neuroscientific and organizational evidence to validate our embodied knowing. Hundreds of alumni that have been through the journey are positively impacting the world in remarkable ways.
Our Certification Programs are one pillar of the Center’s efforts to spread compassion throughout the world. We also run customized in-person and online compassionate leadership training for a broad range of institutions, including The Carter Center, BP, Cornell University, Task Force for Global Health, Association of Immunization Managers, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and Tanzanian National Institute of Medical Research.
The momentum of our individual and collective action is how we change ourselves, organizations, systems, and the larger whole. Never underestimate even the smallest act of compassion – its ripples are a powerful and essential contribution to the larger river of all life.
Lead Faculty
Laura Berland
Laura Berland is the Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Compassionate Leadership. She is a weaver of next generation organizations and collaborative experiences, as a serial media/tech entrepreneur, Fortune 500 executive, transformational facilitator, nonprofit board member, meditation educator, yoga therapist, and executive mentor.
Now, through the Center for Compassionate Leadership, she has developed a new model for these turbulent times that melds evidence-based principles of modern leadership and the latest scientific research with the wisdom of contemplative practices. Laura has spent decades working with global executives, entrepreneurs, coaches, professors and graduate students, military veterans, and yoga/meditation teachers from around the world. She is an E-RYT500 (accredited educator) from Yoga Alliance, and C-IAYT (certified yoga therapist) from International Association of Yoga Therapists. Laura is an alumna of Cornell University and New York University.
Evan Harrel
Evan Harrel is the Chief Operating Officer of the Center for Compassionate Leadership. He leads the Center’s thought leadership efforts and the integration of scientific and business research into the work of the Center. For the last fifteen years, he has worked in the nonprofit field, including as an executive director, consultant, and board member. Evan has taught about compassion to both nonprofit organizations and for-profit corporate boards.
Prior to his dedication to the nonprofit sector, Evan was an investment manager for over twenty years where he managed a thirty-billion-dollar equity mutual fund. He was awarded a Master of Business Administration degree, with distinction, from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Princeton University.
Burrell Poe
Burrell Poe is the Director of the Goldin Institute’s Chicago Peace Fellows program where he brings people together as a community of practice, learning and working together to promote peace at a grassroots level. He has been actively involved in his community on the West Side of Chicago since he was 10 years old.
Burrell is a US Army veteran and has extensive experience as a nonviolence trainer, community organizer, and workshop facilitator. He is passionate about creating social and environmental justice throughout the world and has strengthened peacebuilding, compassion, and reconciliation from Chicago to Colombia and Uganda. He has been a certified Compassion Cultivation Training Instructor since 2015, and has worked with Compassion It, the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago, and the Mikva Challenge in his devotion to creating a more compassionate world. Burrell embodies his environmental justice care through his commitment to biking, gardening, and composting.
“The Compassionate Leadership Certification Program is a great opportunity to do self-audit, share challenges and opportunities with fellow colleagues in pretty much similar circumstances and start a new journey with lot of optimism.”
– Global Executive
If you are ready to lead with compassion, come join us.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the format of the online Compassionate Leadership Certification Program?
The course is an eight-week learning journey with a global peer community. Cohort one meets in a live session weekly at 11:00 am – 12:30 pm ET for eight consecutive Tuesdays. Cohort two meets in a live session weekly at 19:30-21:00 Eastern Time Tuesdays / 07:30-09:00 AWST Wednesdays for eight consecutive weeks. Recordings of each session are posted shortly thereafter, in case you cannot attend live.
Each weekly session includes live discussion and training with a focus on experiential learning through practices and exercises, as well as small group breakouts with your peers.
All course materials and additional resources will be posted online and available for downloading. You are encouraged to attend as many live sessions as possible, but you will also reap the benefits of the course if you listen to the recordings.
How many hours of work are required to complete the certification? Is there homework?
There are eight weekly live class sessions, 1.5 hours each, for a total of 12 hours of group class time. There is no formal homework; however there will be weekly reflection questions that you may contemplate on your own.
There is an optional weekly hour available to meet with lead faculty and peers for practice, Q&A and open discussion.
Will I have access to lead faculty?
Yes. Each week’s session is designed with opportunities to engage in dialogue around participant questions. Additionally, lead faculty will host a weekly supplemental Zoom meeting where you will be able to ask additional questions or discuss a topic in more detail.
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.
How does the program address Trauma-Informed leadership?
There are few people or organizations that have not been faced with trauma, loss, or suffering. This is especially true and more urgent in the wake of the pandemic. Yet many leaders are reluctant to address these challenges with individuals, with teams, and with their organization. We prepare leaders to be trauma-informed by courageously utilizing the lens of compassion, bringing a heightened level of awareness, care, and concern to every encounter.
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.
Will I receive a certificate upon completing this program?
Yes, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Center for Compassionate Leadership. Certificates will be delivered electronically, so that they can be shared on LinkedIn or other digital channels.
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 are the fees for the program?
The course investment is $1,250 USD. Full registration and payment details will be sent in response to your application.
What payment methods are accepted for the program?
Payment may be made directly online with a major credit card or via PayPal. If you would like us to invoice your organization, please send your request via email to cfclprograms@gmail.com.
What are the terms for payment? Will you refund my fee if I have to withdraw?
You may pay the fee in one payment or in two equal installments. Your full or first payment is due within two weeks of acceptance into the program. If you choose to pay in two installments, the second payment is due three weeks before the program begins.
If you must withdraw up to one week prior to the start of the course, your fees are refundable in full, less a $100 USD administrative fee.
Are scholarships available?
Yes. We strive to make the course and community available to all individuals and organizations dedicated to compassionate leadership. We offer a limited number of partial and full scholarships to highly qualified candidates. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, please complete this application, which includes both the course application and scholarship application material.
What is covered in the program fee? Are there any additional costs?
The program fee covers the entire eight-week curriculum, 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.
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 several employees at your organization want to participate in the same cohort. Please contact cfclprograms@gmail.com for details.
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.
“Applying self compassion to leadership, effective communication and greater awareness are invaluable and will help build kinder, better more appropriate structures.”
– Global NGO Executive