Welcome to Organizational Leadership!

Our team is delighted to welcome you to the cohort and looks forward to getting started soon! Read on or utilize the navigation buttons to view key program dates, learn details about earning the certificate, and review technology requirements and support channels to ensure your success in the program.

Accessing Your HBS Online Course

You will receive an email from the HBS Online team on Wednesday, April 15 between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time with a unique link to access the course. In the week prior to the start of the program, you can expect a couple of emails from the HBS Online Engagement team with tips for getting started and planning for a successful course experience.

In Organizational Leadership, you complete the coursework on your own time while meeting the required deadlines. There is no set time to log in. All course material is delivered through our innovative online platform; there are no additional materials required. Learn more about what you can expect to see when you log in to the online platform where learning is active, social, and case-based.

Program Overview

Organizational Leadership, taught by Joshua Margolis and Anthony Mayo, consists of approximately 45 hours of material delivered over the coursework period. In Organizational Leadership, you will be equipped with the skills, strategies, and tools to lead your organization effectively.

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View Syllabus (PDF)

Modules: Things to Know

The course is broken down into 7 modules. All modules must be completed by 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. All course deadlines are shown in Boston’s local Eastern Time (ET), but it is your responsibility to convert these deadlines to your local time zone as needed. We recommend spending approximately 6-8 hours per module, each of which opens upon the completion of the previous module. Make sure to stay on track with the modules as you move through the course alongside your peers. Make sure to stay on track with the modules and assignments as you move through the course alongside your peers.
At the beginning of the course, you’ll be asked to complete a self-assessment and solicit feedback from colleagues, such as direct reports, clients, or managers, for the Learning Path Tool (LPT) assessment. The LPT is a 360-degree assessment developed at Harvard Business School to provide leaders with insights into key areas of competence essential for effective leadership. Please start the LPT as soon as you receive the invitation to give your reviewers enough time to submit their input. The deadline for the LPT period cannot be extended. Please note that Qualtrics—the tool used in the delivery of the Learning Path Tool—does not provide services to individuals in Russia and Belarus. If you take Organizational Leadership from any of these countries, you won't be able to complete the Learning Path Tool. However, you'll still be eligible to complete the course successfully. Please contact the HBS Online Support Team for more information.
The course features a video upload exercise in which you'll practice communication techniques taught in the course and provide feedback to fellow learners. You can record yourself on a phone, computer, or other video recording device and will be asked to upload the video to the course.
Midway through the course, you'll participate in a project week. You'll be asked to collaborate with colleagues or individuals in your network on a challenge or opportunity facing your organization. You'll then have the option to connect with a peer in your cohort to share what you've learned and receive feedback.
HBS Online has a process by which you may request an exception to our course policies due to extreme circumstances and life emergencies. Please see more details in our Requesting an Exception to Our Policies section on our Support Portal.
At the end of the course, Module 8: Leading Self at Scale and Scope will be offered as bonus content. Completion of this module is entirely optional and is not required in order to earn a Certificate of Completion.

Disability Accommodations Information

Harvard Business School Online welcomes participants of all backgrounds and abilities. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), a person is considered to have a disability if that individual (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (2) has a record of having such an impairment, or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment.

If you are looking to apply for disability accommodations for your course, please first review our Requesting a Disability Accommodations article. Active communication is essential to our accommodations process. Late notification may result in a delay or inability to fulfill a request as, generally, retroactive requests will not be approved.

Should you have questions, please contact the Accommodations Team as soon as possible and they will be happy to assist you.

Earning your Certificate

To earn the certificate, you must meet all of the following requirements, which are outlined in further detail in the Organizational Leadership Certificate of Completion Requirements:

Timely & thoughtful completion of all coursework by required deadlines
- All work in each module must be completed by the required deadline as indicated on the course calendar.
- Though we do not expect that participants will always be able to provide a correct response to every question, you are expected to answer in your own words and to the best of your ability, which is an essential component of the HBS Online learning process. Skipping questions by providing insufficient responses such as Yes, Okay, or other one-word responses is considered incomplete participation. Citations are expected to be applied to your responses whenever you include outside information that is not from your personal knowledge, such as a website or Generative AI. This includes facts, statistics, definitions, and company information such as descriptions, earnings, and accounts. Please review the HBS Citation Guide for assistance with citing your sources. Improper citations or unauthorized use of Generative AI are considered a violation of the HBS Online Honor Code and are strictly prohibited. For more information regarding responses, properly cited sources, and acceptable Generative AI use, please consult the Academic Honesty Guidelines page.
Active engagement and contributions
- Comment on other participants' postings.
- Post to Peer Help to ask questions and engage with your peers' posts.

Certificate Eligibility

Certificate eligibility is determined within 30 days of the final course deadline. Certificates are available in digital and printed formats. Please visit our Certificate Guidelines page for a detailed overview of the certificate process, and our Certificates, Credentials, & Credits page to see what your certificate will look like.

For courses starting after January 1, 2026, HBS Online will provide learners with a free digital Certificate of Completion only. Learners who prefer a printed certificate will have the option to purchase one with tracked shipping via UPS through our certificate vendor, the Michael Sutter Company (MSC).

Participants who complete a credential program—including the Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy, Credential of Leadership Impact and Management in Business (CLIMB), and Credential of Readiness (CORe)—will receive a free digital credential and free printed credential shipped via first-class United States Postal Service (USPS). Those pursuing a Learning Track will also get a free digital and free printed Certificate of Specialization, but digital-only versions of each Certificate of Completion they earn. CLIMB and Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy participants also receive digital-only versions for each Certificate of Completion they earn during their programs. Your free printed certificate may take eight weeks or more to arrive, and no tracking information is available.

To note: If you started your course before January 1, 2026, you’ll still receive a free digital and free printed copy of your Certificate of Completion. For those enrolled in CLIMB, if you begin an elective before January 1, 2026, you'll receive both versions of your Certificate of Completion. If you begin it after, you will receive digital-only versions of each Certificate of Completion you earn.

Technology and Support

Please review our technology requirements before the course begins. Throughout the program, you'll have access to your peers for support and networking. In addition, you can always count on the HBS Online Support Team for any questions you may have. In order to ensure you stay up-to-date with announcements and information, please make sure HBSOnlineSupport@hbs.edu is added to your safe sender list and/or address book. We will be in touch with reminder emails that outline module release dates, deadlines, and special announcements.

Supported devices
- Courses on our course platform are designed to work on an internet-connected desktop or notebook computer. We highly recommend a reliable internet connection for the rich media content on the platform. Tablets and smartphones are not supported.
Supported browsers
- Be sure to access the course using an updated version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Please note that a broadband internet connection is highly recommended to access the rich media in the program.
Peer-to-peer learning
- Use the Peer Help tool in the course to engage with your peers as you ask and answer questions about the course concepts.

Withdrawals and Refunds

You may request a withdrawal with refund up to 24 hours after the start of the program, or an enrollment deferral at any time before your program starts, and up to one week after the start of your program. For further information, please view our program policies.

View Program Policies

A Note About Faculty and Guest Experts

Our courses have been developed by some of the most renowned HBS faculty and guest business experts. While you will not have direct, real-time interactions with faculty and experts, you will hear from them throughout the course via short videos that explain key concepts and guide you through cases, exercises, and other interactive learning elements. As much as we expect you to learn from faculty and experts through this highly engaging learning environment, we expect you to learn as much (if not more) from your own thoughtful participation and from your peers. Additionally, please note that all HBS Online faculty and experts featured in our courses are not available to communicate with learners directly or participate in learner-organized events. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to beginning your program!

Take Your Learning a Step Further

Learning Tracks enable you to immerse yourself in a particular subject area and develop deeper insights and expertise to take your career to the next level. Those who successfully complete three courses from their selected Learning Track within 18 months will earn a Certificate of Specialization.

Participants who successfully earn a Certificate of Completion in Organizational Leadership may put this coursework toward earning a Certificate of Specialization in Leadership & Management. Are you interested in this immersive offering? Visit our FAQ page to learn more about Learning Tracks.

Still can't find what you're looking for? Please refer to the HBS Online FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), or visit the HBS Online Support Portal for any questions, comments, or concerns about your Harvard Business School Online experience.

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