Board Readiness Program
Integrate influence and governance for board-level impact
Benefit from up to 14 percent savings on this learning journey
Elevate your boardroom effectiveness with a comprehensive multiprogram learning journey from Wharton Executive Education.
Transform executive presence into boardroom influence
As organizations navigate increasing complexity and disruption, the boardroom has become a center of strategic influence. Board members must go beyond conventional governance responsibilities to guide long-term direction, stakeholder engagement, and organizational change. To succeed at this level, professionals must combine governance acumen, executive presence, leadership, and communication to shape high-stakes decisions and foster lasting impact.
The Board Readiness Program is designed to bridge this capability gap by equipping experienced professionals and aspiring board members like you with the tools to lead with influence and insight in the boardroom. This immersive learning journey combines two of Wharton Executive Education’s most acclaimed executive offerings, the Corporate Governance program and the Executive Presence and Influence program, to empower you to elevate your boardroom effectiveness, navigate complex dynamics, and accelerate organizational outcomes through strategic leadership.
This immersive 12-week program enables you to:
Understand board roles, risks, and stakeholder dynamics
Build trust and communicate with impact
Gain confidence through case studies and live sessions
Connect with peers, faculty, and global professionals
Whether you are preparing for your first board appointment or looking to deepen your executive leadership’s interfacing with the board, the Board Readiness Program provides the tools, frameworks, and support you need to succeed at the highest levels.
Why choose this multiprogram learning journey?
By enrolling in the Board Readiness Program, a learning journey that combines two of Wharton Executive Education’s most popular programs — Executive Presence and Influence: Persuasive Leadership Development and Corporate Governance: Maximize Your Effectiveness in the Boardroom — you will gain strategies, tools, and principles to enhance your boardroom presence and governance skills. This multiprogram learning journey offers:
Leadership development
Industry relevance
Cost and time efficiency
Case studies and industry examples
Playbook activities and corporate governance handbook
Live sessions with guest speakers and success coaches
Peer review and discussion sessions
Who is the program for?
The Board Readiness Program is ideal for:
Senior executives aiming to transition into high-impact leadership or board roles and contribute meaningfully to boardroom strategy and oversight
Current board members looking to strengthen their governance knowledge, boardroom presence, and decision-making influence
Entrepreneurs and founders preparing to engage with boards and represent their organizations effectively
Investors and advisors involved in board-level strategy seeking a deeper understanding of governance practices
Diverse and underrepresented leaders wanting to access board opportunities and expand their leadership footprint
What will you learn?
The Board Readiness Program is designed to help you:
Refine your mindset and behaviors to project a strong and impactful leadership presence
Understand the structure, responsibilities, and dynamics of the board in shaping governance and compensation strategies
Build and sustain authentic relationships through strategic networking and influence
Craft a compelling personal leadership narrative that reflects your vision and values
Develop a board-level approach to handling crises, internal investigations, and stakeholder conflicts
Identify the elements of an inclusive board culture and leverage diverse talent for strategic advantage
Evaluate succession planning complexities and outline key considerations for shaping environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies aligned with organizational priorities
Recognize the central role of persuasive communication in shaping your experience as a leader
Curriculum
Module 1: Introduction and Informal Influence
Module 2: Leading With Persuasive Communication
Module 3: Strengthening Your Leadership Presence
Module 4: Cultivating Informal Networks
Module 5: A Framework for Persuasion
Module 6: Persuasively Communicating Your Vision and Strategy
Module 1: Introduction to Corporate Governance
Module 2: Building a Diverse and Inclusive Board
Module 3: Compensation and Succession
Module 4: Crisis Management
Module 5: ESG and Shareholder Engagement
Module 6: Balancing Stakeholder and Shareholder Interests
Practical applications
Create an action plan
With Wharton’s Executive Presence and Influence program, you will be ready to display your leadership skills in real time with real impact. During the program, you will receive relevant tools to create your leadership narrative through:
Informal influence: Recognize the factors influencing your ability to achieve meaningful impact
Communication of vision: Use your vision and executive communication for your future self to strategize your success
Informal networks: Identify techniques to diversify your network strategically
Leadership narrative: Strengthen your leadership presence
Framework for persuasion: Understand the foundations of successful persuasion
Develop a corporate governance handbook
With Wharton's Corporate Governance: Maximize Your Effectiveness in the Boardroom program, you will be able to explore the processes and responsibilities that drive corporate governance. It also includes a handbook where you can reflect on the program content and how it can help you succeed in a board member role. Topics addressed in the corporate governance handbook include:
Laying the groundwork: Begin by drafting your director bio and exploring the importance of marketing yourself
Conducting a personal skills audit: Assess your professional background to help you understand your strengths and any critical gaps in your knowledge or experience for board positions you are seeking
Finding your director doppelganger: Focus on strategically networking with directors who possess experience/characteristic profiles that are similar to yours, as they can help point you toward boards that are looking for a candidate with your profile
Demonstrating your grit: Be able to persuasively articulate your experience in crisis/adversity situations
Completing an executive leadership style assessment: Consider how your style informs the way you would manage various stakeholders, as well as which stakeholders you are most comfortable interacting with and/or advocating for in the boardroom
Putting the pieces together: Define and characterize your personal guiding principles via a concise and effective board value statement
Meet the faculty
Michael Useem
William and Jacalyn Egan Professor of Management; Director, Wharton Center for Leadership and Change Management
Michael Useem is professor of Management and faculty director of the Center for Leadership and Change Management and McNulty Leadership Program at the Wharton School, Universi...
Mary-Hunter McDonnell
Bantwal Family Goldman Sachs Presidential Associate Professor; Associate Professor of Management, Organizational Behavior, The Wharton School
Mary-Hunter McDonnell studies organizational behavior within challenging institutional contexts, such as contentious social environments and uncertain regulatory environments....
Cade Massey
Practice Professor, Operations, Information and Decisions, The Wharton School
Cade Massey is a practice professor in the Wharton School’s Operations, Information, and Decisions Department. He received his PhD from the University of Chicago and taught at...
Guest Speaker
Sean P. McDonnell
Partner, Mayer Brown
Sean McDonnell is a partner in Mayer Brown's Washington D.C. office and a member of the global litigation and dispute resolution practice. Previously, Sean was an assistant Un...
Certificate
Upon completion of this program, you will receive three digital certificates from Wharton Executive Education. These include a certificate each for the Executive Presence and Influence: Persuasive Leadership Development program, the Corporate Governance: Maximize Your Effectiveness in the Boardroom program, and Board Readiness Program.
Note: Wharton Executive Education will issue your digitally verified certificate in your legal name and will email it to you, at no additional cost, upon completion of the program, per the stipulated requirements. All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of Wharton Executive Education.
FAQs
How do I know if this program is right for me?
After reviewing the information on the program landing page, we recommend you submit the short form above to gain access to the program brochure, which includes more in-depth information. If you still have questions on whether this program is a good fit for you, please email learner.success@emeritus.org, and a dedicated program advisor will follow-up with you very shortly.
Are there any prerequisites for this program?
Some programs do have prerequisites, particularly the more technical ones. This information will be noted on the program landing page, as well as in the program brochure. If you are uncertain about program prerequisites and your capabilities, please email us at the ID mentioned above.
Note that, unless otherwise stated on the program web page, all programs are taught in English and proficiency in English is required.
What is the typical class profile?
More than 50 percent of our participants are from outside the United States. Class profiles vary from one cohort to the next, but, generally, our online certificates draw a highly diverse audience in terms of professional experience, industry, and geography — leading to a very rich peer learning and networking experience.
What other dates will this program be offered in the future?
Check back to this program web page or email us to inquire if future program dates or the timeline for future offerings have been confirmed yet.
How much time is required each week?
Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page.
How will my time be spent?
We have designed this program to fit into your current working life as efficiently as possible. Time will be spent among a variety of activities including:
Engaging with recorded video lectures from faculty
Attending webinars and office hours, as per the specific program schedule
Reading or engaging with examples of core topics
Completing knowledge checks/quizzes and required activities
Engaging in moderated discussion groups with your peers
Completing your final project, if required
The program is designed to be highly interactive while also allowing time for self-reflection and to demonstrate an understanding of the core topics through various active learning exercises. Please email us if you need further clarification on program activities.
What is it like to learn online with the learning collaborator, Emeritus?
More than 300,000 learners across 200 countries have chosen to advance their skills with Emeritus and its educational learning partners. In fact, 90 percent of the respondents of a recent survey across all our programs said that their learning outcomes were met or exceeded.
All the contents of the course would be made available to students at the commencement of the course. However, to ensure the program delivers the desired learning outcomes the students may appoint Emeritus to manage the delivery of the program in a cohort-based manner the cost of which is already included in the overall course fee of the course.
A dedicated program support team is available 24/5 (Monday to Friday) to answer questions about the learning platform, technical issues, or anything else that may affect your learning experience.
How do I interact with other program participants?
Peer learning adds substantially to the overall learning experience and is an important part of the program. You can connect and communicate with other participants through our learning platform.
What are the requirements to earn the certificate?
Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week, so you can gauge what will be required before you enroll. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page. All programs are designed to fit into your working life.
This program is scored as a pass or no-pass; participants must complete the required activities to pass and obtain the certificate of completion. Some programs include a final project submission or other assignments to obtain passing status. This information will be noted in the program brochure. Please email us if you need further clarification on any specific program requirements.
What type of certificate will I receive?
Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a smart digital certificate. The smart digital certificate can be shared with friends, family, schools, or potential employers. You can use it on your cover letter, resume, and/or display it on your LinkedIn profile.
The digital certificate will be sent approximately two weeks after the program, once grading is complete.
Can I get the hard copy of the certificate?
No, only verified digital certificates will be issued upon successful completion. This allows you to share your credentials on social platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
Do I receive alumni status after completing this program?
No, there is no alumni status granted for this program. In some cases, there are credits that count toward a higher level of certification. This information will be clearly noted in the program brochure.
How long will I have access to the learning materials?
You will have access to the online learning platform and all the videos and program materials for 12 months following the program start date. Access to the learning platform is restricted to registered participants per the terms of agreement.
What equipment or technical requirements are there for this program?
Participants will need the latest version of their preferred browser to access the learning platform. In addition, Microsoft Office and a PDF viewer are required to access documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDF files, and transcripts.
Do I need to be online to access the program content?
Yes, the learning platform is accessed via the internet, and video content is not available for download. However, you can download files of video transcripts, assignment templates, readings, etc. For maximum flexibility, you can access program content from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device.
Video lectures must be streamed via the internet, and any livestream webinars and office hours will require an internet connection. However, these sessions are always recorded, so you may view them later.
Can I still register if the registration deadline has passed?
Yes, you can register up until seven days past the published start date of the program without missing any of the core program material or learnings.
What is the program fee, and what forms of payment do you accept?
The program fee is noted at the top of this program web page and usually referenced in the program brochure as well.
Flexible payment options are available (see details below as well as at the top of this program web page next to FEE).
Tuition assistance is available for participants who qualify. Please email learner.success@emeritus.org.
What if I don’t have a credit card? Is there another method of payment accepted?
Yes, you can do the bank remittance in the program currency via wire transfer or debit card. Please contact your program advisor, or email us for details.
I was not able to use the discount code provided. Can you help?
Yes! Please email us with the details of the program you are interested in, and we will assist you.
How can I obtain an invoice for payment?
Please email us your invoicing requirements and the specific program you’re interested in enrolling in.
Is there an option to make flexible payments for this program?
Yes, the flexible payment option allows a participant to pay the program fee in installments. This option is made available on the payment page and should be selected before submitting the payment.
How can I obtain a W9 form?
Please connect with us via email for assistance.
Who will be collecting the payment for the program?
Emeritus collects all program payments, provides learner enrollment and program support, and manages learning platform services.
Are there any restrictions on the types of funding that can be used to pay for the program?
Program fees for Emeritus programs with Wharton Executive Education may not be paid for with (a) funds from the GI Bill, the Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Act of 2008, or similar types of military education funding benefits or (b) Title IV financial aid funds.
What is the program refund and deferral policy?
For the program refund and deferral policy, please click the link here.
Didn't find what you were looking for? Write to us at learner.success@emeritus.org, or schedule a call with one of our Program advisors or call us at +1 680 205 5118 (US) / +44 185 845 9995 (UK) / +65 3135 1422 (SG).
Flexible payment options available.
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