The Science of Leadership: The Brain, Resilience, and Mindfulness

  • Executive Education
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Register Now

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Registration Deadline: March 26

Navigate rising complexity and uncertainty by developing the mental clarity, emotional resilience, and composure needed to lead teams effectively.

  • Online; Self-Paced

Self-paced learning complemented by live sessions with faculty and weekly office hours conducted by program leaders.

$2,950

Flexible payment and team-based learning options are available.

Certificate

Upon completion of this program, you will receive a digital certificate from Harvard Medical School.

6 Weeks, 4-6 Hours/Week

Each week you will engage with recorded video lectures from faculty, attend webinars and office hours, complete quizzes and required activities, engage in moderated discussion groups with, and work on your final project, if required.

On This Page

Overview

Leadership today requires more than strategy and technical expertise—it demands emotional steadiness, mental clarity, and the ability to lead others through uncertainty and sustained pressure. As complexity increases across organizations, leaders are being called upon to remain composed, make sound decisions, and foster trust and psychological safety in fast-changing environments.

The Science of Leadership: The Brain, Resilience, and Mindfulness is a six-week online program from Harvard Medical School designed to strengthen the human side of leadership through science-backed approaches. Drawing on applied neuroscience, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness practices, the program equips you with practical tools to enhance focus, decision making, empathy, and communication. You will develop strategies to manage stress, prevent burnout, and lead resilient, diverse teams with clarity and confidence—while navigating change with purpose and composure.

This program does not grant academic credit and does not provide certification as a professional coach. This non-degree program offers a certificate of completion to participants who meet the program requirements.

Learning Objectives

  • Discover how core neuroscience principles shape high-performance leadership.
  • Learn how emotional intelligence builds trust, connection, and stronger teams.
  • Understand the real impact of stress and burnout — and how to protect resilience and engagement.
  • Use brain-based insights to elevate your decision-making, adaptability, and leadership presence.
  • Practice simple mindfulness techniques that sharpen focus and clarity under pressure.
  • Build sustainable habits that support brain health, balance, and long-term leadership effectiveness.
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Who Should Participate

Business leaders, managers, innovators, leadership coaches, HR professionals, and leaders in high-pressure, people-centered environments seeking to enhance emotional intelligence, foster psychological safety, and lead with clarity, resilience, and composure.

Questions?

Contact one of our program advisors at learner.success@emeritus.org.

This Harvard Medical School Executive Education program is taught by HMS faculty and is promoted by Emeritus. Emeritus is responsible for advertising, marketing, registration, and collecting payment.

This program does not grant academic credit or professional certifications from Harvard Medical School. 

Modules

Explore how core neuroscience principles shape leadership behavior and decision making. Examine the brain systems that drive effective and ineffective actions, and learn how intuition, analysis, and cognitive biases influence leadership performance.​ 

Explore the foundations of emotional intelligence and how it shapes connection, communication, and trust. Identify your EI strengths, recognize emotional triggers, and use frameworks, including THINK and the Johari Window, to build openness, psychological safety, and stronger leadership relationships.

Learn to recognize physiological and behavioral signs of stress, and explore how effective leaders manage pressure, cognitive overload, and anxiety. Understand how resilience strengthens decision making in high-demand situations.

Explore how the brain responds to change and shapes leadership behaviors. Distinguish technical and adaptive challenges, examine emotional reactions to loss, and apply adaptive strategies to manage distress and sustain progress.

Explore how mindfulness strengthens focus, emotional regulation, and leadership presence. Examine how divided attention, communication cues, and intentional time use shape perception and decision making. Also, develop practical mindfulness strategies to enhance clarity and presence in daily leadership.

Explore the neuroscience behind sustaining leadership effectiveness through energy, sleep, and daily habits. Identify strategies that support long-term focus and decision -making, and apply movement, mindfulness, and coaching frameworks to strengthen personal and leadership growth.

Teaching Team

Jim Dowd.

James (Jim) J. Dowd

DBA, MBA

  • Consultant and Coach, Leadership Development and Executive Education Executive Education Teaching Associate, Harvard Medical School
Blaise Aguirre

Blaise Aguirre

MD

  • Medical Director, 3East Program, McLean Hospital
  • Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School​

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