Sydney Leadership Accelerator Program

Leadership transitions are some of the most challenging and important steps in your career. This specially designed, four-day program equips new and experienced managers with skills, leadership frameworks, personal insights and a management toolkit to lead with confidence in complex environments.

Based on innovative research in leadership, technology, physiology, economics and organisational design, you will collaborate with fellow leaders to challenge assumptions and return to work ready to lead into the future.

The program focuses on the ever-changing nature of work, economic and industry dynamics, and shifting expectations placed on leaders. Over four days you will:

• Apply adaptive leadership practices in complex situations
• Develop your unique leadership style, and self-awareness
• "Unlearn” traditional managerial approaches
• Lead in the digital age and develop your AI knowledge
• Build your authentic leadership presence to become an impactful communicator
• Enhance strategic thinking, alignment and execution capabilities
• Lead change effectively
• Provide feedback and manage challenging conversations
• Build resilience for yourself and your team
• Gain insights into the Australian business landscap and industry trends for organisational impact

Over four transformational days, you will work with fellow leaders to address challenges and practice the skills necessary for the next phase of your leadership journey. You will develop a personal action plan to transform learning into immediate outcomes. You will engage in:

• Hands-on project work
• Practical simulations
• Experiential sessions that challenge your comfort zone
• Sessions where guest speakers share their personal journeys, insights and experiences

The program will include a welcome dinner and hosted networking evenings to facilitate community building, collaboration and the strengthening of inter-industry networks.  

• Individuals transitioning into their first managerial role
• Managers navigating increasingly complex environments
• Middle managers seeking to accelerate their leadership development
• Leaders from companies or institutions of any size and industry, including not-for-profits and public service employees

Clinton holds Commerce and Law degrees from UNSW and a doctorate from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He has served on faculties and taught MBA courses at Oxford University (UK), Queen’s School of Business (Canada), Cornell University (USA) as well as UNSW Sydney.  Clinton was formerly the Academic Director and Director of the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) and the Deputy Director of the Centre for Law, Markets and Regulation.  Professor Free teaches and researches in the areas of risk management, white collar crime within organisations and monitoring by Boards of Directors.

Helena is a Professor in Work and Organisational Studies and co-director of the Body, Heart and Mind in Business Research Group at the University of Sydney Business School. She received her PhD and Masters of Organisational Psychology from School of Psychology, University of New South Wales. Helena's research is multi-disciplinary and her interests include the role of emotions and cognition at work, human performance, work engagement and well-being. Helena is a registered NSW Psychologist and a member of the Academy of Management, Society of Industrial Organisational Psychologists and the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management.

Dan is an Associate Professor at the University of Sydney Business School. Dan’s work reflects his interest in understanding how individuals are shaped by the context in which they work, and how, in turn, they influence their context. As such, his research, teaching, and consulting are focused on culture, identity, and leadership.

A psychologist by training, Dan draws on extensive international exposure and diverse work experience. Before completing his MBA and PhD as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Iowa (USA), Dan worked in a range of consulting and managerial roles spanning several sectors.

Sandra is the Director of Sydney Executive Plus at the University of Sydney Business School. Her research expertise and practice focus on engaging with the future in productive ways, and the impact of emerging technologies and AI on business and society. Sandra has led strategic initiatives and worked on executive programs with business, research organisations, Government and Defence. She has published in MIS Quarterly, JAIS, JIT and EJIS and worked on a wide range of educational research initiatives and programs, including work with UNESCO and the Department of Education. She has contributed thought pieces, op eds, interviews and research in the Australian Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian, The Australian and the ABC.

Sandra has a PhD. in Social Sciences, MA/MPhil. in Organisation and Strategy, BSc (Hons) in Economics and International Relations.

Kai is Professor of Information Technology and Organisation and Director of Sydney Executive Plus at the University of Sydney Business School. He has extensive experience with industry-funded research and is the co-director of the Motus Lab, which researches the application of AI-based digital human technologies in business and society. His expertise spans the fields of artificial intelligence, collaborative systems, the future of work, emerging technologies, and the philosophy of technology. Kai’s research appears in leading journals such as MISQ, JAIS, EJIS, ISJ and JIT, he consults for executives and boards and is frequently requested to comment and speak on issues around Generative AI, Digital Disruption, and The Future or Work and Business. He co-hosted The Future, This Week, Australia’s leading podcast on the future of business and technology, and most recently, The Unlearn Project, the podcast about changing common sense.

Kai has a PhD. (Dr habil) in Management, a PhD (Dr rer pol) in Information System, and a postgraduate degree (Dipl-Wirt.Inform) in Business Information Systems from the University of Münster in Germany.

Apply to our program here, or contact us at business.execed@sydney.edu.au.