Business Essentials Program

Level Up Your Business Experience

We deliver a customer-centric experience and a business curriculum that is designed for anyone in your organization. It is available to those in leadership roles or professionals who seek a comprehensive understanding of broad-based business fundamentals.

No prior business education or formal training is required, although some experience is recommended.

Module One: Organizations, Leadership & Team Dynamics

This module confronts important aspects of team dynamics and decision-making, motivation, and influencing others, as well as how to evaluate trade-offs between short-term and long-term considerations and embracing cross-functional collaboration and strategic execution skills.

As you and your team will discover, leaders must successfully be able to diagnose problems, communicate clearly, make effective decisions, and drive organizational change. This program will help your teams move through functional silos and develop enterprise-level impact.

Key learning outcomes include:

Expand their leadership potential and develop peer- and enterprise-level relationships with stakeholders.
Develop a pragmatic and case-based approach to business.
Demonstrate a broader contribution in their functional roles in a team-based environment.
Identify important business and strategic initiatives in multifunctional areas of the organization.

Module Two: Value-based Financial Decision-Making

This module offers a framework to better assess and understand value-based financial decision-making. This includes principles of financial and cost accounting, as well as investment decisions and strategy. Learners will develop a solid understanding of corporate financial statement analysis and cash flow management, as well as capital budgeting calculations and organizational financial performance in the context of value creation.

Key learning outcomes include:

Assess and understand financial statements.
Complete an income statement for reporting purposes and organizational health and performance.
Understand the differences between financial accounting and cost management strategy.

Module Three: Negotiations & Risk Management

Module Four: Professional Communication

Translating your ideas into successful efforts requires a communication discipline in writing and speaking that will persuade multiple audiences from diverse cultural, intellectual, and professional backgrounds.

This module helps learners discover the communication skills we need as leaders. This includes understanding how to effectively market yourself and communicate with confidence and poise. Learners will identify the specific skills needed to become more effective and persuasive in various business situations, including meetings (in-person and virtual), presentations, interviews, and networking opportunities.

Key learning outcomes include:

Understand the importance of personal branding, likeability, and awareness.
Design and deliver audience-centered presentations as a competitive advantage in business and to influence strategic outcomes.
Structure a message to achieve maximum impact for the listener or reader; use appropriate media to match your communication intent.
Explore different styles, reactions, and attitudes toward conflict and dispute resolution.

This module examines the art and science of negotiations, including techniques to develop the power of influence, and to practice different capabilities and strategies. Learners will examine the full life-cycle negotiations process, from information and data assessment to “closing the deal” through simulations and experiential exercises with other participants in a team-based environment.

Key learning outcomes include:

Master the difference between distributive negotiations and integrative negotiations, as well as assess and understand what distinguishes a strategic negotiation from mere bargaining.

Explore different negotiation styles, strategies, and attitudes toward conflict and dispute resolution. This includes the best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA), managing “hardball” tactics, and developing shared value through difficult negotiations.
Assess and understand due diligence, contracts, performance appraisals, and other negotiation scenarios.