The Common Purpose Programme

For leaders who want to collaborate across boundaries

As the world becomes more complex and interconnected the demand for good leadership, in our organizations and in society, has never been greater. The challenges we face can only be better tackled when we can see the bigger picture, step up and adapt to an ever-changing context. That's why, at Common Purpose, we have distilled our 30 years of our unique leadership development experience into these two powerful leadership programmes for senior and high-potential leaders.

The Common Purpose Programme for high-potential leaders

For high-potential leaders who want, or need, to

  • build confidence to take on increased responsibility
  • produce wider impact
  • make more intentional choices about how they act
  • adapt quickly in ambiguous and fast-changing situations or
  • lead diverse colleagues and teams through challenging times

10 May 2023 (UK)
18 May 2023 (Ireland)
31 October 2023 (Asia-Pacific)
Dates for India and the USA TBC

Open to participants in the Asia-Pacific, India, Ireland, the USA and the UK.


The Common Purpose Programme for senior leaders

For senior leaders who want, or need, to

  • lead diverse, distributed teams and workforces through ambiguity and uncertainty
  • formulate new approaches to tackling complex challenges
  • collaborate with diverse stakeholder groups
  • re-energize their leadership with a diverse, supportive peer-group
  • accelerate their change agendas with renewed confidence and support

8 March 2023 (UK)
14 March 2023 (Ireland)
4 April 2023 (South Africa)
20 September 2023 (Hong Kong)

Open to participants in Hong Kong, Ireland, South Africa and the UK.

CPD accredited

High-potential leaders programme = 35 hours of internationally recognized CPD credit

Senior leaders programme = 50 hours of CPD credit

Shuvo Saha, Founder, Google Digital Academy

"Like everything else they do, Common Purpose’s approach to online learning is unique – their online programmes unlock the energy, insight and transformation that only ever comes when leaders from completely different worlds connect on such a deep level."

What will we learn?

Personal agility

Discover how to better adapt to ever-changing situations and priorities.

Leading people

Develop your capabilities to better empower diverse & inclusive teams.

Transforming systems

Create a wider impact by learning how to better influence & collaborate to tackle complex problems effectively.

* Module areas taken from The Common Purpose Programme for senior leaders.

Learning that unlocks the power of perspective

The Common Purpose Programme creates an invaluable opportunity for leaders to

  • put their leadership in context, helping them become more self and systemically aware and
  • broaden their horizons in unpicking essential aspects of leadership, in different sectors, systems and cultural contexts, explored through the eyes of others.

This programme is brought to life through experiential content, inspirational contributors and both synchronous and in-person sessions where participants explore personal leadership challenges within a highly diverse, local peer group.

As Common Purpose alumni, gain the opportunity to continue learning in an alumni community of over 110,000 leaders worldwide.


A leadership skills self-assessment

a reflection tool to personalize the learning experience


Interactive self-directed online learning (asynchronous)

a collection of articles, exercises and video content that introduce participants to programme themes as well as our own thought leadership


Highly immersive experiences (in person)

investigating real issues in a local context through the eyes of inspirational leaders who share how leadership works in their world


Powerful learning studios (synchronous)

exposure to a series of broader leadership insights at a national and global level


A connected peer group

sharing in the expertise and knowledge of a supportive diverse participant group


Learning pools

intimate action learning experiences where groups work through their personal leadership challenges together

Our programmes in 2022

95%

of leaders are better able to adapt to new environments

96%

work better with people who are different from them

92%

act more courageously in difficult situations

93%

are better able to influence beyond their circle of authority

Want to find out more?

Leave your details and one of our team will get in touch. For information on programme fees and our bursary policy, please download the brochure.

Nick Price, COO, The Neighborhood, WPP

"The biggest benefit we see from staff who attend Common Purpose programmes is their growth in perspective. That development of perspective, and ability to understand and empathize with the positions of others (in different situations), is such an invaluable leadership trait."

Ann Ukadike, Senior Manager, Human Resources, Nestoil

"You can always tell the department heads who have done a Common Purpose programme. They have a certain confidence – you can just trust them to drive things forward."