IMD business school for management and leadership courses
Sharpen your enterprise thinking to lead the whole business
Foundations for Business Leadership
Sharpen your enterprise thinking to lead the whole business
Most managers excel within their function. But stepping up to general management demands something bigger: the ability to see the whole business, make decisions across disciplines, and lead in a world of increasing complexity and disruption without a roadmap.
Foundations for Business Leadership is designed to close that gap. Over 3 intensive weeks, you broaden business acumen to gain a solid cross-functional understanding. You learn to set, challenge and defend strategy. You develop an enterprise mindset to lead a business end-to-end, and you hone managerial effectiveness to get results through people.
You harness AI as a practical management tool, engage with the latest thinking on ecosystems and non-market strategy, and apply the new insights directly to your own business context. Hands-on simulations plus integrative and reflective exercises ensure what you learn stays beyond the classroom.
You leave confident and equipped to set direction, lead across functions, and perform at a significantly higher level. See the program content and journey.
Is this program right for you?
Answer a few quick questions to discover if this program aligns with your goals and experience.
Do you need more information?
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What it takes to lead beyond your function
Hear from the Program Directors how Foundations for Business Leadership prepares you to step into a general management role. Meet the faculty.
What is it really like to experience Foundations for Business Leadership?
Hear directly from participants as they share how the program helped them look beyond their own function and prepare for broader management responsibilities.
Organizations across industries and geographies invest in Foundations for Business Leadership to prepare their managers to move beyond functional expertise and take on general management responsibilities. Here are some of them.
Food & Beverage
Switzerland
Public Sector
Singapore
Diversified Trading & Investment
Japan
Food & Beverage
Denmark
Public Sector
United Arab Emirates
Banking & Financial Services
South Africa
Education & Leadership Development
Saudi Arabia
Energy Storage & Battery Technology
Greece
Length: 3 weeks (19 intensive days including weekends). Offered four times a year.
Looking to explore more?
This program is part of our broader General Management portfolio for ambitious executives, designed to strengthen strategic leadership, drive organizational performance, and prepare leaders to navigate complex business challenges.
Need more information about admissions, curriculum, or key dates? Our Program Advisors are here to help.