Explore a practical leadership framework built around five principles: Potential, Purpose, People, Playbook, and Pay It Forward. Through reflection, real-world examples, and applied activities, you will learn to recognize potential, clarify your purpose, empower teams, translate vision into an actionable playbook, and practice responsible stewardship. The Specialization is led by Marshall University President Brad D. Smith, former CEO of Intuit and co-founder of the Wing 2 Wing Foundation, drawing on decades of leadership across business, higher education, and philanthropy.
Applied Learning Project
Through scenario-based decisions and reflective exercises, learners will address authentic challenges such as recognizing talent, aligning choices with purpose, and empowering a team. They will also iteratively develop a personal mission statement that translates their values and purpose into a guide for real-world decisions. Using credible academic sources, learners will analyze a coaching-related concept—such as servant leadership, psychological safety, or growth mindset—and apply it to a leadership scenario to determine how it enables effective coaching and what happens when it is absent.
