A New Program Offers Advanced Leadership Training for Rising Executives
Hawai‘i Leadership Academy is a short, intense program that prepares vice presidents, directors, senior managers and department heads for even bigger roles.
There are several training programs in Hawai‘i designed to prepare first-time managers to succeed in their new roles, and other programs give emerging leaders a holistic immersion in Hawai‘i and its unique culture.
What has been lacking is a brief but intense program for experienced managers and executives that is hyperfocused on the elements of modern business success: strategy and decision-making; finances; agile leadership and change management; hiring, workplace culture and mentoring across generations; and AI and future business trends. Among the speakers will be some of Hawai‘i’s most prominent business leaders.
The Hawai‘i Leadership Academy will provide that knowledge and training in five half-day sessions, each Friday morning for five weeks. It is a partnership of the Hawaii Employers Council and Hawaii Business Magazine, whose leaders recognized the need for a development program for executives with at least five years of managerial experience, like directors, senior managers, vice presidents and department heads.
The Hawai‘i Leadership Academy prepares your existing leaders for even greater success within your organization.
“Unlike other programs, Leadership Academy provides highly curated, immersive learning experiences and insights from top-tier C-suite executives,” says Sarah Guay, president and CEO of the Hawaii Employers Council. “The blend of executive skill building, strategic leadership development and intentional networking ensures all participants leave with tangible leadership tools and valuable professional connections that directly help their organization.”
Class size is limited to ensure a personalized experience, she adds.
“Organizations should enroll emerging and established leaders who are at the director level and above – people who have the potential to drive your company’s business growth and culture” and have the potential to take on even greater leadership roles, says Tracie Foglia, talent solution manager at HEC and the academy’s leader on curriculum development. “It’s ideal for professionals who want to refine their leadership approach, enhance their decision-making and expand their executive network.”
“Participants will learn practical, real-world strategies to navigate current and future challenges, and acquire practical tools to help them lead high-performing teams, manage change and foster employee engagement,” Foglia says.
They’ll also gain insights from Hawai‘i’s top leaders and learn how to apply those insights in Hawai‘i’s unique context. And they’ll gain entry to a valuable network of academy graduates that will grow with each new cohort.
“Access to other cohort members gives them an understanding of how leadership concepts apply in other organizations. That really helps broaden and deepen their learning,” Guay says. “Finally, they will earn a prestigious certification recognizing their commitment to local leadership excellence, a certificate that will gain in prestige and importance with each new cohort.”
The dates for the first cohort are Fridays, Sept. 12, 19 and 26, and Oct. 3 and 10. Networking will begin at 7 a.m. and training will run from 8 to noon with most sessions at the Hawaii Employers Council’s headquarters at 2682 Waiwai Loop, off Lagoon Drive near the Honolulu airport.
The cost per participant is $3,500 with a $500 discount if enrollment is paid by June 1. After that early bird discount ends, the academy will offer 10% off for nonprofits. Learn more or register at hecouncil.org/LeadershipAcademy2025. Email Foglia at tfoglia@hecouncil.org.
The goal is for the program to run twice a year, but Guay says the first cohort will be unique. “There’s something special about being part of the inaugural cohort that sets the foundation for any development program, that really drives what it becomes,” Guay says. “And I’ve seen a pride in an inaugural cohort that is unique in their networking and ability to come together and mentor the cohorts that come down the road.”
High-Impact Program
She says there is no more important time for advanced leadership training. “Nationally, companies are at an 11-year low for employee engagement. Retention is critical here in Hawai‘i – the ability to keep your great employees, your great leaders, rather than always looking for, vetting and onboarding replacements,” Guay says.
Hawaii Business Publisher Kent Coules says, “Leadership Academy offers a high-impact program that prepares participants to confidently step into greater leadership roles with the skills needed to make a lasting impact on their teams and organization.”
Foglia adds, “I can read books and self-reflect, but when I can be in a room with a cohort of other leaders, I get this multiplier effect. I’m learning from the experiences and lessons of my peers as well.”
The participants’ time is valuable, so the program will be short but intense: an extensive curriculum effectively presented in 20 learning-heavy hours, Coules says. Participants are expected to engage in interactive discussions, deal with leadership challenges and, most importantly, apply key takeaways to their roles.
