Cultivating Power for Positive Impact reframes power as the ability to influence people and shape what happens around you — not something reserved for those at the top of the hierarchy. Led by Harvard professor Julie Battilana in conversation with actor, singer and producer Keke Palmer, the course helps you recognise your own sources of power, read the power dynamics at play in your organisation, and channel that influence to build trust and drive positive change.
This is an official Harvard Online course, featuring faculty from Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School and delivered on Harvard Online's learning platform. IPMC International handles your registration, payment and local support, then enrols you on the course. The format is self-guided and available on demand, and the microcredential and Certificate of Completion are issued by Harvard Online.
The course develops three connected capabilities:
The course is taught through short video segments and reflective exercises across five parts. There are no prerequisites. To earn the Certificate of Completion, participants work through all the material thoughtfully.
Identify the three main channels of power — personal (skills and attributes), positional (rank in a hierarchy) and relational (network connections) — and learn to navigate the influence a role grants as well as its limits.
Understand how relationships with influential advocates and peers can shift your ability to achieve goals, and how people act as bridges between groups to control access to information and influence.
Distinguish between "pull energy" (bridging and attracting through listening and motivation) and "push energy" (asserting and persuading through logic and pressure), and choose the most effective style for the goal, context and person.
Explore the three interdependent roles required for social and organisational change, and recognise that success comes from collective action and coordination rather than any one person doing everything.
Identify hubris and self-focus as risks that can lead to the abuse of power, cultivate humility and empathy, and put in structural safeguards such as regular feedback and distributed decision-making.
Julie Battilana — Your instructor. A leading scholar of power who holds appointments as the Joseph C. Wilson Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and the Alan L. Gleitsman Professor of Social Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School. She is co-author of Power, for All and the founder and chair of Harvard's Social Innovation and Change Initiative.
The course also features insights from industry expert Keke Palmer (actor, singer and producer, and founder of the KeyTV Network), who reflects on navigating power dynamics across her career. Affiliations are listed for identification purposes only.
This is an introductory course focused on foundational career skills, so no prior knowledge is required. It suits professionals at any level who want to understand how influence works and use it ethically, as well as graduates and organisations who want a globally recognised Harvard Online credential to advance their careers or capabilities.
The course includes a microcredential that recognises your successful completion of the material. By finishing any five of the seven Power Skills for Career Growth courses you can earn a Certificate of Completion from Harvard Online, which you can add to your CV and LinkedIn.
The course fee is confirmed on enquiry and put in writing before payment.
Pay IPMC securely by debit/credit card in UAE Dirhams (UAE) or by UPI, card or net banking in Indian Rupees (India).
Yes. The course is delivered by Harvard Online and the microcredential and Certificate of Completion are issued by Harvard Online.
No. This is an introductory course that builds foundational skills for your career, and no prerequisite knowledge is required.
The course is offered on demand and you have 90 days from enrolment to complete the material.
This is a self-paced Harvard Online course, so you can start anytime and learn at your own pace. Enquire and we'll get you enrolled.
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