Center for the Advancement of Well-Being

Positive Leadership Certificate

Business of Coaching

The Positive Leadership program will show you how a positive mindset can help you achieve professional and personal goals. Discover how to become more confident, optimistic, resilient, creative, energetic, and productive – and help create a culture of well-being in your workplace – by applying the science of positivity to your leadership.


The Positive Leadership certificate program is available on a contract basis and can be tailored to suit your organization’s needs. To learn more, please contact our center at: lead2wb@gmu.edu or 703-993-6090.

Features

  • Apply the science of positivity to achieve your professional and personal leadership goals
  • Experience two days of thought-provoking lecture, demonstration, personal assessments, and experiential learning
  • Learn how positive psychology can impact leaders and the strong effect that it has on followers and teams
  • Acquire mindfulness skills to manage stress, improve your decision-making, and increase your emotional intelligence and strategic awareness
  • Use coaching as a way to lead team members toward the most positive outcomes
  • Understand how purpose drives engagement and success
  • Discover your strengths
  • Clarify your values
  • Identify ways you can use their strengths and values to serve others
  • Earn 1.4 CEUs (Continuing Education Units)

Requirements

Attend and participate fully, completing all reading and assignments

Designed for You

This program is designed to help you make positive change happen in your professional and personal life. You can strengthen your success through Positive Leadership at any level of your career. If you work in human resources, you may also use this program to work toward your SHRM credentials.

Learn More

Learn more from this article.

Faculty

The Positive Leadership certificate program leverages the talents of Dr. Steve Gladis and Dr. Beth Cabrera – both of whom will bring their academic and real-world experience to focus on leadership with a special emphasis on positivity.

Beth Cabrera and Steve Gladis teach Positive Leadership.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services/George Mason University

STEVE GLADIS, PH.D.

Steve is an authority on the subject of leadership, and he teaches and empowers others as an executive coach, author, and speaker. CEO of Steve Gladis Leadership Partners — a leadership development company — he is the author of more than 20 books on leadership. His company works with businesses, associations, and U.S. government agencies, and he speaks regularly at conferences and corporate gatherings.

A former faculty member at both Mason and the University of Virginia, Steve is an ICF-certified coach and earned both a doctorate in Education and Human Development and a master’s degree in English from Mason. He also served as an FBI special agent and was a decorated officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. His company donates a significant portion of corporate profits back to the community. His latest books include Hacking Brain Science for LeadersThe Honor CodeLeading Teams: Understanding the Team Leadership Pyramid, Leading Well: Becoming a Mindful Leader-CoachSmile. Breathe. Listen: The 3 Mindful Acts for Leaders, and Positive Leadership: The Game Changer at Work.

BETH CABRERA, PH.D.

Beth is passionate about helping individuals and organizations apply knowledge from the field of positive psychology to achieve greater success and well-being. Her focus is on how to close the knowing-doing gap for positive behavior change. She works with companies to help them create and maintain positive work environments where people thrive. She also teaches individuals strategies for living happier, more meaningful lives. Her approach is extremely effective in developing leaders, building teams, and advancing careers.

Dr. Cabrera’s expertise was gained through years of experience teaching, conducting research, advising organizations, and coaching individuals on how to maximize engagement and performance. Her research has been published in leading academic and professional journals. After earning her Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Beth joined the faculty of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, one of Spain’s top universities. Upon returning to the States she continued her academic career as a professor of management at Arizona State University. She was a Senior Research Fellow at Thunderbird School of Global Management and a Senior Scholar at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. In 2009, Beth founded Cabrera Insights, a leadership development company.

Testimonials

“Exactly what I hoped for – immediately useful and impactful.” – Dan Taggart, director of human resources

“Great class! The teachers were excellent and the content will definitely stick with me for life. Very interesting and engaging material delivered in an interesting and fun way.” – Lynne Cordary, senior product manager

“This has by far and away been the best, most interesting, most impactful two-day course I have ever taken. I am looking forward to applying everything I have learned to my work environment.” – Kat Muse, human factors engineer 

“This boost of positivity was exactly the right things I needed to hear in my life at exactly the right time. Dr. Gladis and Dr. Cabrera are fantastic and inspiring, and I appreciate everyone involved in working so hard to help us. Thank you!” – Suzie Grande Pre, Mason student 

“I appreciate the passion and lessons showered upon us. Thank you.” – Greg Blewett, program analyst  

“Even when you lead you need tools to grow personally and your team and this program offers that.” – Gustavo Martin, program manager 

“Changed my life!” – Philip Wilkerson, industry advisor  

“Really enjoyed his certificate and grained many tools for my leadership toolkit.” – Nicole Fazande Larson, associate dean   

“Steve and Beth were amazing instructors who kept the group engaged for the duration of the program. I would recommend this course and would be interested in additional sessions by either instructor. Thank you!” – Mary Kennedy, associate managing editor, Airline Pilots Association  

“I truly gained both practical and personal value from this two-day workshop and I’m excited to put what I learned to practice.” – Gretchen Hendricks, area chair, business foundations  

“Dr. Cabrera and Dr. Gladis were absolutely phenomenal. I can’t emphasize enough how engaging and insightful they were. A massive thank you to them for the energy and love and thought they put into this program. I am not at all exaggerating when I say that they have changed my life for the better. I will be enthusiastically recommending this course to my coworkers.” – Michael Kopalek, operations research analyst  

“Steve Gladis has great expertise and ability to carry message/teach. Tremendous ability to empathize with students.” – Marc Tagliento, senior policy director 

“The content has been valuable and informative for my role as a leader, but also helpful in evaluating my own career goals.” – Candice Griffin, senior program manager 

“This course has been so helpful in guiding me toward being a more mindful leader.” – Kelly Clawson, senior assistant director of admissions 

“Very good course especially because of the combination of Beth Cabrera and Steve Gladis instructing. Both provided great real-life examples and engaged the class. The course material will be used to create a positive environment at work and spread positive leadership and mindfulness to my team.” – Ute Shaw, director of finance 

“I liked the examples and common sense approach to solving problems as well as Steve Gladis’ humor. It kept the class engaged and fun.” – John Brock, middle school admissions director 

“Loved the Positive Leadership training, discussions, tools, etc. Fantastic facilitators/instructors!” – Jacqueline Brioux, service design lead 

“Great program! Helps me improve my performance at work. Also teaches me to be mindful of my thoughts and actions.” – Ilia Roussev, program director

To learn more, please contact our center at: lead2wb@gmu.edu or 703-993-6090.

Contact us about your leadership training needs

We offer a diverse variety of customized leadership and organizational well-being programs to meet your specific needs. Please complete this form to share the topics you would like to explore. A member from our center will contact you for next steps.

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