Leading Mindfully: Mastering Difficult Conversations
Leading Mindfully: Mastering Difficult Conversations
Upcoming program dates: June 2–25, 2026
Enroll NowWho This Program Is For
The Leading Mindfully: Mastering Difficult Conversations program is for professionals at any level who want to strengthen their leadership expertise in moments that demand emotional steadiness. Whether you’re navigating team dynamics, leading through change or facing difficult conversations, you’ll develop the skills to lead with intention and resilience.
Program dates:
June 2–25, 2026
Format:
100% online (live virtual sessions)
Time commitment:
Eight live virtual sessions over four weeks, each lasting 1.5 hours, held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET
Fee:
$3,800
Stay Grounded in High-Stakes Moments
Bring presence and calm to even the most difficult leadership situations. In this four-week program, you’ll gain practical tools for navigating high-pressure environments and emotionally charged conversations. Guided by Darden faculty, you’ll explore evidence-based practices to build self-awareness and communicate with greater impact.
Live virtual sessions, held twice a week, are paired with daily exercises and real-time application in your own work. By program completion, you’ll be better prepared to embody thoughtful leadership in critical moments.
“This program taught me that leadership starts in the body. When I learned to regulate my own nervous system, I became a more grounded, clear and effective leader, especially in difficult conversations.”
Justin Bingham
General Manager, Market Strategy
Acuity Insurance
Key Themes and Topics
This program explores the following focus areas to deepen your expertise:
Leading Mindfully & Difficult Conversations
Lay the groundwork for mindful leadership by exploring how attention, awareness and presence shape your impact. Learn to approach difficult conversations with greater confidence and care.
Notice Your Survival Reactions
Identify your instinctive responses to stress and complexity, and learn how to work with them rather than against them.
Think Before You Speak
Build greater emotional steadiness so you can take purposeful action, even when conversations feel tense.
Align Intentions & Results
Clarify your purpose in difficult interactions and ensure your communication aligns with your goals and desired outcomes.
Grow Empathy & Goodwill
Strengthen your capacity to understand others’ perspectives and build trust, even when navigating disagreement or conflict.
Apply Grit & Grace
Cultivate resilience and courage while staying compassionate in the face of adversity.
Improvise, Adapt & Overcome
Enhance your ability to improvise and stay grounded when the unexpected arises, while staying aligned with your leadership goals.
Define What’s Next
Reflect on your growth throughout the program and identify practices you can carry forward to support ongoing development.
Session Details
Delivery Format: Live virtual, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. ET
Materials:
- “How To Recapture Leadership’s Lost Moment,” Leader to Leader, June 26, 2020
Delivery Format: Live virtual, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. ET
Materials:
- “5 Ways Leaders Accidentally Stress Out Their Employees” (H05LUQ)
- “The Neurobiology of Grace Under Pressure,” Psychology Today, Feb. 2, 2013
Delivery Format: Live virtual, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. ET
Materials:
- “Think Before You Speak” (BC-0297)
Delivery Format: Live virtual, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. ET
Materials:
- “How To Improve the Pathway Between Intentions and Results,” Leader to Leader, Feb. 1, 2024
Delivery Format: Live virtual, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. ET
Materials:
- “Advocacy and Inquiry,” The Sage Encyclopedia of Action Research, 2014
- “Negotiate Like a Pro” (R2402L)
Delivery Format: Live virtual, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. ET
Materials:
- “To Resolve a Conflict, First Decide: Is It Hot or Cold?” (H00VQZ)
- “How To Respond to a Rude Comment at Work” (H07BQM)
Delivery Format: Live virtual, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. ET
Materials: No readings
Delivery Format: Live virtual, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m. ET
Materials:
- “How To Recapture Leadership’s Lost Moment,” Leader to Leader, June 26, 2020
Meet Your Instructors
Elizabeth A. Powell
Julie Logan Sands Associate Professor of Business Administration, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Director, Compassionate Care Initiative
Specializing in mindful communication and leadership presence, Lili Powell teaches Leading Mindfully. As a consultant, facilitator, instructor and coach, Professor Powell has assisted in industries ranging from banking to biotech. She has worked with numerous national and international businesses, organizations and universities.
Meet Lili
Jeremy Hunter
Associate Professor of Business Administration, Drucker School of Management, Claremont Graduate University
Hunter serves as the founding director of The Executive Mind Leadership Institute and has designed and led leadership development programs for a wide variety of organizations. He works with participants to create a “culture of calm,” resulting in more effective team performance as well as creating better firm-wide solutions.
Meet JeremyEarn Certificate Credit With This Program
This program is one of six offered as part of the UVA Darden Management Development Certificate. Choose any four to complete the certificate and tailor your learning to your goals. You can start with Leading Mindfully or any program you choose. Completion of each program moves you closer to a respected credential from one of the world’s top business schools.
Learn How the Certificate WorksWork Toward Finishing Your Online Management Certificate With Additional Programs
Expand your leadership and technical skills with programs that count toward the Management Development Certificate. Each is designed to enhance your expertise and accelerate your growth.
Collaboration and Influence
Learn to lead through influence, not just authority. This program equips you with frameworks and tools for building trust, managing team dynamics and achieving results through effective collaboration.
Duration: Five weeks
Fee: $1,700
Explore Program
Negotiation Essentials
Strengthen your negotiation skills with practical strategies used by top leaders. You’ll gain tools to navigate complex situations and advocate effectively for yourself and your team.
Duration: Five weeks
Fee: $2,400
Explore Program
Project Management Essentials
Learn to lead projects with clarity and confidence. This program covers the fundamentals of planning and execution, ensuring your projects deliver value on time and on budget.
Duration: Eight weeks
Fee: $2,400
Explore Program
Finance Essentials
Build financial fluency and understand the metrics that drive business decisions. You’ll learn to interpret financial statements, manage budgets and communicate financial insights with confidence.
Duration: Seven weeks
Fee: $2,400
Explore Program
Leadership Essentials
Elevate your leadership with core principles of effective management. This program helps you lead with vision and inspire your team using real-world tools and insights.
Duration: Six weeks
Fee: $2,400
Explore Program