A tailored course, built for your situation
Strategic Leadership in Higher Education: Influence, Impact, and Institutional Advancement
A tailored path for advancing leadership presence and governance influence in academic communities.
$199 one-time
24-hour access provisioning
30-day money-back guarantee
Hand-built implementation playbook
12 modules. 12 chapters per module. 144 chapters total.
12 modules, each with 12 chapters (144 chapters total), text-based, plus downloadable templates and a hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Feeling the weight of high expectations without a clear blueprint to scale your influence?
The situation this course is for
You're stepping into elite leadership circles, AGB, institutional governance, academic strategy, where credibility is expected but not easily earned. Your background in fraud examination shows rigor, but now you're navigating politics, legacy systems, and siloed stakeholders. You need to lead without direct authority, build consensus across departments, and position yourself as indispensable, all while staying authentic and avoiding burnout.
Who this is for
Dr. Ericka Covington: Higher education leader, governance fellow, MHR, PhD, advancing institutional impact through collaboration and strategic clarity.
Who this is not for
This is not for entry-level administrators, faculty focused solely on teaching, or those not actively engaged in leadership development programs.
What you walk away with
- Lead with influence across decentralized academic structures
- Build stakeholder alignment without formal authority
- Navigate institutional politics with integrity and precision
- Design governance-ready initiatives that gain traction
- Advance visibility and readiness for executive leadership roles
The 12 modules (with all 144 chapters)
Module 1. Foundations of Academic Influence
Understand the unspoken rules of power and perception in higher education. Learn how credibility is built, maintained, and leveraged in governance settings.
12 chapters in this module
- Defining influence in academia
- Mapping power dynamics
- Credibility signals
- Trust without authority
- The role of integrity
- Visibility vs. visibility
- Positioning for impact
- Language of leadership
- Nonlinear advancement
- Reputation architecture
- Consensus foundations
- Influence metrics
Module 2. Governance Fluency
Decode the structures, bylaws, and behavioral norms of academic governance. Prepare to contribute meaningfully from day one in AGB and beyond.
12 chapters in this module
- Board structures explained
- Bylaws mastery
- Committee dynamics
- Policy interpretation
- Decision timelines
- Agenda influence
- Stakeholder mapping
- Silent power holders
- Meeting psychology
- Voting patterns
- Conflict in governance
- Post-meeting impact
Module 3. Stakeholder Alignment
Build coalitions across departments, faculty, and administration. Turn resistance into collaboration using ethical influence frameworks.
12 chapters in this module
- Identifying key players
- Motivation analysis
- Alliance building
- Faculty dynamics
- Administrative layers
- Student impact paths
- Trust signals
- Resistance mapping
- Influence levers
- Win-win design
- Feedback loops
- Sustainability checks
Module 4. Leading Without Authority
Master the art of guiding change without formal power. Use structured frameworks to lead initiatives across siloed units.
12 chapters in this module
- Authority myths
- Informal leadership
- Change catalyst role
- Project ownership
- Cross-unit influence
- Resource navigation
- Moral authority
- Credibility stacking
- Visibility tactics
- Momentum building
- Accountability design
- Exit strategies
Module 5. Strategic Communication in Academia
Craft messages that resonate with executives, faculty, and boards. Learn the tone, timing, and framing that drive action.
12 chapters in this module
- Executive messaging
- Faculty communication
- Board-level writing
- Email precision
- Presentation framing
- Data storytelling
- Tone calibration
- Crisis comms prep
- Feedback handling
- Influence language
- Persuasion patterns
- Silence strategy
Module 6. Ethical Influence Systems
Leverage your CFE background to lead with integrity. Build systems that resist corruption and promote transparency.
12 chapters in this module
- Ethics as leverage
- Fraud awareness
- Audit mindset
- Transparency design
- Risk signaling
- Whistleblower dynamics
- Compliance framing
- Integrity metrics
- Governance audits
- Policy gaps
- Preventive controls
- Culture shaping
Module 7. Institutional Politics Navigation
Recognize and respond to hidden agendas, power plays, and legacy conflicts without compromising your values.
12 chapters in this module
- Power play types
- Legacy conflict signs
- Alliance shifts
- Reputation risks
- Neutral positioning
- Information control
- Timing tactics
- Exit options
- Conflict de-escalation
- Neutral language
- Position tracking
- Influence cycles
Module 8. Visibility and Presence
Increase your strategic visibility in ways that feel authentic and build long-term influence.
12 chapters in this module
- Presence design
- Event strategy
- Speaking opportunities
- Internal branding
- Mentor visibility
- Board exposure
- Publication paths
- Conference impact
- Media readiness
- Digital footprint
- Reputation audits
- Legacy planning
Module 9. Change Architecture
Design change initiatives that survive committee review and gain real traction in resistant environments.
12 chapters in this module
- Change readiness
- Pilot design
- Stakeholder buy-in
- Risk assessment
- Pilot metrics
- Feedback integration
- Scaling logic
- Resource mapping
- Timeline design
- Exit planning
- Legacy integration
- Impact reporting
Module 10. Executive Readiness
Prepare for senior leadership roles with structured development in decision-making, budgeting, and institutional strategy.
12 chapters in this module
- Leadership gaps
- Budget literacy
- Strategic planning
- Crisis response
- Succession logic
- Board expectations
- Time allocation
- Delegation systems
- Policy mastery
- Institutional memory
- Exit planning
- Legacy impact
Module 11. Collaborative Creation
Lead interdisciplinary projects that unite academics, administrators, and external partners around shared goals.
12 chapters in this module
- Team formation
- Goal alignment
- Conflict frameworks
- Creative facilitation
- Idea synthesis
- Credit sharing
- Project governance
- Timeline management
- Resource pooling
- Equity design
- Feedback integration
- Outcome measurement
Module 12. Sustainable Leadership
Avoid burnout and build a resilient leadership practice that lasts through multiple institutional cycles.
12 chapters in this module
- Energy management
- Boundary setting
- Support systems
- Mental resilience
- Workload filters
- Recovery rhythms
- Legacy pacing
- Impact tracking
- Feedback loops
- Adaptation cycles
- Influence renewal
- Exit preparation
How this maps to your situation
- Entering elite leadership development (AGB Institute)
- Balancing governance with academic mission
- Leading change without formal authority
- Building cross-institutional influence
Before vs. after
Before
Overwhelmed by unspoken rules, navigating complex stakeholder dynamics, and struggling to lead without formal authority.
After
Confidently shaping governance conversations, building alliances across silos, and advancing institutional impact with clarity and integrity.
What's included with your purchase
- 12 modules with 12 chapters each (144 chapters)
- Downloadable templates and worked examples for every module
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Delivery and format
- Course and learning environment access provisioned within 24 hours of purchase
- Hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access
Format: Text-based modules and chapters in the Art of Service learning environment, plus downloadable templates and worked examples for every chapter, plus the hand-built implementation playbook delivered alongside course access.
Time investment: Approximately 3-4 hours per week over 12 weeks to complete all modules, apply templates, and build your implementation plan.
If nothing changes
Without a structured approach to influence and governance, even the most capable leaders get stuck in reactive mode, overlooked for key roles, drained by politics, and unable to scale their impact.
How this compares to the alternatives
Unlike generic leadership courses, this program is tailored to the unique challenges of higher education governance, blending strategic influence, ethical rigor, and institutional navigation in a way that respects your background and current trajectory.
Frequently asked
Is this course relevant for someone in higher education governance?
Yes. It’s designed for leaders in academic governance, especially those advancing through formal leadership institutes.
How is the course structured?
12 modules, each containing 12 chapters (144 chapters total).
Does it leverage my background in compliance or auditing?
Yes. Module 6 is dedicated to ethical influence systems, using your CFE experience as a leadership advantage.
$199 one-time. Approximately 3-4 hours per week over 12 weeks to complete all modules, apply templates, and build your implementation plan..
Within 24 hours your account in the learning environment is provisioned and the tailored implementation playbook is delivered alongside it.
30-day money-back guarantee·
144 chapters·
Hand-built playbook included·
Account access within 24 hours