UNC Executive Development

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UNC Executive Development

Executive Development at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School is an internationally recognized leader in executive education.

UNC Executive Development takes great pride in designing and delivering innovative, customized learning solutions in collaboration with our client organizations to address their specific business needs and drive long-term impact. A part of UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, UNC Executive Development is an internationally recognized leader in the field of executive education, ranked #2 in the Unite

d States, #5 Globally for Faculty, and #5 Globally for Aims Achieved according to the 2022 Financial Times.

05/19/2026

AI delivers speed, precision, and scale, but leadership requires more than algorithms.

Ethics, empathy, and trust cannot be automated, and they remain essential for guiding teams and shaping organizational culture.

Explore how to integrate AI without losing the human qualities that define strong leadership, accountability, trust, and long-term organizational success: https://ow.ly/AXcN50XUbtC

05/18/2026

AI adoption is accelerating across industries, but better systems rely on one thing: better data.

This article breaks down the root causes of technological bias in generative AI systems and offers a leadership‑focused framework for building trustworthy and transparent AI systems.

If your organization is exploring or expanding its use of AI, this article offers key insights: https://ow.ly/36XT50YvZyY

05/15/2026

It was a great few days in Boston, MA for the UNC Executive Development team at the CLO Exchange Health and Life Sciences.

A highlight was a main-stage conversation between Ellen Conway and Liz Dorney-Wilcox, recently retired Head of Executive Development at AbbVie.

The discussion showed how real L&D impact comes from building a leadership system rather than delivering isolated experiences.

Liz shared a powerful example from her career where leadership development was tightly aligned to strategy, integrated with talent processes, and reinforced through performance management and executive engagement. As she put it:

“Executive sponsorship and engagement sends a strong message for the importance of learning and development…. Finding a partner like UNC Executive Development who could work with us at a pace to deliver a really high-quality learning experience was critical.”

A few additional themes stood out across the event:

• Storytelling drives alignment, but must be backed by systems, not just vision
• Human capability remains the differentiator in an AI-driven world
• Critical thinking and curiosity are essential for responsible AI use
• Shared learning experiences shape culture and strengthen enterprise alignment

Blake Aldridge, Laura Butcher, and Ellen Conway are grateful for the conversations and perspectives.

If your organization is thinking about how to better align leadership development to strategy and measurable outcomes, let’s connect: https://ow.ly/nQKY50Z093C

05/14/2026

The competition for top talent is shaped by candidate experience.

Every interaction in the hiring process influences how candidates perceive your organization, whether they stay engaged, and how they talk about your brand afterward.

In a market where information moves quickly, these perceptions reach far beyond a single applicant.

Leaders who invest in clarity, communication, and psychological safety during hiring create stronger connections with high-quality candidates and reinforce their talent brand.

Read the full article to learn why candidate experience is a strategic talent advantage: https://ow.ly/GT7J50YWK3f

05/13/2026

Transitioning from military to civilian life is just the beginning.

At the April 2025 "Always Learning for Success" event hosted by UNC Executive Development in Chapel Hill, NC, veterans and spouses explored strategies for thriving in today’s world, supported by leaders in the public and private sectors.

Panelists like Ian Peoples of event sponsor Apex Service Partners shared how networking and lifelong learning have been critical to his success after military service. Conversations like these highlighted the importance of planning for development across the entire career journey.

Read the full story: https://ow.ly/ukA850XL4ug

05/12/2026

Curiosity is a cornerstone of sustainable influence.

Leaders who ask questions uncover perspectives, reduce groupthink, and strengthen team resilience. This approach builds trust and creates space for innovation, even in times of uncertainty.

Our latest article shares strategies for making questions your most persuasive tool and explores why this habit matters more than ever for leaders: https://ow.ly/mXqu50XC5xM

05/11/2026

What could your team accomplish with three additional hours of productive time each day?

One organization found the answer after transforming its meeting culture with the support of a custom executive education program co-created in a partnership with UNC Executive Development.

This article breaks down the leadership shifts that led to stronger alignment, better communication, and renewed energy across the organization.

Explore the full case study here: https://ow.ly/7SCs50Yz9SR

05/06/2026

When leadership development is done right, it goes beyond knowledge transfer. It empowers leaders to think in new ways, make strategic decisions, and inspire others.

UNC Executive Development is preparing organizations to meet the future head-on, no matter how complex the challenge.

Hear leaders describe their organization’s experience as they share insights in their own words: https://ow.ly/FKWB50WwjIK

04/30/2026

AI adoption continues to grow across organizations, yet trust in AI outputs remains uneven.

The real leadership challenge today isn’t whether to use AI. It’s how to integrate it responsibly while maintaining transparency, judgment, and control.

Our latest article explores what leaders can do to close this gap before it slows innovation and decision‑making.

Read “Closing the Trust Gap in the Era of AI Hallucinations”: https://ow.ly/MOEE50YS14r

04/27/2026

The UNC Executive Development team will be attending the upcoming CLO Exchange: Health & Life Sciences in Boston, MA. The event will take place from May 3–5.

In a fast‑changing environment, leadership development is most effective when it is strategically aligned, practical, and built to adapt.

One conversation we are excited to bring to the event is a dialogue between UNC Executive Development’s Ellen Conway and Liz Dorney-Wilcox, recently retired Head of Executive Development at AbbVie.

Drawing from her decades-long career leading executive development, Liz will share what sets apart leadership development that lasts, from strategic alignment and pipeline building to reinforcement beyond the classroom. The discussion will take place on Sunday, May 3 at 12:00 pm.

The team looks forward to sharing perspectives on what effective leadership development looks like today and what lies ahead. If you are attending the event, be sure to stop by and say hello to Ellen Conway, Laura Butcher, and Blake Aldridge.

Request to register today: https://ow.ly/3kWb50YP3Lf

Address

130 Dubose Home Lane
Chapel Hill, NC
27517

Telephone

+18008623932

Website

http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/executive-development/

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