The Opportunity
Credit Suisse wanted senior leaders to expand their leadership beyond the boundaries of their organization. As part of the Senior Directors Leadership Development Programme, the Leading Beyond the Organization (LBO) module was designed as a culminating experience that would stretch participants both personally and professionally.
The goal was to create a setting where leaders could apply advanced leadership concepts to real challenges faced by community organizations supported by the Credit Suisse Foundation.
Emerging World partnered with Credit Suisse to design a module that invited leaders to apply advanced leadership concepts to real-world challenges faced by community organizations supported by the Credit Suisse Foundation.
The Journey
Participants worked in small groups with social impact organizations focused on financial inclusion and financial education. Across six intensive sessions over two weeks, leaders explored the systemic roots of each challenge, engaged directly with partner organizations and co-developed practical solutions. The process required leaders to listen deeply, challenge their own assumptions and collaborate across different professional and cultural perspectives.
Emerging World coaches supported the process, helping participants translate insights into practical action. Through structured reflection, challenge and real-time feedback, the conditions were created for genuine transformative learning — not just new ideas, but new ways of seeing, thinking and acting.
The Transformation
Participants reported measurable shifts in how they approached leadership challenges. Five months after the experience, survey results showed positive behavioural change across four leadership dimensions:
- Being Real
- Being Effective
- Being Innovative
- Being Whole
The results speak clearly:
- 86% strongly agreed the experience gave them new perspectives that would influence how they lead.
- 100% would recommend the programme to colleagues.
- 100% of partner organizations reported significant progress on the challenges they brought.
Leading Beyond the Organization demonstrated what becomes possible when senior leaders are invited to step outside their organisational context and into shared, real-world challenges.
As one participant reflected: “It was a fantastic experience, which I found very motivational. I would recommend this to any leader, as the ability to see how your skills outside of your comfort zone or expertise can provide benefit is really motivating to see.”
The programme was also recognized as an example of innovative practice by Points of Light.
