Becoming a Transformational Leader

At the SMU Cox School of Business, we equip leaders with the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to become transformational business leaders in a changing world. Through learning activities based on a model of action, reflection, and adaptation, executives gain the acumen, interpersonal skills, and confidence to address real-world issues and challenges with clarity and conviction.

Watch this special presentation, led by Luigi A. Pecoraro Ed.D., Managing Director at SMU Cox School of Business for a preview of a 12 month journey to becoming a transformational leader. Learn the four key characteristics of a transformational leader and note the empirical evidence that shows how transformational leaders increase employee engagement, productivity, innovation and satisfaction.

You will also have a chance to learn more about how to: 

•  Improve specific transformational leadership behaviors identified through 360 feedback

•  Develop a growth mindset for oneself, others and the enterprise

•  Cultivate more confidence in one’s own capability, agility, and resilience

•  Better able to lead successful change initiatives

•  Adapt and integrate digital solutions into core business practices

•  Leverage trust, authenticity, and influence into everyday interactions.

•  Increase creativity and innovation practices

•  Achieve maximum strategic foresight and execution

•  Increase collaboration across functional areas

Luigi A. Pecoraro Ed.D.

Managing Director

Luigi A. Pecoraro is leading efforts to develop talent and business leadership capabilities for corporate organizations at SMU Cox Executive Education. He recently completed his Executive Doctorate in Workplace Learning and Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania. The PennCLO program, for aspiring CLO’s and Senior Learning Leaders, creates scholarly practitioners who apply evidence-based findings to the creative execution of learning, leadership, change, and strategy in the workplace. Luigi leads collaborative efforts with diverse practice leaders to grow and develop highly-tailored solutions that focus on the execution of business strategy, the role of design management and agile methods, intentional talent development, along with learning and leadership development.

Prior to joining SMU, he was the Director of Custom Corporate Solutions at Weatherhead Executive Education at Case Western Reserve University where he led the efforts to sustain and grow the non-academic leadership development programs locally, nationally, and internationally. These programs addressed the learning and development opportunities for executives and high potential leaders and integrated emerging and breakthrough business and human capital best practices. Mr. Pecoraro also served as Director of Career Management at IIT Stuart School of Business and Career Coach at Boler School of Business at John Carroll University. Before moving to higher education, he was V.P. of Client Sales and Services for Edward Luttner Associates, where he coached executives, management, and other professionals in career planning and development. He was formerly a Director of Business Development for a National Training and Development Company.

Luigi is recognized as an expert in the design, development and delivery of executive development programs with professional, managerial, and executive level clients. He has consulted with a variety of local, national and international firms, and has been acknowledged for outstanding client relations and engagement management, and brings more than 20 years of multiple industry experience to play. Before entering the learning and development industry, Luigi served as the manager of a $10 million annual sales and customer service group for a manufacturing/distributor.

Early in his career, he also served as a Corporate Training and Development Manager for a Healthcare provider located in Northwestern U.S. Mr. Pecoraro has an undergraduate degree from John Carroll University in Humanities, as well as a Master’s degree from Seattle University, with an emphasis in Adult Education and Human Resource Development. He has been a speaker on career and executive development themes.