Aspiring CEO Leadership Circle
Where Preparation And Opportunity Meet.
The future of our industry depends on the next generation of leaders — and on those willing to put in the work to prepare for the corner office. The Aspiring CEO Leadership Circle is designed to equip emerging executives with the insight, confidence, and peer support needed to accelerate their path forward.
Over two years, participants engage in exclusive, curated experiences that drive personal and professional growth. Each Circle is intentionally kept small — a dynamic, intimate cohort of up to 10 aspiring CEOs — creating space for meaningful conversations and deeper development as individuals and as a group. The program will have two areas of focus: understanding the CEO job and preparing for the CEO job.
At Callahan, we believe peer learning is one of the most powerful catalysts for leadership success. This program surrounds you with a trusted network of like-minded leaders who will not only challenge you, but elevate you, as you prepare for your next step.
The Aspiring CEO Leadership Circle is an invite only program for current senior executives preparing for the CEO role. Whether you’re nominating yourself or putting forward another leader, please complete the form below so we can learn more and begin the selection process.
I’m Interested
Roots Of The Program
The roots of this program are grounded in proven, real‑world CEO preparation designed to make the experience both informative and enjoyable. Learning is anchored in CEO Ready by Mark Thompson and Bryon Loflin and complemented by the Six Mindsets from CEO Excellence. A curated syllabus, enriched with supplemental articles and materials, guides participants through the capabilities and mindsets essential for CEO‑level leadership.
Each participant will be asked to complete the CliftonStrengths assessment and use their results as a personal lens to understand strengths and potential success factors as they navigate their current role, the CEO recruitment process, and ultimately the CEO seat.
To bring real‑world moments into the experience, we will occasionally call on retired and current CEOs to share real decisions, challenges, and wins, giving you practical, experience‑backed guidance that accelerates your leadership growth.
The curriculum also integrates two important dimensions of CEO readiness:
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- Executive Search Insights featuring a Callahan-curated white paper on the realities of CEO recruitment.
- Board Partnership Realities developed with Quantum Governance to illuminate board dynamics, alignment signals, and best practices for building constructive CEO-board relationships.
How The 2-Year Program Works
Two In-Person Meetings
Annually
Two Virtual Meetings
Annually
Cohort Engagement & Support
Ongoing
What You’ll Gain
- Learning a new lens to rethink assumptions, uncover fresh ideas, and broaden your leadership approach.
- Attendee-driven discussion that tackles the topics you care about most, turning every conversation into actionable insight.
- Networking that goes beyond introductions, connecting you with ambitious peers who inspire and challenge you.
- Creating feedback loops that provide honest, ongoing input to accelerate your growth and sharpen your skills.
- Building trust through authentic relationships that form a reliable, high-impact leadership network.
Cohort Selection Process
The size and fit of each group is imperative to the success of the overall experience. That’s why we hand-select leaders for each and every Aspiring CEO Leadership Circle cohort. Here are some of the main characteristics we look for in our leaders:
- Humble
- Innovative
- Collaborative
- Open-minded
- Eager to learn
Feel like this might be a fit for you? Inquire today about joining our next cohort.
Better
Better
Better
Already Sitting In The CEO Position?
We have a circle waiting for you, too. Discover how our CEO Leadership Circles equip and support those guiding their organizations forward.
Our Facilitators
Jay Johnson
Chief Collaboration Officer
Katy Slater
SVP
Erin Coleman
Vice President of Industry Impact
Chris Howard
SVP
Andrea Pruna
Strategic Consulting Principal
Let's Work Together!
Learn more about Callahan’s Aspiring CEO Leadership Circle.