Mastering Influential Leadership: Leadership, Resilience and the Power of Connection
Now Enrolling for Spring 2027
Join the next cohort starting 17 February 2027. Spaces are limited and expected to fill quickly.
About the Program
Mastering Influential Leadership is a premier executive development experience designed for senior leaders in healthcare and life sciences who are ready to amplify their impact through influence, not authority.
Led personally by Mary E. Stutts, CEO of the HBA, this immersive cohort-based program combines evidence-based leadership frameworks, candid executive insights, and practical application to help leaders strengthen their ability to inspire action, build trust, and drive meaningful results.
More than a leadership course, this is a transformational experience. Participants will explore the science and practice of influence, learn how to activate leadership at every level of an organization, and develop the presence, credibility, and strategic mindset required to lead in today's increasingly complex environment.
Transformative Leadership Capabilities
Lead Without Carrying It All
Discover how influential leaders create momentum by activating the strengths, expertise, and energy of others—building organizational capacity without creating personal burnout.
Inspire Commitment, Not Compliance
Move beyond directing work to inspiring action. Learn how to foster deeper engagement, alignment, and ownership across teams and stakeholders.
Harness the Power of Strategic Storytelling
Develop authentic leadership narratives that connect people to purpose, accelerate change, and bring vision to life.
Create Influence That Scales
Build influence as a force multiplier—strengthening collaboration, accelerating performance, and driving impact across functions, teams, and organizational levels.
About Your Instructor
Mary E. Stutts is CEO of the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA), a globally recognized executive, author, and leadership strategist. Throughout her career, she has helped leaders across healthcare and life sciences navigate complexity, strengthen resilience, and elevate their influence.
Known for blending research-backed leadership principles with powerful storytelling and practical application, Mary equips leaders with the tools and confidence to lead with greater purpose, presence, and impact.
This work we do does not happen by accident. It happens because of the leaders who choose to step up, who choose to do the work, and who choose to build an industry more innovative, more human, and more representative of the patients we serve.
Mary Stutts CEO, HBA
"Mastering Influential Leadership is less about persuasion and more about the quality of questions a leader asks. This program trains leaders to use strategic inquiry as a primary tool for building credibility, navigating organizational dynamics, and driving decisions."
Program Graduate
"Mary's practical stories and real-world scenarios make the tools of influential leadership immediately applicable — session after session. The leaders in this program aren't waiting for the right moment. They're creating it — and you can too."
Program Graduate
Further Your Leadership Journey
Power Connections: The Executive’s Guide to Influential Leadership
Discover Power Connections: The Executive’s Guide to Influential Leadership by HBA CEO Mary E. Stutts. In today’s rapidly evolving world, leadership is no longer defined by authority alone. Lasting influence is built through authentic relationships, resilience, and meaningful impact.
Drawing on decades of leadership experience, Mary shares practical strategies and actionable insights that leaders across industries can apply to strengthen their influence, expand their networks, and lead with purpose.
As an added benefit, proceeds from every book purchase support the HBA’s programs and initiatives, helping advance our mission and expand our impact across the health and life sciences ecosystem.
