Center for Creative Leadership

What Center for Creative Leadership does

The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1970 in Greensboro, North Carolina, that specializes exclusively in research-based leadership development. It serves enterprise clients across the Fortune 1000, government agencies, healthcare systems, foundations, and nonprofits through a tiered portfolio spanning executive programs (Leadership at the Peak, Leading for Organizational Impact), the flagship mid-level Leadership Development Program (LDP)®, frontline/new-manager courses, executive coaching, 360-degree assessments, and the CCL Passport™ all-access subscription. Its underlying platform is a five-decade proprietary research base — described as one of the largest leadership research databases in the world — coupled with assessment instruments and evidence-based frameworks, delivered by a global faculty and coach network.

CCL earns revenue through multiple streams: per-participant program fees (e.g., $15,250 USD for Leadership at the Peak in Colorado Springs, S$6,500 for APAC frontline programs, €3,900 for EMEA equivalents), custom enterprise development engagements priced on quote, executive coaching as a professional service, the CCL Passport™ subscription/master license for content and tools, and philanthropy-funded fellowship programs with foundations such as W.K. Kellogg, Robert Wood Johnson, Coca-Cola Scholars, American Express, and McKnight. Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales through regional teams in the Americas, EMEA, and APAC, an online self-serve shop, GSA Schedule 874 federal contracting (GS-02F-0077T), and event-driven demand generation via webinars, research publications, and thought leadership.

Operationally, CCL maintains global campuses in Greensboro (global HQ), Colorado Springs, San Diego, Brussels (EMEA regional HQ), Singapore (APAC regional HQ), Riyadh, Dubai, Gurgaon (near New Delhi), and Shanghai. The organization has approximately 501-1,000 employees, was ranked among TrainingIndustry.com's top providers of leadership training in both 2024 and 2025, achieved UN Global Compact Sustainable Supplier certification in 2025, and is led by President & CEO Scott Bohannon with David Moore appointed as CFO in December 2025. CCL is a private nonprofit with no parent company, no subsidiaries, no disclosed funding rounds, and no M&A activity.

Name

Center for Creative Leadership

Legal name

Center for Creative Leadership

Website

https://ccl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Center for Creative Leadership is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1970 that delivers research-based leadership development programs, executive coaching, assessments, and the CCL Passport™ subscription to enterprises, governments, and foundations globally, anchored by a five-decade proprietary research base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate & Leadership Development (BPACANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA), C-Suite & Senior Executive Coaching (EDABANAA), Leadership Assessment, 360 Feedback & Development Planning (EDABAAAK), Talent Management & Leadership Advisory (Succession, Performance, Culture) (BPACAJAH)

Keywords

• Leadership development programs
• Executive coaching services
• Leadership assessment tools
• Organizational development consulting
• Management training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Greensboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Leadership Development Programs: Open-enrollment and customized leadership programs for executives, mid-level managers, and frontline leaders. Programs offered at various global campuses and virtually.
2. Coaching Services: Personalized executive coaching for individual leaders delivered through a global network of highly trained coaches.
3. Content Licensing (CCL Passport™): Subscription-based licensing model offering master license for all leadership content, tools, and programs to scale development across organizations.
4. Customized Development Solutions: Tailored leadership development programs designed and delivered for specific organizational needs and contexts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Center for Creative Leadership delivers research-based leadership development programs, executive coaching, 360-degree assessments, and customized organizational solutions for individuals and enterprises. Its offerings span open-enrollment programs for individual leaders, tailored enterprise programs for organizations, the CCL Passport™ subscription for scalable content access, and verticalized solutions for financial services, government, healthcare, and nonprofit sectors.

Product overview

Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) offers a comprehensive portfolio of leadership development solutions, centered on its flagship Leadership Development Program (LDP)® and supplemented by the CCL Passport™ subscription. The portfolio includes tiered programs for executives (Leadership at the Peak, Leading for Organizational Impact), mid-level managers (LDP®), and frontline/new managers (Maximizing Your Leadership Potential). Supporting services encompass 360 Assessments, Coaching Services, Custom Leadership Development, and Better Conversations Every Day™. CCL has expanded into AI leadership training with offerings including Leadership at the AI Frontier, The Human Side of AI Change, and Collective Leadership for AI Integration. Additional offerings include resilience training (Burn Bright), wellbeing leadership training, organizational change leadership, and specialized industry solutions for financial services and government sectors. All solutions are available in-person, virtually, or through content licensing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CCL Passport™: A subscription program offering unlimited access to world-class, research-based leadership development content and solutions.
• Leadership Development Program (LDP)®

Products and services

• Leadership Development Program (LDP)® The flagship and longest-running leadership development program of its kind in the world, available in person or live online, providing comprehensive whole-person development that strengthens abilities to understand oneself, manage complexity, balance competing priorities, and collaborate. Aimed at mid-level managers and leaders of senior professionals.
• CCL Passport™ An all-in-one subscription offering unlimited access to world-class, research-based leadership development content and solutions, providing a master license for all CCL content, tools, and programs with curated learning paths for every leader level. Targeted at organizations seeking to scale leadership development across their workforce.
• Executive Leadership Programs Comprehensive, top-ranked programs for C-suite and senior executives featuring whole-person, highly individualized development for organizational challenges, including Leadership at the Peak and Leading for Organizational Impact.
• Leadership at the Peak 5-day intensive executive development program for C-suite and senior executives, maximizing personal leadership power to develop action plans and clarify organizational vision. Priced at $15,250 USD per participant.
• Leading for Organizational Impact Personalized development for senior leaders featuring a world-renowned business simulation, enhancing ability to lead while balancing tactical concerns with strategic priorities.
• Mid-Level Manager Training Programs equipping experienced leaders, mid-level managers, directors, and leaders of senior professionals to connect strategy to tactical daily work while maintaining resilience.
• Maximizing Your Leadership Potential (Frontline & New Manager Courses) Programs for first-time managers and frontline leaders focused on developing skills to get results through others, including the Maximizing Your Leadership Potential 3-day program available regionally.
• Online Leadership Training Virtual and digital leadership training programs accessible remotely, including live online versions of flagship programs and self-paced learning paths.
• Better Conversations Every Day™ Conversation training program that helps build coaching cultures and scales communication and conversational skills across organizations for effective change leadership.
• 360 Assessments Research-based leadership assessment tools providing comprehensive feedback on leadership behaviors and skills from multiple perspectives including direct reports, peers, and supervisors.
• Coaching Services Personalized executive coaching for individual leaders delivered by a highly trained global network of coaches, addressing top organizational challenges.
• Custom Leadership Development Fully tailored development solutions customized for specific business needs to develop critical leadership competencies given organizational challenges and culture.
• Leadership at the AI Frontier Custom AI workshops for senior teams addressing AI adoption challenges, helping leaders increase capacity to integrate perspectives, take collective action, and align on AI goals.
• Collective Leadership for AI Integration AI training for managers and leaders designed to help integrate new ways of working across the enterprise, coordinating AI initiatives across functions and geographies.
• Wellbeing Leadership Training Evidence-based training module equipping leaders to create more trusting, psychologically safe cultures, foster innovation, and support collaboration to prevent burnout.
• Burn Bright — Not Out (Resilience Training) Resilience-building course helping leaders rethink, recharge, and recalibrate to prevent manager burnout, available in various formats.
• The Leadership Reset (Executive Retreat) High-impact executive retreat for senior teams experiencing overload, providing re-energization, renewed mindsets, and greater alignment without disrupting operations.
• Organizational Change Leadership Consulting Custom consulting services advising executive teams on building change leadership capability and shaping organizational culture to support change initiatives.
• Leading Globally (APAC Program) Asian leadership development program exclusively for APAC executives, designed to strengthen leadership skills, boost resilience, and expand leadership mindset for Asian leaders leading globally.
• Organizational Culture & Leadership Development Services Services for senior teams to understand how organizational culture, leadership, and strategy are linked, tailoring solutions to unique context and challenges; designed to foster greater trust, collaboration, productivity, and innovation.
• Fellowship Programs (with Foundations) Multi-year fellowship programs designed with grant-making organizations and corporate foundations to offer professional development supported by philanthropy, including the Community Leadership Network and Ladder to Leadership.
• Financial Services Leadership Training Customized leadership development programs for finance professionals addressing the unique challenges of highly regulated financial environments, available at all leader levels.
• Government Leadership Training Leadership programs for government agencies with GSA Schedule 874 (MOBIS) contract pricing (GS-02F-0077T), targeting leaders at every tier of government organizations.
• Executive Team Development Services assessing and improving executive team dynamics to enhance collaboration and organizational results.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of participants in financial services programs would recommend the course to others
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• W.K. Kellogg FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCL partners with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to design and deliver multi-year fellowship programs offering professional development supported by philanthropy. The Community Leadership Network fellowship develops local leaders who can unite people to create transformational change toward a more equitable society.
• Robert Wood Johnson FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCL partners with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation on the Ladder to Leadership program, developing the next generation of community health leaders through coaching and professional development.
• Coca-Cola Scholars FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCL partners with the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation on the Scholar Coaching Initiative, providing coaching to scholarship recipients to build leadership capacity.
• American ExpresscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCL partners with American Express on the American Express Leadership Academy, developing nonprofit leaders to bridge talent gaps in the social sector.
• McKnight FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCL partners with the McKnight Foundation's Collaborative Crop Research Program to provide leadership development for community agriculture leaders.
• UN Global CompactcoreOthersCCL has received Sustainable Supplier certification from the UN Global Compact (through UN Global Impact) for advancing responsible business practices in social and environmental sustainability.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Development Dimensions International (DDI): DDI is a direct competitor to CCL, offering research-based leadership development programs, assessments, and executive coaching to enterprise clients globally. Both organizations compete head-to-head in the Fortune 1000 leadership training market with comparable methodologies and tiered program portfolios.
• FranklinCovey: FranklinCovey is a direct competitor offering leadership training, executive coaching, and organizational development solutions to enterprises worldwide. The companies overlap significantly in leadership development content delivery, with both serving Fortune 1000 clients through subscription and program-based models.
• Dale Carnegie Training: Dale Carnegie Training is a direct competitor offering leadership, management, and professional development training to organizations and individuals. It has comparable geographic reach and competes in the same tiered leadership program market as CCL.
• BTS Group: BTS is a direct competitor specializing in executive development, business simulations, and leadership consulting, with a strong global presence. It competes with CCL's Leading for Organizational Impact program and custom leadership development offerings.
• Wilson Learning: Wilson Learning is a direct competitor offering leadership, sales, and workforce development solutions to global enterprises. It overlaps with CCL in leadership development programs and assessments, particularly in the APAC and EMEA markets.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a broad incumbent that provides executive coaching, leadership development, and talent management as part of a larger organizational consulting and executive search portfolio. It competes with CCL in executive education and coaching while offering broader HR advisory capabilities.
• Egon Zehnder: Egon Zehnder is a broad incumbent offering executive coaching, leadership advisory, and board services through its global consulting practice. It overlaps with CCL's executive coaching and senior leadership development offerings, though it is anchored in executive search.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a broad incumbent providing executive coaching, leadership assessment, and culture shaping through its Heidrick Consulting practice. It competes with CCL in executive coaching, succession planning, and 360 assessments for senior leadership.

Emerging players

• BetterUp: BetterUp is an emerging digital coaching and leadership development platform leveraging AI and a global coach marketplace. It competes with CCL's coaching services at significantly lower price points and a fully digital delivery model, particularly relevant for enterprise L&D buyers seeking scale.
• CoachHub: CoachHub is an emerging digital coaching platform serving enterprise clients globally with AI-matched executive and leadership coaching. It competes directly with CCL Passport and Coaching Services for enterprise digital coaching budgets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CenterforCreativeLeadership
• Facebookfacebook.com/CenterforCreativeLeadership
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-creative-leadership
• Instagraminstagram.com/ccldotorg
• Xx.com/ccldotorg

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Center for Creative Leadership