Prove What You
Can Actually Do.
90 days. Three courses. Three coaching sessions. One credential that tells your employer, and the world, exactly what kind of leader you are.
Not a Certificate.
A Credential.
Completion certificates prove attendance. This credential proves capability. There is a meaningful difference between the two — and your employer, your next interviewer, and the leaders above you already know it.
Curriculum Built for Your Level
Three courses, sequenced and compounding. Each one builds on the last. The content is targeted to where you are in your career — not a generalist leadership library, but a focused development path designed for Directors, Senior Managers, and VPs.
Accountability That Produces Results
Three live, 1-on-1 sessions with Dr. Arrington — not a group call, not a pre-recorded Q&A. Your actual challenges, your actual decisions, your actual leadership — examined and sharpened by someone with 18 years of experience developing senior leaders.
Something Worth Putting on LinkedIn
90 days of structured development, applied to real work, verified by a coach who held you accountable throughout. The credential you finish with isn't participation — it's proof, backed by the program design, the coaching record, and demonstrated outcomes.
Choose the Path That Fits Where You Are.
Three programs. Each one built for a specific point in your leadership career. You will know which one is right before you reach the bottom of this section.
Certified People Manager
You are managing people for the first time or early in your management career. This program gives you the foundation to lead with confidence from day one.
- Goals That Get Results
- Developing High Performing People
- Managing, Supervising and Leading
- 3 x 1-on-1 executive coaching sessions
- 90-day structured development path
- Verifiable digital credential and certificate
Certified Strategic Leader
You are operating at the intersection of people and strategy. This program develops the capabilities that define leaders at the senior level.
- Providing Strategic Direction
- Leading High Performing Teams
- Getting Results with Positive Accountability
- 3 x 1-on-1 executive coaching sessions
- 90-day structured development path
- Verifiable digital credential and certificate
ASCEND: Certified Executive Leader
Eight months. Eight courses. Sixteen coaching sessions. This is the most rigorous leadership development program we offer and it is designed for leaders who are serious about reaching the top.
- 8 executive-level courses across leadership, strategy and executive presence
- 16 x 1-on-1 coaching sessions with Dr. Arrington
- 8-month immersive development path
- Verifiable executive credential and premium certificate
Three Months. Three Courses. One Credential.
Every program follows the same structure. You build the knowledge, apply it to your real work, and finish with outcomes you can demonstrate. Not just a certificate that says you watched the videos.
You Build the Model
The first course establishes the framework for your certification path. You learn what exceptional leaders at your level actually do differently, and you build a clear picture of where you are today versus where this program will take you. The content is applied to your current role from day one.
You Put It to Work
The second course moves from understanding to execution. You are applying what you learned in Month 1 to real situations at work, getting feedback on how it lands, and building the kind of consistency that turns a new approach into a new habit. Your team will start to notice the difference before this month is over.
You Prove It
The final course integrates everything. You pull three months of learning and application into a coherent, demonstrable leadership approach that you can articulate, defend, and execute. By the time you finish this course, you are not describing better leadership. You are doing it.
Built by Someone Who Has Done the Work.
Dr. David Arrington
Doctorate in Strategic Leadership · Executive Coach · Founder, Arrington CoachingBefore building any of this, Dr. Arrington spent over a decade in high-stakes leadership roles. He managed North American recruiting for a global division that sold for a billion dollars. He led teams of more than 150 people. He watched power plays and duplicity get praised as good leadership. He watched brilliant people collect leadership books like trophies and lead no better for it.
That experience produced a conviction he has built his entire practice around: knowing the theory is worthless if it does not change how you lead on Monday morning. In 2015, he founded Arrington Coaching to bridge the gap between what leaders know and what they actually do.
His background as a network engineer, recruiting manager, entrepreneur, pastor, and executive coach gives him a perspective most coaches simply do not have. He has worked across industries most people would never connect: shipbuilding and nonprofit leadership, construction and communications, real estate and legal. What those clients had in common was not their industry. It was the gap between where they were and where they needed to be.
I grew tired of the intellectual ego trip. Leaders do not need more theory. They need frameworks they can use today, with the people they lead right now, in the actual situations they are dealing with. That is what these programs are built to deliver.
Promotable: How to Demonstrate Your Value, Highlight Your Potential and Land Your Next Promotion
The playbook for leaders who are ready to move up and need to know how to make the case for themselves.
View on AmazonNeutrality is not a shield. The political game is happening to you whether you participate or not. I teach leaders to stop being moved by forces they are not actively countering.
Dr. David ArringtonDevelop Your Entire Leadership Bench.
When one leader grows, the impact is real. When an entire cohort of Directors and VPs goes through the same rigorous development at the same time, the organizational change is measurable.
Corporate membership gives your managers and senior leaders access to certification programs at member pricing, with group enrollment, dedicated onboarding, and the ability to track progress across your entire team.
Talk to Our TeamEverything your team needs to develop and credential your leaders.
- Certification programs at member pricing for all enrolled leaders
- Group enrollment and team onboarding support
- Progress tracking across your leadership cohort
- Dedicated account management
- Access to all standard course library content
- Priority scheduling for coaching sessions
- Volume pricing available for 5+ participants
What People Ask Before Enrolling.
If you have a question not covered here, the fastest answer is a 15-minute discovery call.
Which certification is right for my level?
Certified People Manager is built for Directors and Senior Managers who lead teams directly and want to demonstrate that capability formally. Certified Strategic Leader is for Senior Managers and VPs operating at the intersection of people and organizational strategy — leaders who need to influence beyond their direct reports. ASCEND is for VPs and senior Directors who are 12–24 months from a C-suite move and want the most rigorous development path available. If you're unsure, a 15-minute discovery call will give you a clear answer.
How much time does this require each week?
Plan for 3–5 hours per week across coursework, assignments, and application exercises. The program is designed for working leaders — not students. Coaching sessions are scheduled around your calendar. The structure is demanding by design, but it fits inside a normal executive schedule.
Can my company pay for this?
Yes, and many do. These programs qualify as professional development investments. We can provide an invoice in whatever format your employer or HR team requires. For organizations enrolling multiple leaders, ask about corporate membership — it reduces the per-person investment and includes group progress tracking.
What's the difference between this and an MBA or university program?
An MBA is a generalist degree covering business across many disciplines. These certifications are narrow, applied, and designed specifically for senior leadership performance — not academic breadth. You're not learning accounting or marketing. You're developing the exact capabilities that determine whether you move to the next level of leadership. The timeline is 90 days, not two years, and the application is immediate.
What exactly is a "verifiable credential" and where can I use it?
Upon completion, you receive a digital credential you can share on LinkedIn, add to your resume, and display on professional profiles. It is tied to your name and completion record. It signals that you completed a structured, coached development program — not just a course. Employers and hiring managers can verify it. Badge sharing via LinkedIn is supported.
What if I don't finish within the program window?
People Manager and Strategic Leader programs include 6 months of access. ASCEND includes 11 months. The structured path is designed to complete in 90 days, but the extended access window is there for real-world disruptions — travel, peak work periods, life. If you need to pause and resume, that flexibility exists within your access window.
Are the coaching sessions live or recorded?
Live. Every coaching session is a scheduled, real-time 1-on-1 conversation with Dr. Arrington. Not a recording, not a group call, not async feedback. Your situation, your challenges, your growth — in real time with someone who prepares for your session and pushes back on your thinking.
I'm already an active member. Does my membership discount apply?
Yes. Active corporate members automatically receive member pricing at checkout — $500 off People Manager and Strategic Leader, and $1,500 off ASCEND. The discount is applied automatically when you're logged in. No coupon code needed.
You Already Know You Are Ready. The Question Is Whether You Are Going to Do Something About It.
A year from now you will either have the credential, the coaching, and the clarity that comes from doing the work. Or you will be in the same place, wondering why things have not moved. That gap does not close on its own.
15 minutes. No pitch. We will tell you exactly which program fits your situation.