In 2017, EY released Aspire, an internal, cohort model, three-year transformative leadership development program that eventually inspired a firmwide transformative leadership model. Aspire uses a virtual delivery method and a personalized digital dashboard for coursework and collaboration. The program’s curriculum follows a process they call five learning levels: explore, practice, discuss, reinforce, and reflect. Results of data collection shows that participants reported a change in the way they think about leadership at a rate of 96%, and 95% self-identified as modifying how they act as a leader. Additionally, 99% of the 1,341 participants recommend the program to their peers. The high rate of self-reported change in meaning making and behavior suggests an equally high potential for transformative learning. Early qualitative data collection and analysis suggests that perspective change regarding their role as a leader at EY stems from the 1) novel concepts presented, 2) opportunity to practice those concepts, and the 3) support offered by the community created during the three-year journey.

Keywords: Professional Development, Leadership Development, Transformative Learning, Virtual Learning

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