Awaken the Transformative Leader Within
LiFT
MENTORA FOUNDATION

Awakening the Transformative Leader Within

A 5-day immersive program teaching leaders how to navigate uncertainty with inner mastery—and convert it into outer impact.

October 13–18, 2026 | Marshall, NC | LightEn Center for Consciousness and Action

  • Lead with clarity in an unprecedented, fast-changing landscape
  • Practice the five core energies to turn inner mastery into outer results
  • Gain practical tools, a shared language, and a trusted peer network

Led by Rebecca Henderson (Harvard Business School) & Hitendra Wadhwa (Columbia Business School)

APPLY TO JOIN

Program Overview

A Program for a New Era of Transformative Change

We live in a time of upheaval. Old systems are faltering, and the world is calling for leaders who can anchor themselves in their inner core while shaping a new era.

Transformative Leaders are those who:

  • Thrive in ambiguity and rapid change
  • Inspire others to persevere through sacrifice and uncertainty
  • Engage allies across divides when resources are unclear
  • Build and reform systems for a new age

This 5-day immersive retreat, led by Rebecca Henderson (Harvard) & Hitendra Wadhwa (Columbia), is a new model of transformative leadership.

You will leave with:

  • Practical frameworks to apply immediately
  • Repeatable practices for clarity and resilience
  • A shared language to align diverse teams
  • A trusted peer community to support your journey

What You Will Explore

The Curriculum

Facing This Moment with Truth and Clarity

  • Understand the polycrisis — and why it reflects a deeper challenge in meaning, identity, and relationships
  • Explore the limits of modernity, rationality, and materialism — and how to restore connection to self, others, and the living world
  • Hold constructive space for complexity while making sense of issues and clarifying values

The Leader’s Inner Core

  • Shift from a 2D to 3D self: ego → inner core and intellect → balanced insight
  • Practice the Five Core Energies: Purpose, Wisdom, Growth, Love, Self-realization
  • Build Inner Mastery: mastering emotions, reframing thoughts, strengthening empowering beliefs, accessing intuition, and embodying presence

Outer Impact in Fluid Environments

  • Inspire alignment and energy across diverse, shifting coalitions
  • Prepare for real-time leadership through practice labs — rapid roleplays, peer feedback, and “Prep & Perform” tools
  • Integrate authenticity, influence, and results amid uncertainty

From Fixing to Transforming

  • Why most change efforts fail — and how to lead with moral imagination and long-term relational thinking
  • Key Frameworks: Rebecca’s Building Blocks of Reweaving and Hitendra’s Principles of Core-Guided Changemaking
  • Design transformational initiatives that integrate personal, cultural, and structural change

Sustaining Momentum

  • Expand perspective and cultivate grounded hope through visualization, reflection, and attunement exercises
  • Ignite sustained commitment through art, song, stillness, and shared inspiration
  • Build a foundation for long-term impact by reclaiming hope, beauty, and moral courage

The Setting

The LightEn Center of Consciousness & Action Marshall, North Carolina

The LightEn Center is an educational foundation dedicated to signposting pathways that raise consciousness and help humanity. A state-of-the-art sanctuary nestled in the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Center provides an environment uniquely suited to the depth of inner work and transformative conversation this retreat requires.

Our days will unfold with teaching, practice, reflection, and time together around the table or fire. Meditation and nature will be woven throughout, with ample space to rest and restore.

The grounds include:

  • Private cabin accommodations
  • World-class vegan culinary meals
  • Hiking trails through mountain forests

Logistics

  • Dates

    Arrive by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13. The program begins with a welcome dinner that evening and concludes with a closing dinner on Sunday, October 18. Depart Monday, October 19, according to your own schedule.

  • Location

    The LightEn Center of Consciousness & Action, Marshall, North Carolina. The nearest airport is Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), 40 minutes from the center, and the next closest is Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), 2 ½ hours from the center.

  • Participation

    By invitation only. We are hand-selecting an intimate cohort to ensure depth and genuine connection.

  • Investment

    This is a tuition-free program. All costs on-site—accommodations, meals, and program materials—are generously covered by LightEn, and faculty time by Rebecca Henderson, Hitendra Wadhwa and the Mentora Institute. Participants are responsible only for their travel to and from the Center.

  • What to Bring

    An open heart. A quiet mind. Comfortable clothing for indoor sessions and outdoor walks. A journal. Any contemplative materials—a sacred text, prayer beads, a meaningful object—that support your practice. We encourage you to leave your laptop behind; this is a time to unplug.

  • Pre-Retreat Preparation

    All participants will receive the Charter for the Soul and will be assigned selected readings from Professor Rebecca Henderson’s Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire and Dr. Hitendra Wadhwa’s Inner Mastery, Outer Impact in advance, along with a brief reflection guide to begin the journey before you arrive.

Faculty

Here are the people you will be learning from:

Rebecca Henderson
Faculty

Rebecca Henderson is one of 25 University Professors at Harvard, a fellow of the British Academy as well as the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a leading scholar on how the private sector can build a more sustainable economy. She has more than twenty-five years of major public board experience and is the author of Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire, shortlisted for the FT/McKinsey Business Book of the Year.

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Hitendra Wadhwa
Faculty

Hitendra Wadhwa is Professor of Practice at Columbia Business School, where he has taught for 15 years and won the Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence. He is the founder of the Mentora Institute and the author of Inner Mastery, Outer Impact: How Your Five Core Energies Hold the Key to Success. His mission is to codify the laws of success in life and leadership by integrating timeless wisdom with modern science.

READ MORE

Who Should Apply

Eligibility & Fit

This program is an intimate, invitation-only retreat designed for leaders who are navigating times of uncertainty and transformation. We welcome participants from all industries and sectors who are committed to aligning their inner growth with outer impact.

You might be a…

  • Business leader or entrepreneur shaping teams, culture, and strategy in rapidly changing markets
  • Nonprofit or foundation leader tackling complex social and environmental challenges
  • Government or policy leader seeking to build coalitions and drive systemic reform
  • Faith or community leader guiding groups through change and renewal
  • Educator or university administrator preparing students and institutions for a new era of leadership
  • Healthcare, law, or science professional working at the intersection of ethics, innovation, and human well-being

Ideal candidates are…

  • Curious and committed to personal growth
  • Drawn to building bridges across divides
  • Ready for an immersive, values-centered learning journey
  • Seeking frameworks and practices they can apply immediately in their work and communities

APPLY TO JOIN

This year’s program will take place from October 13-18, 2026, Participants will arrive by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13. The program begins with a welcome dinner that evening and concludes with a closing dinner on Sunday, October 18. Participants may depart after the closing dinner on October 18th or are welcome to stay the night and depart Monday, October 19, according to their own schedule.

Participants will gather at the LightEn Center for Consciousness and Action in Marshall, NC and reside there for the duration of the program. More information will be shared with confirmed participants.

  1. All teaching sessions, practice labs, and materials
  2. Peer learning and mentoring opportunities
  3. Community activities and reflection sessions
  1. Practical frameworks you can apply immediately
  2. Repeatable practices for clarity and resilience
  3. A shared language for leading teams in uncertainty
  4. A trusted peer community to support your journey

The cohort will be intentionally small to allow for meaningful interaction and community-building. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and decisions will be made based on an applicant’s fit with the goals of the program and the diversity of the cohort.

Absolutely. While we do not have an official nomination process, if you know a leader who would be a great candidate for our program, please do share this opportunity with them. If you need any support, please reach out.

  1. Complete the online application (5–7 minutes).
  2. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
  3. You can expect to be notified within two weeks. If two weeks have passed and you do not hear from us, please feel free to reach out.
  4. If selected, we will guide you on how to reserve your room and board.

This is the second session of an ongoing initiative to teach and inspire transformative leadership. Future offerings of this program are planned.

This is a tuition-free program. All costs on-site—accommodations, meals, and program materials—are generously covered by LightEn, and faculty time by Rebecca Henderson, Hitendra Wadhwa and the Mentora Institute. Participants are responsible only for their travel to and from the Center.

Testimonials

“The Transformative Leadership Program offered more than I expected because Professor Hitendra Wadhwa and Professor Rebecca Henderson approach the topic of leadership from a holistic perspective. They brought diverse insights from their distinct areas of research focus and addressed both the science of leadership and the inner work required in advance of having an outward effect. The Transformative Leadership Program combined with Professor Hitendra Wadhwa’s book “Inner Mastery, Outer Impact: How Your Five Core Energies Hold the Key to Success” stir deep truths from within and have set me on a course that will continue to unfold and progress for the rest of my leadership journey.”

Gavin McClintock, CEO,
Hinckley Yachts

“The program exceeded every expectation I had. It offered a rare combination of intellectual depth and emotional resonance, helping me reconnect with my core strengths and aspirations as a leader. I found immense value in the practical tools, the thoughtful frameworks, and the reflective space that Rebecca and Hitendra created for us.
What truly stayed with me was the sense of inner alignment I gained — a deeper understanding of how to lead with clarity, integrity, and intention. The experience not only empowered me professionally, but also guided me on how to be an inspiring presence in my personal and professional life.”

Eleni Basi, General Manager,
Koullias Group

“The Transformative Leadership Program truly exceeded my hopes and expectations of a leadership program professionally, personally, and spiritually. During a time of personal transition, I walked into this program with mental burnout due to world uncertainty, personal stress and I walked out with energetic focus, internal fire, and an incredibly strong community of change partners that will inspire me and hold me accountable for years to come.”

Callan Swain, Senior Manager, Culture, Leadership & Strategy,
Expedia Group

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