About the Course 

This 5-week hands-on cohort course is designed to help you design emotionally connected stakeholder experiences that build trust, deepen partnerships, and unlock lasting value.

Each week focuses on an actionable tool or approach you can use right away – in both your personal and professional life.

Course Details 

• Duration: 5 Weeks (plus 90 days total access to complete the course at your own pace)
• Time Commitment: Around 2-3 hours per week
  • 1-2 hours of on-demand lessons and simple challenges
  • 1 hour live Course Conversation Call (optional, replays available)
• Course Calls: Hosted by an experienced ECD Trainer or Elephant Rider Mentor. Each call is recorded and shared the next day if you can’t make it live.
• Course Materials: Includes full access to your Digital Toolkit – with tools, templates, and workshop plans.
• Optional Add-On: Physical Course Kit available – choose from 1 to 12-deck options if you want to bring the tools to life in a tangible way.

The course includes around 3 hours of video lessons spread across four main sections, plus hands-on activities and reflections using The Emotional Culture Deck.

You can choose to move through the content in one go (about 4–5 hours total) or take your time and complete it section by section.

Each section takes about 60 to 90 minutes, depending on your learning style, pace, and energy on the day. It’s flexible – you can work through it in whatever way works best for you.

You can complete the course using the free downloadable ECD PDF – but we highly recommend using the physical Emotional Culture Deck. The experience is far more engaging and practical with the physical cards in hand.

Having the cards makes the activities feel real and interactive. You’ll get more out of the course when you can see, touch, and work with the cards as you go.

When you enrol, you can add a Physical Course Kit to your order. Here are the options available:

• Plus 1-Pack – 1 Emotional Culture Deck + 1 ECD Stakeholder Toolkit 
• Plus 2-Pack – 2 Emotional Culture Decks + 2 ECD Stakeholder Toolkits
• Plus 5-Pack – 5 Emotional Culture Decks + 5 ECD Stakeholder Toolkits 
• Plus 12-Pack – 12 Emotional Culture Decks + 12 ECD Stakeholder Toolkits

What tools come in the Emotional Stakeholder Toolkit? 

The Emotional Stakeholder Toolkit includes all the key canvases, guides, and handbooks you need to apply the learning from the Emotional Stakeholder Engagement Course in real-world settings.

Here’s what’s included:

• ECD Stakeholder Relationship Canvas 

  Design stakeholder relationships with emotional clarity and intention.

• ECD Stakeholder Journey Canvas 

  Map the emotions stakeholders experience across key touchpoints and moments.

• ECD Human-Centred Partnership Canvas 

  Build stronger partnerships by co-creating shared emotional goals and behaviours.

• ECD Emotion Values Design Canvas 

  Help your team define values based on emotional drivers that guide real behaviour.

• EX & CX Design Map 

  Visualise how internal employee experience (EX) connects to customer or stakeholder experience (CX).

• ECD Stakeholder Check-In Conversation Guide 

  A structured way to hold honest, emotion-led conversations with your stakeholders.

• ECD Partnership Handbook 

  A deep dive into designing and managing partnerships using The Emotional Culture Deck.

You have 90 days access from the day the course begins.

The guided cohort part of the course runs over five weeks.

That means even after the five weeks are up, you’ve got an extra six weeks to revisit lessons, finish the Post-Course Challenge, and explore the community space.

After your 90 days are up, your access to the course content and community will end – so we recommend setting your own pace, but aiming to complete everything within that window.

ECD Certification is a step-by-step journey that helps you build deep capability in emotional culture work.

You start by completing one (or more) of our ECD Specialist Courses – like this one. From there, you can continue into the Advanced ECD Consultant Training, where you’ll learn how to teach these tools to others and deliver your own ECD Specialist Courses.

Once you complete that training, you’ll become an ECD Certified Consultant, which means you’re authorised to certify ECD Practitioners and help others grow in this work too.

Want to see the full pathway?

Click here to explore the ECD Certification Pathway Overview.

 The online course lessons are fully self-paced – you can complete them whenever it suits you, in your own time.

Our Course Conversation Calls (also called coaching calls) are the only live part of the course. These happen once a week on:

Thursdays, 9:00–10:00 AM New Zealand Time (NZST) 

If you’re joining from overseas, here’s how that time translates for a few major regions:

• Australia East Coast (AEST): 7:00 AM
• UK (BST): 10:00 PM (Wednesday)
• Europe (CEST): 11:00 PM (Wednesday)
• USA East Coast (EDT): 4:00 PM (Wednesday) 
• USA West Coast (PDT): 1:00 PM (Wednesday) 

We know it’s tricky to find a time that suits everyone – but don’t worry. All coaching calls are recorded and shared in your course room the following day, so you can catch up anytime.

Not exactly. This course is a self-paced, cohort learning experience – which means you move through the course content on your own schedule, but you’re also part of a group of people learning alongside you.

You get 90 days of full access to all the course videos, tools and materials. Some people finish it in a few hours. Others take their time and chip away at it over several weeks. It’s designed to fit around your life.

Along the way, we offer optional live Course Conversation Calls – these are weekly Zoom sessions where you can ask questions, reflect with others, and explore the tools in more depth. These aren’t one-way webinars – they’re two-way conversations with breakout rooms and real interaction.

So while the course isn’t live in the traditional sense, it’s not something you’re doing completely alone either. It’s flexible, interactive, and designed to meet you where you’re at.

Yes – all of our ECD Specialist Courses can be delivered in person by our network of Certified Consultants. Each consultant brings their own style and experience, offering a hands-on, practical approach to emotional culture work.

In-person courses are a great option if you’re looking for a more immersive, tailored experience for your team or organisation.

To find someone near you,  click here to find a consultant. Each consultant sets their own pricing, so it’s best to contact them directly for details.

This course is absolutely suitable for beginners. You don’t need any prior experience with The Emotional Culture Deck or emotional stakeholder work to get started.

We’ll guide you step by step through the tools, language, and strategies. Everything is designed to be simple, practical, and easy to apply – whether you’re just starting out or looking to deepen your existing practice.

So if you’re curious, open, and ready to explore the emotional side of change, you’re in the right place.

Core Canvases & Maps

• ECD Stakeholder Relationship Canvas. Design stakeholder relationships with emotional clarity and intention.

• ECD Stakeholder Journey Canvas. Map the emotions stakeholders experience across key touchpoints and moments.

• ECD Human-Centred Partnership Canvas. Build stronger partnerships by co-creating shared emotional goals and behaviours.

• ECD Emotion Values Design Canvas. Help your team define values based on emotional drivers that guide real behaviour.

• EX & CX Design Map. Visualise how internal employee experience (EX) connects to customer or stakeholder experience (CX).

Guides & Handbooks

• ECD Stakeholder Check-In Conversation Guide. A structured way to hold honest, emotion-led conversations with your stakeholders.

• ECD Partnership Handbook. A deep dive into designing and managing partnerships using The Emotional Culture Deck.

Once you complete the course, you gain your Certified Practitioner Badge, and you’ll still have access to all materials and the community until your 90-day access period ends, counted from the official course start date.

So if you finish the course early, you can use the remaining time to revisit lessons, go deeper into the tools, or complete your Post-Course Challenge. If you’re still working your way through, you can use the full 90 days to move at your own pace.

You also keep your 90-day all-access pass to our Community during that time – giving you space to connect, join events, and explore tools and resources.

After your 90 days are up, you can choose to continue as a full member if you want to stay connected and keep learning.

We get it – sometimes life takes over. You’ll have 90 days from the official course start date to complete all the lessons and submit your Post-Course Challenge.

We don’t offer extensions, but you do have one more option:

If you choose to become a paid member of our community, you’ll keep access to the course for as long as you remain a member. That means you can finish the course in your own time and still continue your ECD Certification Pathway journey.

So if you’re not quite finished by the 90-day mark, joining as a member gives you the flexibility to keep going.

For this course, you’ll join a cohort and move through the lessons alongside others. But the learning is still flexible – you can complete the lessons in your own time, at your own pace, across the 90-day access period.

Starting in 2026, we’ll also offer a purely self-paced, start anytime version of the course – with no coaching calls or cohort timeline. When you enrol, you’ll choose one format or the other.

If you prefer to learn fully self-paced, that option will be available soon. But for now, this cohort-based course gives you both structure and flexibility, plus the chance to connect with others along the way.

This course is your first step on the path to becoming an ECD Certified Consultant.

Once you complete the course and earn your ECD Stakeholder Practitioner Badge, you can keep building your skills through the ECD Certification Pathway – by completing more Specialist Courses, facilitating workshops, and deepening your understanding of emotional culture.

Each step moves you closer to full Certified Consultant status, and from there, you can even progress to Master Elephant Rider.

Want to see the full journey?

Click here to explore the ECD Certification Pathway Overview.

Everyone learns differently, so we offer two ways to experience our ECD Specialist Courses: Cohort-Based & Start Anytime. You’ll get the same tools, lessons, and outcomes either way – the difference is in how you move through the course.

Cohort-Based Learning 

Structured learning with live support 

In the cohort version, you’ll go through the course alongside a group of fellow leaders and learners. There’s a suggested 5-week schedule to follow, plus weekly live Course Conversation Calls hosted by an Elephant Rider Mentor.

What to expect: 

• Weekly lessons and tools to guide your learning
• Live 1-hour coaching calls (replays available if you can’t make it)
• Space to connect, reflect, and get feedback in real-time
• Self-paced learning within the 90-day window

Best for you if: 

You prefer structure, like learning alongside others, and enjoy being part of a shared journey.

Start Anytime Learning (Coming Soon)

Full flexibility, your own schedule 

With this option, you can start anytime and move through the content entirely at your own pace. You’ll still get access to all the same materials – but without coaching calls or community check-ins.

What to expect: 

• Start anytime and work through the course at your own speed
• No live sessions or weekly deadlines
• 90-day access from the day you enrol
• Great if you want to revisit lessons or space your learning out

Best for you if: 

You’ve got a full schedule or prefer to learn solo, on your own time.

No matter which path you take, you’ll finish with the ECD Change Practitioner Badge and 90 days of access to our Elephant Rider Community.

If you’re planning to use The Emotional Culture Deck with others – whether in a 1:1, team session, or larger workshop – having more than one deck is key to making the experience inclusive, engaging, and effective.

Each person (or small group) needs their own deck to fully participate. That way, everyone can reflect, choose cards, and contribute without being influenced by others.

We designed the deck to help reduce herd mentality and groupthink. Too often, we’ve seen workshops where one dominant voice (often the first or loudest in the room) anchors the conversation. Giving each person their own deck helps level the playing field. It gives introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts equal space to contribute.

It also makes it easier to switch between individual reflection and group discussion – which is where some of the richest insights happen.

So while one deck is perfect for your personal learning, we recommend extra packs if you’re planning to use the tools with others. The experience becomes more hands-on, more inclusive, and far more powerful.

Yes, absolutely! You can still attend and fully participate in the weekly Course Conversation Calls, even if you haven’t completed the suggested lessons for that week.

These live sessions are designed to be flexible and inclusive, allowing you to:

Engage with other learners on the course.

Learn through live discussions, Q&A, and breakout room activities.

Practice using the tools and concepts from the course, regardless of how far along you are in the lessons.

While completing the suggested lessons beforehand can enhance your experience, the calls are an open and supportive space where you’ll still gain valuable insights and practical knowledge to apply in your work.

While all ECD Specialist Courses share some crossover, each has a unique primary focus:

• Emotional Change Strategy: For those who lead, or are impacted by change
• Emotional Leadership Development: For those working in leadership or leadership development.
• Emotional Stakeholder Engagement: For those managing relationships and partnerships with stakeholders or customers.
• Emotional Culture Crafting: For those responsible for shaping team or organisational culture.

No, the Course Challenge is optional but highly recommended. While it’s not required to complete the course, the challenge is designed to help you put what you’ve learned into practice and deepen your understanding of the tools. By participating, you’ll apply the strategies in real-world scenarios – first for yourself and then in a 1:1 session with a leader or colleague.

Yes! After completing this course, you’ll be equipped with the tools, techniques, and confidence to facilitate sessions with your own teams, groups, or clients. The course provides you with a downloadable ECD Stakeholder Toolkit, which includes workshop plans, templates, and materials you can use to run emotional stakeholder workshops and 1:1 sessions.