Anna Wintour teaches online course on business leadership

If you could receive career advice from anyone in the world, who would you choose? In the fashion industry, Vogue’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour would definitely be among the most cited names. At the helm of the influential magazine for over 30 years, Wintour has established herself as an icon of business leadership (2003 novel The Devil Wears Prada, which generated the high-grossing film launched in 2006, is said to be inspired by her).

Now such a mentorship is possible. Wintour has partnered up with e-learning platform MasterClass to launch an online course on ‘how to be a boss’. “I know many people are curious about who I am and how I approach my work. This class is for those who want to understand my leadership style,” she says in a video posted on the platform’s website.

The course includes 12 lessons covering topics such as developing a creative vision, recognizing talent, investing in your team, making tough decisions, evolving a brand, and finding a voice. Students can follow the lessons at their own pace for 16.67 US dollars a month, paid annually, or 100 US dollars for each class. The package also offers an inside look at the Vogue meetings following fashion week season and the Met Gala.

Those under the impression Wintour runs a tight ship, based on her authoritative image in popular culture, may be surprised by her words in the introductory video. “I don’t believe in micromanaging. It’s important to empower those who are working with you because you are nothing without a good team. It’s important to surround yourself with a team whose opinions you trust, who are not in any way frightened of disagreeing with you. And you have to listen”.

Wintour has recently taken an additional role within Vogue’s publisher Condé Nast. Since August, she also serves as global content advisor for the Vogue brand, advising the executive leadership team on global content opportunities and acting as a resource to editors-in-chief and editorial talent worldwide.