2023 Leadership Academy program is now closed.

If you are interested in learning more about the Academy for 2024, please contact Susan Gibson at susan@charmmdfoundation.org or 847-883-9932.

One of the most important aspects of leadership is bringing out the best in others and using strategies such as understanding yourself and your team, ethical reflection, active listening, developing trust, effectively communicating, and empowering others. While tactical skills can be learned in the moment, knowing how to engage with others is often missed when moving into a leadership role. Developing these skills is necessary and paramount in becoming an effective and successful leader. The Charmm'd Foundation's Leadership Academy is a multi-year program for those who are new to leadership, are being considered for a leadership role within the next couple of years and/or are looking for fundamental training on the people side of leadership.

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The Leadership Academy offers multiple opportunities for Participants to build strong networks for continued growth, support, and friendships.

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Throughout the first year, there are five mandatory workshops and two Lunch & Learns where you get to choose if you would like to attend one or both opportunities. Participants will enjoy learning from Keynote Speakers, Community Presenters, Mentors, and fellow Participants. In addition, Participants will work together in Peer Advisory Groups (PAGs) with their Mentors to get support and advice on self-identified goals, discuss key learnings from the workshops, problem-solve and ponder questions that promote strategic thinking. The first year of The Leadership Academy concludes in December 2023.

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The second year of The Leadership Academy continues with Peer Advisory Groups meeting bi-monthly. Participants will continue to build and strengthen their leadership network for continued support, discuss a broad range of leadership topics, be introduced to a variety of resources, process what they are learning and how this fits into real-life situations. In these discussions, Participants will hold one another accountable for any action items claimed. One of the major goals is for Participants to learn from one another and feel comfortable connecting between sessions to ask for advice, give support, and share resources. This begins in Year 1 and continues to grow stronger in Year 2.

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To ensure a high-quality learning experience, Participants will be chosen who have a strong desire to lead and better their organization. A pre-requisite for participation in the Leadership Academy will include approval from the Participant’s leader for the multi-year commitment and an exploratory interview with the candidate. Acceptance into the program will be communicated on an ongoing basis.