Leadership Akron had the pleasure of proving three separate Community Leadership Institutes for local employers, all of which came to a close in the last month. The CLI's delivered a heightened community awareness, inspiration to pursue involvement, and new/strengthened relationships for over 50 participants in recent months. As a follow-up opportunity for learning and involvement, many participants are shadowing nonprofit boards in the area in the coming months. The following CLI's launched this year:
Spring 2012 CLI (multiple employers)
Beginning in March of this year, Leadership Akron launched the "Spring Community Leadership Institute" which was offered to employers across the Akron area. We had representatives from 17 different employers who enjoyed learning from best-in-class nonprofit leaders and making various stops to notable locations around town. At venues ranging from the Andrew Jackson House to the Akron-Canton Regional FoodBank, the class focused on principles and practices of community leadership. The group came out of the program not only with a new understanding of the community and how they can make a difference, but also with lasting friendships.
"The sessions brought each individual directly in contact with various opportunities in the community. I think that made each of us see there are several opportunities to get involved and I enjoyed meeting various individuals within each organization who provided the motivation to do more." - Spring 2012 CLI Participant
Tony Gorant CLI at Akron General
Launched in the spring of 2012, the Tony Gorant Community Leadership Institute was developed by Akron General Health System in honor of the late Tony Gorant '87 who made countless contributions to not only the Akron General community but to the greater Akron community as well. Sixteen community-minded leaders at Akron General were selected to be a part of the inaugural CLI. As leaders from Akron General, which is itself a community resource, the group explored how they could strengthen AGHS's impact in partnership with other community groups. The class is firming up the details for their "class project" to turn their learning into tangible action.
"We saw many kinds of leadership. The main thing that came out for me was passion - the passion people have for what they are doing is amazing and inspirational for me." -Tony Gorant CLI Participant
Bridgestone CLI
The Bridgestone Community Leadership Institute was designed to introduce leaders at Bridgestone to the parallels between local nonprofit examples and core themes that are critical to Bridgestone's strategy and performance. The Bridgestone CLI group enjoyed unique experiences at different venues, ranging from the Akron Zoo to the InfoCision Stadium, and walked away with actionable lessons to drive their performance with respect to innovation in the workplace.
"I really enjoyed learning through discussion among co-leaders with CLI concepts and with outside participants, with for profit and nonprofit entities as the framework." - Bridgestone CLI Participant
With much help from the employers, our program coordinators Dr. Betty Rider and Dr. Ann Otto, and the dedicated participants we were able to share the value of community engagement. Participants found out that many lessons can be drawn from nonprofit settings that carry over to the marketplace and equip them to be more effective community leaders.