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Leading Executives by Leading Edge

What if leaders got the opportunity to reflect, connect, and level up?

Leading Executives is an executive training program by Leading Edge for senior-most organizational leaders. Participants will learn dynamic leadership practices, receive constructive personalized feedback to speed and deepen their growth, and connect with a cohort of peer leaders for mutual support long after the formal program is complete.

WHO

Leading Executives is open to any senior-most professional leading a Jewish nonprofit organization—whether their title is “CEO”, “Executive Director”, "President", or something else. The third and fourth cohorts are open to leaders who have been in their role for five years or less.

WHAT

Over the course of six months, participants will experience:

  • Evaluation: The “Leadership 360” evaluation, with personalized feedback for growth
  • Coaching: Ten hours of executive coaching (or an equivalent stipend if the participant is in an ongoing coaching relationship)
  • Learning: One three-day, dedicated, immersive, in-person gathering to strengthen leadership skills and practices, designed and facilitated by Leading Edge and the Center for Creative Leadership
  • Connecting: Five 90-minute “Virtual Connection” calls to help each cohort of participants learn together and form supportive relationships that will outlive the program

WHEN

This program generally runs with two cohorts per year. Here are timelines for the current cohorts:

Leading Executives Cohorts
Cohort Three Cohort Four
Duration
August 2023 - January 2024
Duration
December 2023 - June 2024
In-person Meetings
Tuesday, October 17 - Thursday, October 19, 2023
Greensboro, North Carolina
In-person Meetings
Tuesday, March 12 - Thursday, March 14, 2024
Greensboro, North Carolina
Orientation and Kick Off
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
1:00 - 2:00 pm ET
Orientation and Kick Off
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
1:00 - 2:00 pm ET
Virtual Connection Calls
September 6, September 27, November 8, December 13, 2023, and January 17, 2024
1:00 - 2:30 pm ET
Virtual Connection Calls
January 31, February 21, April 11, May 15, and June 5, 2024
1:00 - 2:30 pm ET

WHY

It’s hard to overstate how much effective, creative, dynamic leadership matters to an organization’s success in achieving its mission. But for too long, the nonprofit sector treated the corner office as a destination for leadership development and not what it truly is: a milestone along a never-ending path of making our leadership deeper, wiser, and more powerful.

COST

Organizations whose leaders participate will contribute a fee of $1,500 toward program costs. Additionally, they will be responsible for transportation to the Proximity Hotel. During the gathering, Leading Edge will provide lodging and ground transportation, as well as all breakfasts, snacks, lunches, and one dinner. Please note that two dinners will be at your own expense. Leading Edge will pay for one extra night of lodging for those who have long flights that make travel on the same day as the program conclusion infeasible. In case this experience is cost-prohibitive, Leading Edge can offer travel stipends to help subsidize the cost for accepted cohort members.

  • Applications are now closed.

“I want to thank the Leading Edge team for the opportunity to be a member of cohort one of Leading Executives. To say that I’m honored would be an understatement, and the coaching and content are already proving to be extremely valuable. Every aspect of the program is so well thought out and organized.” — Leading Executives Cohort One member

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Leading Executives?

Leading Executives is a six-month intensive leadership development opportunity for early tenure (less than five years) leaders in the North American Jewish non-profit sector, designed to provide participants with diverse experiences and exceptional resources through individualized and group learning. Cohort members work directly with expert faculty and leadership institutions to take their competencies—and organizations—to higher levels. By participating in the program, you’ll get a unique opportunity to create relationships with peers from across the sector.

Who is eligible for Leading Executives?

Leading Executives is open to senior professional leaders in the North American Jewish nonprofit community. To be eligible, you must be the most senior professional leader of your organization, and you must have been in your role for no more than five years at the time of application. Your organization must be primarily operating in the United States or Canada. Applications are welcome from leaders of well-established nonprofit institutions, as well as new organizations that have been in existence for at least three years.

Who is the ideal Leading Executives applicant?

The ideal applicant is:

  • At the right moment in their trajectory to fully engage in and benefit from this program;
  • Ready to tackle the challenges they are facing in their leadership;
  • Self-aware, eager to learn, and open to new ideas;
  • Working in strong partnership with their lay counterparts and senior leadership;
  • Interested in seeing themselves as chief culture officers of their organizations;
  • Striving to lead an organization that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive;
What kind of leader is a good fit for this program?

We are looking for participants who are open to self-reflection and change, have the time and space to step back from their daily work, and are excited about contributing to a cohort. Outside of that, we welcome a diverse range of applicants. Being open to learning from and with people with different viewpoints, identities, experiences, and contexts is key to success in Leading Executives. We strongly encourage people of color, women, and other people with marginalized identities to apply.

What kind of organization is a good fit for this program?

While not required, financially independent organizations with a governing board and at least three full-time employees will find the greatest benefit from this program. Please contact leadprograms@leadingedge.org if you have any questions about your organization’s fit.

Do I need to be Jewish to participate in Leading Executives?

We welcome leaders of any religious practice or background. Several past participants have not been Jewish. Applicants must be leaders of a nonprofit organization in the Jewish nonprofit sector.

What if I’m not the CEO or Executive Director, but another member of the senior leadership team?

At this time, Leading Executives is open to senior-most professionals such as CEOs and Executive Directors. We encourage you to explore our other program offerings including our published tools and resources, and sign up for the Leading Edge newsletter to receive information about new programs.

I am a co-CEO. Can I do Leading Executives?

We welcome organizations that use a co-CEO model. We require that both CEOs fully participate in the same cohort to maximize the experience and impact of Leading Executives for you and your organization’s mission.

What skills does Leading Executives focus on?

Leading Executives focuses on frameworks for thinking about and practicing leadership in the Jewish nonprofit sector. The curriculum is designed around five competencies: leading self, people, change, results, and community, with a focus on providing participants with an understanding of their individual leadership and its impact on their organization. In addition to faculty-driven learning, participants will workshop specific challenges with their executive coach and peers. Leading Executives does not provide technical training on specific skills such as work planning or financial administration.

What are the components of the Leading Executives Program?

The Program includes:

  • 10 hours of support from an experienced, accomplished executive coach
  • Training at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)®, a leadership development institution ranked among the world’s “Top 10 providers of executive education” by Bloomberg Business Week and The Financial Times
  • A confidential 360-degree evaluation as well as other assessments designed to give you the critical self-knowledge needed for professional improvement
  • Skill-building in developing your organization’s culture and in leading through change
What will be covered in each Leading Executives session?

Each cohort is adapted to the specific needs of the participants and the prevailing challenges of the time. A sample cohort schedule includes:

  • Who we are and what this is—building rapport as a cohort, introductions to coaching, and the Leadership 360 evaluation
  • Leading Self and Leading People—personal leadership and using data to lead organizational culture
  • Leading Change—change management when confronting leadership challenges
  • Leading Results and Leading Community—diving into your organization’s mission and board
  • Leading Self and Leading Community—reflections and becoming part of the alumni community
What kind of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) content will Leading Executives cover?

We strive to foster a learning atmosphere that is inclusive of different identities and perspectives. Our gathering norms guide us in creating a safe, brave, and respectful environment. We infuse a DEI lens throughout our learning curriculum and rely on cohort members to deeply examine their personal identity as it relates to the leadership of their team and organization.

When will the next cohort be?

Leading Edge conducts two annual cohorts: one in the Spring-Summer, and one in the Fall-Winter. Applications open annually in May, with the option to apply for either or both cohorts based on your schedule. If you would like to be contacted when applications are next open, please fill out this interest form.

What information will I be required to provide in my application to Leading Executives?

You will be required to provide your:

  • Contact information
  • Organizational information (including staff size and budget)
  • Video responses answering:
    - Why is Leading Executives the right program for you at this time in your leadership?
    - What do you bring to the Leading Executives cohort learning experience?
    - What does it look like for you to learn and grow inside of a learning community?
  • An acceptance of the Leading Edge Gathering Norms and Participant Agreement
Will I be interviewed for Leading Executives?

As part of your application, you will respond to three questions via video. You may be contacted by a member of the selection committee with additional questions about your application.

Is there any pre-work or between session work for Leading Executives?

Readings, case preparations, and other assessments will be required by both the faculty and individual coaches throughout the Leading Executives program. You will also be responsible for booking your travel to our in-person gathering, scheduling and holding sessions with your executive coach, and generating contributors to your Leadership 360 assessment.

What is the length of Leading Executives?

Leading Executives is six months long. During that period, there will be approximately three days for in-person cohort programs and five 90-minute virtual sessions. In addition, there will be regular coaching sessions and the potential for ad hoc gatherings of cohort members.

How many people will be accepted to Leading Executives?

Our average cohort is 20 individuals. Cohort size is determined by the applicant pool to ensure that optimal cohort-based learning can be achieved. The application process is highly competitive.

Can I do this program if I have done another Leading Edge program?
  • Participants in past cohort learning programs are welcome to apply.
  • You may not participate in two cohort-based learning programs simultaneously. If you are applying for multiple cohort programs with Leading Edge, please contact leadprograms@leadingedge.org to discuss how best to sequence the opportunities.
  • If you or your organization are participating in our Employee Experience Survey or After-Survey Action workshops, you may do so at the same time you are a part of Leading Executives.
I have another question not answered here.

Please email leadprograms@leadingedge.org and a member of our programs team will respond to any questions.

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