​​The ​L​eadership​​ Lab is a six-month, intensive learning opportunity for professionals who work with boards. During this pilot program, cohort members from across the Jewish nonprofit sector will engage in whole​-​group, small​-group, and individual learning with a singular goal: to strengthen the ​board​-professional​ partnership ​at their organizations. Program participants will spend time learning from expert faculty, executive coaches, Leading Edge staff, and each other. Specifically designed for professionals who steward boards as a significant portion of their role, ​the ​L​eadership Lab will culminate with the design of clear action plans that cohort members will use in their ​organizations. This process of taking theory ​into practical application is the hallmark of ​the ​Leadership Lab​​. 

In addition to meeting the eligibility requirements (see ​“Who” ​above), 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 ​​​board/volunteer counterparts and senior leadership;
• Invested in cohort learning and build​ing​ connection​s​ with fellow program participants; 
• Ready to digest, reflect on, and internalize new lessons for working with their board​.​​     ​ 

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 ​the ​L​eadership Lab. We strongly encourage ​​P​eople of C​olor, women, and other people with marginalized identities to apply. 

Because this program is focused on collaborating with ​board​s​, financially independent organizations with a governing board and at least three full time employees are the best fit for our pilot L​eadership​​ Lab program. Please contact leadprograms@leadingedge.org if you have any questions about your organization’s fit.  

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

That’s great!​ The ​​Leadership Lab: Collaborating With Your Board​ is designed for staff members who directly steward the ​board​-professional​ relationship.​ Sometimes that’s the CEO, and other times that role is filled by another member of the team, such as the Chief Operating Officer or the Director of Strategy.​ If you have any questions about whether or not this program is the right fit for you​ or​​ your role, please reach out to leadprograms@leadingedge.org.   

We welcome organizations that use a co-CEO model. ​​In such cases, w​​​e require that both CEOs fully participate in the same cohort to maximize the experience and impact of ​the ​Leadership Lab for you and your organization’s mission. 

​​The ​L​eadership​​ Lab focuses on frameworks for strengthening the board​-professional​ partnership for your organization. The curriculum is designed around our five competencies​ —​​ leading self, ​leading ​people, ​leading ​change, ​leading ​results, and ​leading ​community​ —​ with a focus on providing participants with an understanding of their individual role in shaping board relationships.​ In addition to faculty-driven learning, participants will workshop specific challenges with their executive coach and peers. ​You will come away from the ​Leadership Lab ​with an action plan ​to drive positive change in your board-professional partnership, which ​you will design and implement after the program concludes. 

​​​​​The Program includes:  

• ​​​Orientation session​​ 
• ​​​Virtual connections (four sessions)​​ 
• ​​​Office hours sessions (two, optional)​​ 
• ​​​Culmination session​​ (​All sessions are engaging, purpose-driven, and virtual). ​     ​​     ​​​     ​​​     ​​ 
• ​​Executive ​Coaching: ​​Five hours of one-on-one coaching, plus more i​n ​small group​s
• ​Action Plan​: ​​A​ clear project, approach​,​ and timeline for strengthening ​your​​ organization’s board

The L​eadership​​ Lab curriculum focuses on supporting cohort ​​​members as they explore clear expectations, communication strategies, and concrete tools for strengthening the staff-board partnership. ​Topics will include:​  

• Who ​are we as professionals​​ in relation to ​our​​ board​s​? 
• Roles and responsibilities of board leadership and professionals who work with boards. 
• Building and maintaining a strong partnership with your board. 
• Best practices in governance, fundraising, and strategic planning.  

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​B​ lens throughout our learning curriculum and rely on cohort members to deeply examine their personal identit​ies as ​they relate to their leadership of their team​s​, organization​s​, and board​s​.  

You will be required to provide:  

➖ Contact information  

➖ Organizational information (including staff size and budget) 

➖ If you are not the CEO, we request confirmation that the organization’s CEO is aware of and supportive of your interest in this program  

➖ An acceptance of the Leading Edge Gathering Norms and Participant Agreement 

➖ Video responses answering: 

- Why is ​the ​​Leadership Lab: Collaborating With Your Board​ the right program for you at this time in your leadership? 

- What do you need from fellow cohort members, and what do you bring to the Leadership Lab cohort learning experience? 

- Choose one of the following: 

• What are the current strengths of the ​board​-professional​ partnership at your organization? 
• What projects do you want to explore for your culminating Action Plan? 
• What is a current change that you’re navigating with your board, and how will ​the ​Leadership​​ Lab support your efforts? 

Readings, case preparations, and other assessments will be required by both the faculty and individual coaches throughout the L​eadership​​ Lab program. You will also be responsible for scheduling and holding sessions with your executive coach as well as developing your Action Plan. 

Cohort size is determined by the applicant pool to ensure that ​we can ​optim​ize cohort-based learning​. Leading Edge staff will work to design and build a community of learners who are best positioned to explore program topics in a safe and open environment. ​Our Gathering Norms and our Community Agreement directly inform our cohort building process.

• ​​Alumni of​​ 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 Focused Engagement Survey, Employee Experience Survey, or After-Survey Action workshops, you may do so at the same time you are a part of ​the ​L​eadership Lab. 

You may not participate in ​the ​L​eadership Lab if you are in another cohort program simultaneously, whether run by Leading Edge or another organization. Our programs can be time intensive, and we have found with past cohort program participants that being in multiple programs is difficult. If you have questions, please email leadprograms@leadingedge.org. 

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