The following blog was written by Sean Comer, Vice President, Leadership Center at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.
The Birth of Leadership Cincinnati
In 1977, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber launched Leadership Cincinnati with the goal of ensuring a strong and assured depth of leadership in Cincinnati. As we move towards the completion of Class 46 and open applications for Class 47, that initial rationale remains firm within the program.
As an old and well-established city with a growing population and major cultural assets, we possess much to celebrate and challenges to overcome. Whether we seek to ensure the future for an arts institution, evolve long-time and build new cultural experiences, or seek to solve seemingly intractable challenges around poverty, housing, and workforce, we need leaders who know this community and build relationships with each other, and who are well prepared to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
An immersive civic engagement and development program for established leaders in c-suite or executive positions, Leadership Cincinnati exists for those who don’t have time for it, but who make time to prioritize their own growth and the opportunities that exist for Cincinnati. Graduates complete the program with the kinds of relationships with each other that would otherwise have taken years to nurture. The curriculum leans into a series boot camp style days that weave together unique experiences, topical conversations, and space for reflection to accelerate the educational growth of each person. Central to the conversation is the idea that Cincinnati can and must be a better version of itself to compete in an evolving world, consistently asking cohorts to aspire to more as individuals, as a group, and as a community.
The Creation of the Leadership Center at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber
Over time, the Chamber improved its approach to leadership development. Working with c-suite and senior executives through Leadership Cincinnati, while helpful to our immediate needs, fell short of meeting the initial call to action in 1977. A depth of leaders requires that we prepare more than current executives to be engaged in our community.
We feathered in additional programs like C-Change and WE Lead in 2006 and 2007, and others followed. The additional layering of programs ensured that leaders at every level of an organization could easily become woven into the opportunities and challenges in this community. The continued commitment to professional and civic growth reached a culminating moment in 2020 with the creation of the Leadership Center at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.
Serving as a hub of leadership activity, the Leadership Center offers a continuum of opportunities to meet people where they are in their career and to provide ongoing, ever-developing spaces for growth. Programs vary in their approach with some using small group coaching models and roundtable formats, while others toss large groups of leaders together. In some cases, we focus intently on the individual and the professional, while in other instances we spend more time going deeply into community opportunities and challenges. That said, you would be hard pressed to participate in any Leadership Center program and not be exposed to material with connectivity to this community.
At the Leadership Center, we remain deeply committed to our founding principle, stated so clearly in 1977 and core to our first program and every one that followed. We exist to drastically expand our strong and assured depth of high quality leadership in Cincinnati.
Leadership Center Programs Accepting Applications until May 17, 2023
Applications are open now for Leadership Cincinnati and WE Lead. Interested individuals can learn more below.
Leadership Cincinnati
Leadership Cincinnati is an immersive civic engagement and development program for established leaders in c-suite or senior executive positions. This is an experience-based program designed to help established leaders gain a deeper understanding of the region’s assets and challenges, while also expanding their networks and realizing their legacy. Please contact Sean Comer with questions at scomer@cincinnatichamber.com.
- Learn more here: Leadership Cincinnati
- Apply now here: Leadership Cincinnati Application – Deadline May 17th
WE Lead
WE Lead is a leadership development program for women that focuses on the whole person. Throughout the course, you will have space to invest in yourself by tapping into multiple angles of growth. By engaging with other high-achieving women and developing strategic goals, participants find themselves reaching beyond their own aspirations and dreams. WE Lead intentionally leans into diversity through the creation of each cohort and the selection of the programming, facilitators, experiences. Please contact Devona Stripling for more information at dstripling@cincinnatichamber.com.
- Learn more here: WE Lead
- Apply now here: WE Lead Application – Deadline May 17th
Vice President, Leadership Center at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber
