"The objective of LEAD Masters is to help grow advancement leadership knowledge, skills, and abilities between both fundraiser and non-fundraiser advancement director-level employees while fostering cohort-learning, active team-building, and engaging opportunities to influence the organization through capstone Impact Projects.
We wanted to create a competency-based, community-building leadership development experience that could help bridge the gap that often exists between fundraisers and non-fundraisers in the advancement profession while at the same time providing useful skill, communication, and leadership assessments (Strengths Finder, DiSC, and Leadership 360s) to help them influence their work and connect with their colleagues. The cohort met for full-day sessions every month for nine months, with sessions themed around a single one of our eight competencies for the day.
Deliberate learning techniques integrated into each session included clear learning objectives, journaling and reflection time, accountability partners, small and large group discussions, team-building initiatives, games, revolving seat assignments, guest speakers from inside and outside the institution as well as from within the cohort itself, diversity, equity, and inclusion topics, off-campus visits, unique locations for each session, and focused group work time leading up to the final capstone Impact Project presentations that preceded their graduation and social which may or may not have included karaoke."
From the Judges
Strong leadership focus, development of teams, and collaboration. Great to see that this program combined both fundraising and non-fundraising staff.
