Collaborative leadership is an action many can take, not a position a few can hold. Exercising collaborative leadership requires individuals to work with others, not tell others what to do, and it is a practice of values that engage commitment from others. The Collaborative Leadership Skills Workshop provides a safe place for non-profit leaders to assess and strengthen skills, including inquiry, understanding context, and building trust that are essential to exercising collaborative leadership. The two-hour workshop also provides participants with a set of exercises they can use on their own to develop and strengthen their leadership skills.

Workshop participants will develop a clear understanding of:

Why collaboration is often necessary to achieve enduring, positive community change.
How exercising leadership within a collaborative environment differs from leading within an organization.
What skills are necessary to exercise collaborative leadership.
How to practice and strengthen those skills.

Who should attend: executive directors, board chair, senior level staff of Summit County nonprofit organizations. Registration is limited to two per organization.

About the presenter:
Chris Thompson, president of Civic Collaboration Consultants, LLC, developed the workshop in conjunction with colleagues at the Fund for Our Economic Future, Leadership Akron and the Cleveland Leadership Center. He has facilitated the workshop for dozens of audiences ranging from national conferences to neighborhood collaborations. Through his consulting firm, Chris helps leaders design, implement and sustain effective cross-sector collaborations that catalyze enduring, positive community change.

Collaboration's Essential Element: Leadership with Chris Thompson