Leadership Greensboro Director Niketa Greene and two of this year's program chairs talk about how they've moved the program to an online format. LG is the Chamber's signature leadership program, producing leaders committed to inclusivity, collaboration, and the common good.
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00:58 - Niketa kicks off the episode by introducing Brandon Inscore and Elizabeth Paul to discuss the Leadership Greensboro, what the program consists of, and how the program has changed to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leadership Greensboro is a three-part, nine-month leadership curriculum that brings together a cohort of 45 diverse professionals from a range of industries and experience levels.
2:56 - Elizabeth and Brandon introduce themselves and share how and why they got involved with Leadership Greensboro. They were both part of the 2019 Leadership Greensboro cohort and are involved in helping the 2020 cohort as chairs of the program.
6:00 - Niketa asks Brandon and Elizabeth to explain what they do in the program chair role and how the chairs contribute to continuing improvement in the program. Niketa emphasizes the importance of having the chairs’ input and influence into the program, as Niketa is the only paid staff member for Leadership Greensboro, so the assistance of the chairs is critical.
10:00 - Niketa asks her guests to reflect on what Leadership Greensboro was like as a participant. Elizabeth remembers the first day she met the other participants and how they all jumped right into the experience together. Brandon shares his memories from Day 1 as well, appreciating the many different people he was able to meet and the opportunity to expand his professional network.
15:13 - When asked about their favorite moments, Elizabeth praises Niketa for her leadership, her encouragement, and her invitation for the Leadership Greensboro participants to bring their whole selves into the program. Niketa lay the foundation for great engagement, education and bonding for the whole cohort. Elizabeth remembers the impact that Diversity and Inclusion Day had on her cohort and the emotions that were shared between participants.
19:35 - Brandon echoes Elizabeth’s highlight moments of CCL and the Diversity and Inclusion Day that the cohort experienced together. Leadership Greensboro allows participants to sit down and talk about their life experiences, and create a safe space to understand how policy and assumptions affect others differently. This was a powerful experience for Brandon.
21:35 - Niketa asks how Brandon and Elizabeth took on the time commitment of Leadership Greensboro in balance with their work responsibilities. Brandon explains that Leadership Greensboro fit in with his company values of community and he took full advantage of what was offered to him through the program, while also making sure that he was putting in extra time at work. Elizabeth’s experience was the same, always looking forward to the program days, learning everything she could, and appreciating that her workplace sees the value of Leadership Greensboro.
25:20 - Niketa asks her guests for a word that describes how the program has translated to value for them personally and professionally. Elizabeth chooses “transformational” as her word, explaining how the Leadership Greensboro experience has transformed her in so many ways. Brandon says he also felt so much transformation, but also gained hope. Leadership Greensboro allowed him to have open and honest conversations about difficult and complicated topics, where respectful disagreement and understanding could happen.
28:40 - Niketa brings up when the world changed with the outbreak of COVID-19 and how this interrupted so many plans (including graduation) for Leadership Greensboro’s class of 2020. Ultimately, the leadership team decided to move the program days online, which is a first. Niketa asks what apprehensions Elizabeth and Brandon had about helping the program move to a virtual platform. Overall, engagement was still high even though the program had to be online.
37:00 - Niketa asks “What advice would you give to next year’s program chairs, especially if we are still affected by quarantine?” Brandon says there’s always a benefit in being prepared, especially if COVID-19 comes back in a second wave. Preparing great programming that can be flexible and adapt to an online forum is critical for the current situation and moving forward. Elizabeth seconds Brandon’s suggestion, planning for in-person events with a backup plan for online situations and also figuring out ways to create the bonds between the cohort members if the program goes virtual.
41:25 - Niketa closes out by reminding listeners that Leadership Greensboro will start recruiting for the next cohort in late May 2020, so follow the Chamber on social media to keep up with those dates and how to apply to the program!
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Visit the Leadership Greensboro webpage for more details about the program!
Find Leadership Greensboro on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/leadershipgreensboro/
Make sure to follow impact. The Boro on social media!
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @gsochamber
Visit the Chamber website at greensboro.org.
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