Center For Ethical Leadership

Programs: Leadership and change projects: through innovative models, tools and approaches, such as gracious space and peacemaking circles, the center offers opportunities for the community to develop the leadership skills and build the capacity to address challenging issues by creating space for deep relationships to develop. The center also provides customized leadership development and capacity building to help organizations achieve powerful results. The consulting and coaching work ranges from designing and delivering national multi-year leadership programs focusing on the development of collective leadership to create community change, to facilitating half-day in-service trainings that help people recognize their own gifts and talents - leading to enhanced ability to work together. The approach to leadership development has proven effective in a variety of settings including: tribal nations, rural communities, urban neighborhoods, and large organizations.

community learning exchange (cel): in collaboration with the w. K. Kellogg foundation, cel helped to pioneer a radical re-thinking of leadership development: a network model of collective leadership that brings together diverse teams from around the country to share wisdom, challenges, and solutions. Using collective leadership principles and embracing storytelling, the community learning exchange (cle) equips these teams with the tools to address systemic social problems on the community scale. Past teams have returned to their communities to: secure bonds for school improvements; boost african american graduation rates; implement culturally relevant curriculum; launch immigrant rights programs; reclaim native american education; and reduce teen pregnancies.

peacemaking and healing initiative: in fostering collective leadership in communities nationwide, the center has learned that people often need healing before they can build trust and relationships that help further their goals. The peacemaking and healing initiative uses peacemaking circles based on tagish tlingit first nation tradition and creates sacred space to foster healing, understanding, and trust. People open up to their own vulnerability, share their stories, and begin to let go of the pain of past and current experiences. This process helps people develop their leadership capacity through reflections on personal values and practicing speaking authentically in public. The premise for this initiative is simple: as individuals and organizational leaders become healthier, they can connect in healthier partnerships to work collectively on making systems more effective in serving communities. In peacemaking circle, participants learn to do their own deep personal work regarding pain and trauma from social inequity, which creates new openings to initiate change in their own communities.

regional government alliance on race and equity program