Leadership Atlanta hits 35
This is Leadership Atlanta’s 35th year! Happy Anniversary! Leadership Atlanta is a program run by the Chamber of Commerce to build mentoring relationships between Atlanta’s current leaders and those who are on the rise. The program has been copied by several Chambers of Commerce through out Georgia and there are several metro chapters. There are even leadership classes in specialized sectors of the economy!
These programs do a number of things well. They bring together representatives of disparate groups. If not for these leadership classes they might never come together. This year’s class is an excellent example. Rarely does the Branch Manager of the The Federal Reserve Bank work with the chief partner of Atlanta’s most productive architecture firm and the President of Spelman College. However, this year they will all work together, share views, and try to tackle a common problem.
Leadership Atlanta has solid core values. They are inclusive: not only racially, but in terms of sector. Partnership is the key and they recognize that effective partnerships come from valueing other voices and trusting them. People who have achieved leadership positions most often have skills that help solve problems. Those skills however, differ greatly by sector. Putting a variety of people together in a guided process teaches everyone to look for stategies new to them in order to solve the problem. You’re expected not only to listen, but present your own point of view so that others can learn it.
What can be done in the next 35 years? Leadership Atlanta could play an even more potent role. For Example, in 2003, Leadership Atlanta was vital in producing a report outlining a system to greatly reduce Atlanta’s homeless population over 10 years. Yet, in the recent debate over pan handling and homelessness, there was scant mention of this report and little seems to have been done by way of implementation. Leadership Atlanta can be the place where these tough issues get a fair hearing by a broad constituency that has a vested process and outcome. Governments, professional associations, and companies can all utilize these resources better. The sector model may be even more potent as it’s not limited geographically. People from Atlanta will work with people from Gwinnett and people from Henry County. Perhaps the next step is a COO Metro-wide leadership class. In Atlanta, transcending geography is the real sign of leadership.