Program Overview

APA/LeadershipPlenty is the only leadership training and coaching program targeted to those who can "lead from the middle" -- mid-level or mid-career staff, board members, and volunteers involved in community development or urban planning. CDI is offering APA/LeadershipPlenty as part of its education and training courses.

The program consists of three elements:

  • A series of ten training modules from late January 2005 to mid-June 2005. The training sessions, which are half-day sessions, include a mix of lectures, workshop exercises, and peer-to-peer dialogues.
  • Personal, executive-style coaching provided by a senior professional in community development or planning. Every two weeks, fellows meet with their coaches, who help them identify and work towards their leadership goals. Coaching runs from June to August 2005. Fellows must participate in at least eight training modules to receive coaching.
  • Ongoing membership in the APA/LeadershipPlenty Network. This network includes a growing number of planners, nonprofit managers and others committed to revitalizing and enhancing communities.

APA/LeadershipPlenty Fellows focus on ten areas of leadership:

  • Leading from the middle
  • Identifying community assets
  • Managing groups for results
  • Making meetings work better
  • Managing conflict
  • Building strategic partnerships
  • Moving from talk to action
  • Valuing evaluation
  • Communicating for change
  • Meeting the challenges of diversity

Each training session includes workshop exercises, peer coaching, short guiding comments, and materials that participants can keep for future reference.

To learn more about the modules, click here. The LeadershipPlenty curriculum was developed by organizational and community development experts from around the United States, and is being used by more than 20 organizations. For more information on the history of LeadershipPlenty, visit here.

APA/LeadershipPlenty will help you learn and apply a set of leadership disciplines that are key to the health and success of today's organizations and communities. Find out about eligibility requirements and download an application to enroll in the 2005 APA/LeadershipPlenty program.