If the world is to move to a more sustainable future, a new kind of leadership is required. That is the premise on which a unique leadership training program is founded. LEAD (Leadership for Environment and Development) has been training emerging leaders since 1994 toward the expressed vision of inspiring leadership for a sustainable world.
While there is no shortage of leadership training out there, what makes the LEAD initiative unique from other initiatives is its focus on sustainability, geographic scope and diversity of perspectives. Focusing on issues such as climate change, sustainable cities and greening the economy, LEAD develops leadership skills for participants within the context of sustainability. Given the cross-cutting nature of these issues, training is not specific to a particular field or discipline. Instead, LEAD brings together a vast mixture of backgrounds including engineers, business leaders, academics and urban planners to name just a few. “By bringing together this diversity of participants, LEAD is able to provide training that significantly enhances the capacity to understand, communicate and inspire change within not only one’s own context, but across others,” says Carole Therrien, President of LEAD Canada. “The issues that we face don’t stop at one profession or sector. LEAD training recognizes this and develops leaders that are comfortable working collaboratively across disciplines.”
In addition to the focus on diversity of professional and educational backgrounds, LEAD is an international organization that has programs around the world. These include:
- Anglophone West Africa
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- Commonwealth of Independent States
- Europe
- Francophone Africa
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Mexico
- Pakistan
- Southern & Eastern Africa
Participants complete their training by participating in the annual International Session, which brings together each program from around the world for a 7-day event. “The International Session is an intense experience for all of the participants,” says Hugh Maynard, the manager of LEAD Canada’s Professional Development Program. “By bringing together participants from dozens of countries, everyone gains a new appreciation for both the global nature of the issues that we face as well as a broadened perspective on how they are viewed in different corners of the world.”
Those that complete the training are called “LEAD Fellows” and join a network of 2100 Fellows in over 90 countries. LEAD Canada is currently accepting applications to join the 16th Cohort of the program until May 10, 2010. For more information, go to: www.leadcanada.net.
Read more about developing the Canadian green leaders of tomorrow:
- A unique approach to nation building | Peter ter Weeme
- Reason to Dream | Stefanie Bowles
- Finding Your Green Job | Mark Tovey
