As the Charlotte region continues to radiate magnetic waves of attraction, those who have helped the Queen City develop so steadily are working to remain inclusive, not exclusive.

For nearly 30 years, Leadership Charlotte has been working to build volunteer community leadership in the modern working environment. It brings together a diverse group of emerging and existing leaders, providing an opportunity to teach them about each other and the community in which they live and work. The program runs for 10 months each year and focuses on Charlotte's history and heritage, arts and culture, education, health care, government and politics, diversity, quality of life and human services.

Graduates are recognized as people who make things happen and get things done. But their vision and their energy are not focused in simply one direction. Commitment to strengthening neighborhoods and becoming part of the constant transition are also part of the program.

At October's annual Legacy Awards honoring lifetime achievement, Leadership Charlotte announced it was partnering with the Charlotte Chamber to develop a new program that will be known as Encounter Charlotte, a two-day introduction to Charlotte that will be offered on June 10 to 11, 2008.

It was Natalie English, the Chamber's senior vice president of business and education advocacy, who made the announcement.

"When we created our new alignment in 2006, we didn't feel the focus of our mission was training leaders," English said. "But the program was very important, and we needed to retain it. So we initiated discussions with Leadership Charlotte, and they were very excited about the opportunity to add to their repertoire. This will help them reach more potential leaders and develop skills and do that affordably. So they'll be able to train more leaders with fewer dollars." The Chamber dismantled its Leadership School in 2006.

Queens University of Charlotte will be the host site for Encounter Charlotte, said Elizabeth McKee, executive director for Leadership Charlotte.

"I see it as an opportunity to create a pathway, so to speak, for newcomers who don't have the time because they haven't been here very long," McKee said. "I've been here 14 years, and it took a while to find ways to connect. I understand it can be hard to get plugged in."

McKee gave the example of an executive or a mid-level manager whose spouse has come here as well, and both would be eager to get involved, but would also be naturally quite occupied with the whole process of building their new lives, collectively and individually.

She continued, "Encounter Charlotte would be an avenue for that couple to learn very quickly some applicable ways to get involved without being here two years, or five years, or 10 years.

"This is really about opportunity. You can't make people volunteer. ... Wouldn't it be great to bring together a diverse crowd of younger and older people, male and female, from all national and ethnic backgrounds, and have them blend together in a mini-network among themselves? And our goal would be to have them say, ‘I get that. That's something I can do tomorrow.'"

Encounter Charlotte could also become the inspiration to go further, said Paul Shipley, chairman of the board of directors for Leadership Charlotte and chief financial officer at Springs Creative Products Group.

"This would introduce them to issues and challenges that face the city as well as some of the key figures who work in the city in terms of community and government involvement," Shipley said.

"It will give them a stepping stone to move forward and jump into issues, or if they want to learn more, they can come back ... and go through the full Leadership Charlotte program," he added. "In either case they're going to get an intense snapshot of the community and the issues surrounding us."

Shipley envisioned an introductory roundtable discussion involving established civic and business leaders with the first class of Encounter Charlotte.

"The goal is the same, and we do a very good job in a very efficient way. ... If we need to tweak it that following year, we can do that," he said. "The nice thing about doing it this way is that if we need to schedule more than one day or more than one group we can do that. We just need to make sure the size is manageable and the group is diverse enough that we can produce good conversation everyone can participate in."

Using Leadership Charlotte as a model for what might be termed a microcosm has value, McKee said. That program's results have spoken for themselves in terms of getting energetic and talented individuals to become part of the Queen City's business mainstream.

"Our main program does that 100-fold," McKee said. "These are people who are unable to take time to commit to a 10-month program, but when they're done (with Encounter Charlotte) they might say, ‘I'm going to make the time in the next three to five years to become part of Leadership Charlotte.'"

McKee saw the new program as another tool the Chamber could use in helping businesses large and small relocate to the Charlotte region.

"Doesn't this offer them another perk? It helps them say, ‘Not only are we showing you this great town, but also giving you a way to plug in.'"

Leadership Charlotte classes begin in August and run through May. Cost varies for tuition partners: $6,000 for corporations, $4,000 for non-profits and $2,500 for at-large members. Applications for Encounter Charlotte will be accepted after March 15. The program cost is $500 for an individual and $750 for couples.

For more information, contact Leadership Charlotte at 704.688.2888 or visit online at www.leadershipcharlotte.org.

 

Thomas Monigan is the business editor at the Gaston Gazette in Gastonia, N.C., and a frequent contributor to Ventures Charlotte.