Leadership Shifts WNC
A collaborative learning experience for people leading through complexity
Overview
Leadership Shifts WNC is a 9-month collaborative learning journey for people who are navigating complexity in their organizations and communities. The program focuses on the subtle but powerful shifts – in awareness, relationships, and practice – that make leadership more adaptive, distributed, and resilient.
Participants learn and apply systems leadership in real-world contexts, supported by peer learning, reflection, and coaching from practitioners in leadership, systems thinking, and resilience. Leadership Shifts WNC is about strengthening a group’s capacity to lead together.
Who It’s For
This experience is designed for civic leaders, institutional staff, philanthropic staff, nonprofit directors, and community connectors. It’s especially valuable for those who find themselves bridging across roles or sectors – people who see potential for collaboration but need fresh ways to convene, listen, and move forward together.
What We’ll Explore
Drawing on examples from Western North Carolina and beyond, we’ll explore practices that help leaders:
- Build resilience at personal, team, and organizational levels
- Recognize and work productively with cultural and power differences
- Design inclusive interactions that increase engagement
- Apply systems thinking to complex, cross-sector challenges
- Enable network leadership that is distributed, collaborative, and adaptive
What Participants Gain
Participants leave with:
- Practical tools for leading adaptively through uncertainty
- A supportive peer network for continued learning
- Coaching and reflection to integrate new practices into daily work
- Renewed confidence in their ability to foster collaboration and trust
Logistics
Leadership Shifts WNC will be held from 10-4 on the last Friday of each month from February – October 2026. Sessions may be virtual or in-person, with format and location determined based on cohort preferences.
Enrollment
Each Leadership Shifts WNC cohort will be limited to 15 leaders to allow for depth and connection. To ensure a mix of perspectives and experiences, which is essential to cohort learning, participation will be by invitation only. Interested participants are encouraged to voice their interest by January 15, 2026.
Tuition & Accessibility
Leadership Shifts WNC operates on a sliding-scale tuition model designed to balance accessibility and sustainability. We invite participants and their organizations to select the level that best fits their resources.
- $2,750 – Institutional Rate
For participants supported by larger organizations or agencies with professional development budgets.
- $2,250 – Standard Rate
For participants from small nonprofits, local governments, or community-based organizations with modest training budgets.
- $1,750 – Community Rate
For individuals, grassroots leaders, or organizations without professional development funds.
*No proof of income or budget is required. We trust participants to self-select the rate that feels right. A limited number of partial scholarships and payment plans are available.
**If you’re unsure where you fit on the scale, reach out – we’ll find a way to make participation possible.
Participation is by invitation to ensure a good mix of roles and perspectives.
Use the form below to share your interest; I’ll reach out soon with next steps.