The Leading Institute is the only organization that specializes in
leadership and management development in the community develop-
ment and urban planning fields.

The Leading Institute is an innovative set of programming to improve professional practice in the fields that work to revitalize, enhance or
maintain communities in the United States. We serve people who work
in community development—including those who work in community development corporations, neighborhood associations, foundations and
similar groups. We also serve planning professionals. These include
urban planners, historic preservationists, civil engineers, land use
lawyers, architects, economic development specialists and of course
community development professionals.

Since 2003, Leading from the Middle, our keystone program, has
helped nearly 40 professionals become more effective leaders,
managers and planners. Leading from the Middle Fellows have
learned to recognize their own powers to lead and discovered new
and better ways to manage conflicts, lead groups, communicate
strategically and balance talk and action. Executive Class, launched
in 2005, shows executives and top directors how to better motivate
staff and build capacity in their organizations. In 2006, we are expand-
ing our services with workshops and technical assistance.

Community development and urban planning professionals work on
difficult, slippery and hard to define problems. They work in dynamic environments that change rapidly in the wake of new people, tech-
nologies, and economic and environmental conditions.

Through The Leading Institute, you can learn new ways to help groups, organizations and communities adjust quickly to change and get the
most benefit out of the wealth of available (though often unrecognized) resources.

We teach and embody three principles that we believe are best suited
for our clients: collaborative leadership, values-based management, and reflective practice.

Collaborative leadership is the practice of engaging other people
respectfully and equally, and promoting collaboration over competition. Collaborative leaders also believe that anyone can be a leader,
regardless of his or her position. In today's communities and organi-
zations, where powers are distributed widely, traditional top-down
leadership is ineffective and inefficient. Sometimes the top-down model
just creates more problems.

Values-based management is a way to make decisions based on the
hierarchy of values in groups and communities. Values are the ground
rules for our actions. Every decision we make ultimately reflects our
values. Yet, too often, we either ignore them, or treat them all as equal.
We teach effective ways to understand and work with values, so you
can make better decisions under the stress of change.

Reflective practice helps you think more deeply about difficult issues,
so you can find new and better resolutions. Reflective practitioners
also develop the confidence and skills to work around their own areas
of weakness.

Collaborative leadership, values-based management and reflective
practice are especially well-suited for diverse and dynamic
environments.

We provide training AND development. What's the difference?
Training teaches skills. That is, you learn how to do something.
Development helps learners find new ways to think and behave.
That is, you learn new ways to approach and resolve problems.

New tools are only as effective as the person wielding them.
Through TLI's training and development programs, you get skills, knowledge—and support.