Leading from the Middle New York 2008 will run from September 2008 to March 2009. There will be six six-hour sessions one Saturday a month between October and March. Fellows will receive one-to-one executive coaching from January through March. A graduation ceremony will take place in April. Leading from the Middle Fellows who complete at least five sessions and work successfully with their coach will receive a Certificate of Completion.

Sessions will be held in Manhattan, either in Midtown or in the Union Square neighborhood.
The program will begin with a 1 hour orientation on a weekday morning in mid-September (Date and location TBA). All Fellows will receive their course materials at this meeting.
..Session Focus: Power and Influence
Discover your hidden powers to influence at any level. Learn better ways to leverage your strengths efficiently, ethically, and effectively. Learn how to mobilize assets within communities and organizations for change.
Class meets: Saturday, October 18, 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
..Session Focus: Strategic Communications
Discover new and better ways to convince and persuade various and diverse audiences. Learn to promote issues and agendas in organizations, communities and the public.
Class meets: Saturday, November 15, 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
..Session Focus: Values-Based Planning and Cost-Effective Evaluation
Learn to achieve success through values-based planning and cost-
effective evaluation. Discover how to leverage small successes for large-
scale change.
Class meets: Saturday, December 13, 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
..Session Focus: Building and Leading Groups and Partnerships
Three of the keys to the success of group efforts are: picking the right partners, having clear roles for each member, and making meetings productive. Learn to do all three in this session.
Class meets: Saturday, January 17, 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
..Session Focus: Managing Resistance
Conflict is a natural part of group work, growth and change. Learn how to manage conflict and resistance to create more effective solutions and build better relationships.
Class meets: Saturday, February 21, 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Session Focus: Cultural Competency
Learn to lead in diverse organizations and communities, and how to manage the challenges of diversity to find more creative solutions to problems.
Class meets: Saturday, March 21, 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
 
..Performance Coaching
Each fellow will be matched with a coach. Coaches are current or retired executives and senior-level professionals in community development
or planning.
January through March. Fellows and coaches will arrange their own, mutually convenient, appointments. For more on coaching, please click here.
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A graduation ceremony will be held in early to mid-December.