Calling All Leaders

All current and aspiring community leaders are invited to sign up for the Somerville Academy for Innovative Leadership (SAIL), a program established by Mayor Joe Curtatone to provide free adaptive leadership training.

Adaptive Leadership is an approach that looks for the root cause of issues and involves all stakeholders in problem solving. This "bottom-up" leadership style has been adopted by many organizations, including: Microsoft, the United States Department of Justice, the New York City Fire Department, and the Stonewall Organization. Oh, and the City of Somerville.

Leadership expert Dr. Hugh O’Doherty, a Senior Associate at Cambridge Leadership Associates, has already been working with City of Somerville managers and department heads on adaptive leadership skills. Now it’s time to offer these same cutting-edge skills to you.

SAIL kicks off with a six-session Art and Practice of Public Leadership course, which is open to all Somerville residents or employees of nonprofits based in Somerville that serve Somerville. Based upon a demonstrated interest in community engagement and leadership, 20 participants will be selected. Upon completion of the program, Mayor Curtatone will award participants with a certificate at a special ceremony to recognize their achievement. The course is free, but in exchange for this leadership training, the City asks that participants give back 30 hours of community engagement of their choice. Each participant will be able to choose their own activities from participating in public meetings or joining a board or commission to volunteering at a local nonprofit or starting a new community-based effort. 

Dr. O'Doherty, a Senior Associate at Cambridge Leadership Associates, teaches leadership at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government, and has also taught leadership at the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, the McGregor Burns Academy of Leadership, and the University of Maryland. Also an expert in conflict resolution, he directed the Inter-Group Relations Project in his native Ireland where he brought together political and community leaders together to establish protocols for political dialog, and he has addressed the United Nations Global Forum on Re-Inventing Government.  

Persons interested in boosting their leadership skills and taking a more active role in the community are encouraged to apply for the program. To apply for SAIL, please visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SomervilleLeadership. For additional information, please contact Meghann Ackerman at 617-625-6600 ext. 2120 or resistat@somervillema.gov. 

SAIL will take place on two Saturdays (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) and four consecutive Thursday evenings (6:30-9 p.m.) from March 31 to May 4, 2013 at Tufts University. To fully benefit from the program, the City asks that participants commit to attending all sessions.