“LEC has brought the whole issue of leadership to the forefront, and consciously makes you think about it. You have the ability to influence, to motivate others, to recognize what things do you do well and what can you improve on. LEC heightens our awareness around leadership.”

Through the Leadership Exchange and Coaching Project 30 Executive Directors develop a support network and learn to be better leaders

Situation
Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) are organizations dedicated to addressing the difficult needs of children and families impacted by child abuse. Executive Directors of these CACs may be physicians, social workers, lawyers and/or non-profit administrators. Some CACs are separate non-profit organizations; some are located within large social service agencies, hospitals, universities or District Attorney offices. In addition to managing their staff and their centers, CAC Executives serve as liaisons to other agencies involved in abuse investigations: departments of human services, police departments, district attorneys, and medical and mental health professionals.

The role of the CAC Executive Director is challenging. They are charged with inspiring others while managing operations but they don’t always have the most up-to-date tools and skills to do either in the most effective way. They do not always have sufficient support from partner agencies and advisory boards. They often feel overwhelmed and are often conflicted about the competing roles they must play. They often have supervisory issues such as learning how to delegate more effectively, communicating better and handling difficult staff situations.

Approach
Here’s how we were able to help them: We designed The Leadership Exchange and Coaching Project (LEC), part of our Executive Leadership Exchange methodology, to help them with these challenges. LEC is built upon a powerful three faceted approach:

• Professionally Facilitated Peer Consultation (peer support) LEC provided these 30 leaders (3 different groups over 3 years), with a professionally structured, confidential and monitored forum in which they came together with their colleagues to discuss their challenges.
  
  
• Organization Development Values and Practices (tools) - LEC provided cutting-edge information and skill development from the field of organization development.
  
  
• Individual Executive Coaching (leadership) - LEC provided skilled one-on-one coaching to focus and support individual learning, translate theory into practice, and effectively use tools to address important organizational goals.

Results
The first LEC group began in 2004. The fourth group, (LEC IV) launched in January, 2009.

One year after the program all of the participants noted changes in the management and leadership of their CACs:

Managing staff

• Executive Directors report defining expectations more clearly, and asking people to move their work up to their best level
• They are more able to delegate and empower others to solve problems
  

• Connection with other directors was cited as one the best and most helpful parts of LEC because people have the same mission and goals, can talk about confidential issues and get support
• Experienced leaders in the group help newer people understand that some of the challenges are just a fact of the job
• Participants report feeling comfortable calling others in LEC for advice and validation

• Participants report pulling a wider team into the work of the organization
• They have developed tools to forge common ground towards new solutions
• Directors have learned to facilitate meetings more effectively
• Participants report using Appreciative Inquiry to assist in successful performance appraisal conversations, helping staff to focus on their accomplishments

About identity as a leader…

• LEC participants have developed the language to talk about difficult issues
• They are recognizing their own effectiveness
• Participants report that they are consciously thinking about their leadership and how they influence and motivate others
• They are finding a better balance between work and other activities

For more information, visit the Leadership Exchange and Coaching Project.

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