Award for a Leadership Development Program

An award for a leadership development program.

This Leadership Development Award is designed to help promote leadership development programs, organizations and other types of groups within the greater Atlanta area. The goal is to help improve, strengthen, and cultivate all aspects of the community's capability for leadership. These programs are typically focused on developing new leaders or helping existing leaders develop specific skills that can be applied in their professional career. They often address topics like business effectiveness, team building, communication skills- speaking/listening/writing and more.

This award will be based on criteria such as current value as well as academic merit (i.e., amount of work completed). All candidates must be members or affiliates of an organization (e.g. corporation, non-profit, etc.) that is developing leadership capability or strengthening existing leadership within the community. The applicant organization must be based in the greater Atlanta area and a 501(c)3. Eligibility: The applicant organization must be based in the greater Atlanta area, but do not have to be a local Georgia-based organization - this award is open to all organizations regardless of location. Recipients of this award will not receive any monetary funds; rather they will attend one conference (a maximum of four people per organization) and be recognized at an Atlanta Leadership Conference as well as adding "Leadership Development" to their name on their letterhead.

The mission of Atlanta Leadership is to be an information clearinghouse and resource for leadership development in the greater Atlanta area. We are one small part of the community-wide effort to strengthen leadership across the entire metro region.

The focus of this award is on those who develop and produce leadership activities, not on those who participate in them. As such, we expect to see evidence that programs and activities are well-developed, have measurable objectives and have been evaluated either formally through questionnaires or informally through reports from participants, managers or others who closely observed the program or activity.

This is also an opportunity for your organization to be recognized for your efforts in developing leaders, especially if you are a smaller organization that does not regularly receive recognition. The workshop may feature a keynote speaker and/or other speakers. You will also have the opportunity to add "Leadership Development Program" to your letterhead.

The applicant organization must submit the following:

1. A letter of intent describing what (s)he is trying to develop, how it is being done, who is involved and how they will be evaluated (and by whom)**

2. A description of the background and experience of the applicants leadership development program leaders and staff as well as a list of their qualifications/experience**

3. An outline describing how this program's goals align with those of Atlanta Leadership.*

4. Documentation of results such as surveys, evaluation tools**, internal communications, etc..

The application should be emailed to: info@atlantaleadership.com*

**All materials must be submitted as a ".doc" or ".pdf" file.

Award Chair:

Alexandra Stewart, Director, Corporate Communications at Georgia State University Sugar Babies (800) SUGAR-BABY(872-2729) #1218 Atlanta Leadership Conference "As the United States' workforce ages and more people are getting their first jobs, it is critical to create a pipeline of leaders. The number of people entering the workforce with important new skills and knowledge remains far too low." [From the Executive Summary on page 11]

In recent years the U.S. has experienced a dramatic shift in its population demographics. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that for the first time in U.S. history, the majority of us will be Baby Boomers or younger by 2010. By 2030, the number of people over 65 will double from 40 million to 84 million people, making up 20 percent of our total population compared with 12 percent today—a larger percentage than at any time since the 1930s (US Census reports on aging).

"As we welcome these Baby Boomers into their workplace and communities, it's important to remember that most of them are not prepared to handle this transition," according to Phyllis Moen , professor of sociology at University of Minnesota who specializes in older adult issues. "They have blind spots about what their later lives will be like, and social expectations about the aging process don't help. This can be problematic for employers who are unprepared for these workers once they hit their 50s and 60s, as well as for older adults themselves."

Ms. Moen points out that in the past, individuals often had careers spanning one company or employer—or even one industry— during their working life. Today that's not the reality. More than half of Americans are likely to have 10 or more jobs during their working lifetime; by the time they reach age 66, many will have held 15 different jobs.

Who's Leading Who?

According to a March 2002 Gallup study, "In 1996, only 12 percent of the workforce was comprised of Baby Boomers. By 1998, this percentage had risen to 24 percent. Now nearly one-third of the workforce is made up of Baby Boomers."

The job market for retirees is expected to grow by 25% from 2000 thru 2016, according to U.S. Census Bureau projections (Census Bureau website). The older population will have much greater purchasing power and financial independence. Yet many seem unprepared for retirement.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that more than a quarter (25%) of those 65 and older do not have a retirement savings plan, while 77% of middle-aged workers say they have some form of retirement plan or savings. This includes:

40% say they have less than $10,000;

30% say they have less than $5,000;

26% say they have less than $1,000.

Many Baby Boomers are entering their later years with an aging workforce unprepared to meet their needs in terms of: career development opportunities, skills and knowledge transfer to their employees, succession planning and the ability to provide for their own needs as well as those of aging parents, spouses or children.

"This is a time of great transition, yet many Baby Boomers do not have realistic expectations of their future," according to Scott R. Walker, vice president and chief human resources officer at Johnson Controls . "They are finding out that their current workplaces may not be the best places for them to continue working."

According to a JCRC study, Baby Boomers report dissatisfaction with their jobs. More than a third (37%) say they are dissatisfied with the amount of opportunity for professional growth at their current company compared with 23% of Baby Boomers who are satisfied in this area. And more than a quarter (28%) say they are dissatisfied with their pay compared with 20% who are satisfied.

"Employers may feel forced to keep older workers because of a tight job market," says Dave Van Dyke, vice president of human resources for the American Benefits Council, a Washington-based association that represents employers in the employee benefits industry. "A lot of companies don't want to see older people go; they are an important source of experience.

Conclusion

Atlanta Leadership Conference (ALC)

The Atlanta Leadership Conference is proud to announce the Closing College Scholarship Program for 2006-07. This program was developed with the intention of acknowledging and supporting college students who are aspiring leaders. Application guidelines,and two scholarship opportunities will be announced soon for undergraduate, graduate and doctoral level students at accredited institutions of higher learning. Please check the website for updates and details. ALC also offers a number of leadership development programs that can help you get started on your road to becoming a leader in your community ( www.atlantaleadership.com ).