Leadership Metro Richmond

Community leadership development organization in Richmond, Virginia, that connects leaders from different backgrounds and prepares them to serve the region. It was founded in 1980 to tackle racial and gender gaps in who led the community, and it now says it has more than 2,000 members drawn from business, nonprofit and governmental sectors. The site's stated mission is to strengthen the region by connecting diverse leaders and preparing them to serve, a need it says has grown as regional issues have become more complex.

Leadership Quest and its ten-month format

The flagship program is Leadership Quest, a ten-month course that brings together a diverse group of community leaders. It combines leadership training, access to high-impact decision-makers and networking, and aims to broaden participants' perspectives on regional issues. The organization says the program nurtures a commitment to inclusion, regional collaboration and servant leadership.

Board service and governance training

The organization says prepared board members are critical to nonprofits, which play a vital role in the region. Its nonprofit board governance workshops combine governance standards and good practice with first-hand experience from people working in the field. The site also has a section on connecting leaders to board service, so members can move from training into board work.

Facilitation skills for difficult conversations

Facilitation training helps leaders handle challenging conversations in their communities. It is a three-part educational course in which participants must attend all three sessions, and it includes practical tips for facilitators along with a chance to try the skills in practice. The aim is to lead discussions in a way that is inclusive, informative and effective.

Alumni events and corporate partners

Alumni events include sessions where authors discuss their books. The site also lists a Society of Leadership Advocates, a referral route for prospective members, and a group of corporate partners. The organization describes those partners as supporting its mission to connect, prepare and engage community leaders.

Leadership Metro Richmond (LMR) is a community leadership development and engagement organisation for the Richmond region of Virginia. It was created in 1980 to address racial and gender divides in community leadership and now runs a network of more than 2,000 members from business, nonprofit and government.

Services

• Leadership Quest: a ten-month community leadership programme that combines leadership training, access to decision-makers and networking.
• Nonprofit board governance workshops: a series that prepares members to serve on nonprofit boards.
• Facilitation training: a three-part programme on facilitating difficult community conversations.
• Alumni events: events where alumni authors discuss their books.
• Community recognition: a way to nominate someone in the region who has taken action in the community.

Who it serves

Leaders from the business, nonprofit and governmental sectors of the Richmond region.

Key facts

• Based in: Richmond, Virginia
• Founded: 1980
• Network: more than 2,000 members, as stated.