Introducing Lead2Lead

In 1982, a group of business and community leaders set a goal to increase dialogue and foster collaboration on projects to improve the quality of life for all Houstonians. Their vision was to identify and reach more leaders -- and those with leadership potential – and inspire them to expand their involvement within the community. 

That vision became Leadership Houston.

From business and education, to healthcare, government, non-profits, and the arts – there are hundreds of professional people who are alumni members of Leadership Houston. This podcast is going to introduce you to many of them and highlight what they’re doing now as engaged leaders, tackling challenges, creating new opportunities, helping people, contributing to the community – sharing knowledge and using their expertise to make a difference. 

Leadership Houston’s Signature Program is a ten-month journey for a new class of Fellows every year. 

The journey for each class begins in August, when you attend the kickoff orientation and meet your classmates. In September you go on an overnight class retreat. From October through May you have one full-day learning session every month that introduces you to people and immerses you in experiences to understand what makes Houston tick.

You and your class members spend each monthly learning day visiting a venue that’s a key element in a specific sector of the city -- corporate business, educational and healthcare institutions, local government, political offices, and law enforcement, non-profits, the cultural and performing arts… you get deep insights into Houston’s major community issues and unique opportunities to discover and develop ways that you can be a leader where you work and in the larger community. Those insights help your class develop a civic project that you collaborate to complete as an enduring legacy contribution from your class to the community. And then the program culminates with a closing overnight retreat in June. 

Just how do you qualify to participate in this journey? 

If you’re sincerely committed and motivated, you could be an ideal candidate if you’re a professional with ten or more years of experience, you have proven leadership skills, and you’re currently involved in the community – but not running for an elected office at the time you put in your application.

Leadership Houston accepts applications year-round from candidates who want to join the class of the following year. Visit the website – Leadershiphouston.ORG – to learn more about the application process and to review the class schedule. That’s important because attendance at the retreats and at the monthly learning sessions is mandatory, so you want to avoid any potential schedule conflicts before you submit a candidate application.  

The Leadership Houston Podcast host is Renee Griffin, a corporate communications and public relations professional. She is one of the 54 members of Class XXIX which graduated in 2011. That class was a diverse mix representing all kinds of racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and professional backgrounds -- a mix of extroverts, introverts, folks who take care of business and love to have a good time socially. 

A highlight of the Class XXIX journey was planning, designing, building, and opening the Palmetto MultiSensory Hiking/Walking Trail at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center near Memorial Park. The purpose of the trail was to enable blind and visually impaired people in our community to independently enjoy the experience of nature for themselves. Class XXIX set a Leadership Houston record by raising nearly $70,000 for the project and gained loads of media attention for it.

Currently, the Palmetto Trail is not open; it’s been reverted back to a natural habitat. The arboretum-nature center is in the middle of a master plan restoration, so there may be an opportunity to reestablish the trail in the future. Coincidentally, the Executive Director of the arboretum-nature center is a member of Leadership Houston Class XXX.