LEADERSHIP KNOXVILLE INC

LEADERSHIP KNOXVILLE WAS INCORPORATED AS A 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION IN 1984 AND STARTED ITS FIRST CLASS IN 1985. SINCE THEN, MORE THAN 1,774 LEADERS FROM ALL SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE ANNUAL 10-MONTH FLAGSHIP PROGRAM AND HAVE COMMITTED TO LEADERSHIP KNOXVILLE'S GOAL OF SERVING AS "CATALYSTS FOR POSITIVE CHANGE" IN THE GREAT KNOXVILLE AREA.LEADERSHIP KNOXVILLE'S FLAGSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE IN A COMBINATION OF MONTHLY SESSIONS (AUGUST THROUGH MAY) AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THE CURRICULUM IS BASED ON THE SEVEN PILLARS OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP TO FULFILL OUR VISION: EVERY LEADER - A SERVANT LEADER. CURRICULUM IS STRATEGICALLY PLANNED FOR THE YEAR TO HANDLE INTERPERSONAL AND GROUP DYNAMICS, ABILITY TO CREATE A COMMON VISION, AND COLLABORATIVE APPROACHES TO DECISION MAKING. REAL COMMUNITY ISSUES ARE DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT THE CURRICULUM TO ENHANCE PARTICIPANTS' UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS TO REINFORCE THE IMPORTANCE OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP. SESSIONS ARE HELD IN EACH OF THE NINE KNOX COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICTS, WHICH INCLUDES CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE PARTICIPANTS WITH A BROAD GEOGRAPHIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE. THE CURRICULUM INCLUDES A MANDATORY OVERNIGHT OPENING RETREAT AND A TWO-DAY VISIT TO THE STATE CAPITAL FOR AN IN-DEPTH VIEW OF STATE GOVERNMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES. UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM, GRADUATES BECOME PART OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION TO FURTHER CONTINUE THEIR MENTORING AND LIFELONG LEARNING IN THE COMMUNITY. NUMEROUS PROGRAMS, INCLUDING FORUMS AND WORKSHOPS, ARE PROVIDED AS CONTINUING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. ALUMNI ALSO KEEP ABREAST OF COMMUNITY ISSUES AND ALUMNI ACTIVITIES. LEADERSHIP KNOXVILLE, INC., IS GOVERNED BY A BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND RUN BY A SEVEN-MEMBER STAFF. IT WAS FOUNDED BY THE UNITED WAY OF GREATER KNOXVILLE, THE KNOXVILLE CHAMBER, AND THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF KNOXVILLE. IN 1993, A SECOND PROGRAM FOR NEW EXECUTIVES AND PROFESSIONALS IN THE COMMUNITY WAS ADDED. INTRODUCTION KNOXVILLE PROVIDES A SIX-WEEK CONDENSED OVERVIEW OF COMMUNITY HISTORY, CURRENT EVENTS, AND KEY PLAYERS. IT RUNS THREE TIMES A YEAR. MORE THAN 2,193 LEADERS HAVE PARTICIPATED SINCE IT BEGAN. IN 2013, A THIRD PROGRAM WAS ADDED TO HELP RETAIN THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST COLLEGE GRADUATES IN OUR REGION UPON GRADUATING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE. THE LEADERSHIP KNOXVILLE SCHOLARS IS A TWO-YEAR COHORT IN CONNECTION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE. APPROXIMATELY 50 STUDENTS PARTICIPATE DURING THEIR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR. MORE THAN 236 UT STUDENTS HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE LK SCHOLARS PROGRAM AND 26 HAVE BEEN AWARDED TORCH BEARER AT THE UNIVERSITY ALONG WITH TWO FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS. IN 2014, A FOURTH PROGRAM WAS ADDED TO BUILD LEADERSHIP IN THE KNOXVILLE AREA FROM YOUTH TO SENIORS. THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP KNOXVILLE PROGRAM INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 54 AREA HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS REPRESENTING BOTH PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND HOME SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY. IN 2019 WE PARTNERED WITH PELLISSIPPI STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO TEACH THE LEADERSHIP CURRICULUM IN THE PROGRAM. ALL HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS IN THE PROGRAM ARE DUAL ENROLLED AT PSCC AND EARN 3 HOURS OF COLLEGE CREDIT FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN YLK. MORE THAN 524 YOUTH HAVE PARTICIPATED SINCE IT BEGAN. IN 2017, CONNECT KNOX - A CIVIC SOLUTIONS LAB WAS ADDED. IT IS A COMMUNITY-CENTERED INITIATIVE CONNECTING CROSS SECTORAL, CROSS GENERATIONAL AND CROSS GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH OTHERS WHO ARE EQUALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING BIG, NEW IDEAS HAPPEN. OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE ARE OPEN TO ALL CITIZENS FOR PARTICIPATION. THE BIG TABLE EVENT HAS BEEN A FUN, ONE DAY OF INTERACTION IN COMMUNITY AND HAS OCCURRED IN 2017, 2018 AND 2019. LEADERSHIP KNOXVILLE ALSO SPONSORS COMMUNITY-WIDE WORKSHOPS ON TOPICS OF INTEREST AND COMMUNITY NEED. SINCE 2000, LEADERSHIP KNOXVILLE HAS PROVIDED SPECIALLY TRAINED FACILITATORS AND TRAINERS TO ASSIST COMMUNITY NONPROFIT AND BUSINESS GROUPS IN REACHING THEIR OPTIMUM PERFORMING LEVEL. SERVICES PROVIDED INCLUDE TEAM BUILDING, COMMUNICATION, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND A CADRE OF OTHER OFFERINGS ALL TAILORED TO MEET THE CLIENTS' NEEDS AND GOALS. IN JUNE 2023, WE LAUNCHED OUR BOOKEND PROGRAM TO OUR CONTINUUM OF LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, ENCORE FOR SENIOR LEADERS, SOON-TO-BE RETIREES, AND RETIREES. THE FOCUS OF THE PROGRAM IS TO ENGAGE THESE SAGES AND EXPLORE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND THE NONPROFITS WORKING TO SOLVE THE COMMUNITY ISSUES AND EXPOSE THEM TO WAYS, PLACES AND ORGANIZATIONS THEY CAN VOLUNTEER TO GIVE BACK OF THEIR TIME AND TALENT. OUR FIRST CLASS GRADUATED WITH 16 AREA SENIOR LEADERS.IN AUGUST OF 2024, WE LAUNCHED OUR NEWEST INITIATIVE FOR CONNECT KNOX AS WE FOCUS ON A NEIGHBORING MOVEMENT. THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE, WE WILL EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO BUILD GENUINE RELATIONSHIPS WHERE THEY LIVE. THE IDEA IS SIMPLE: WE ARE CHALLENGING ALL KNOXVILLE NEIGHBORS TO TAKE A SMALL STEP AND TRULY GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AROUND THEM. THROUGH UNIQUE GATHERING EXPERIENCES, WE CAN CREATE AUTHENTIC HUMAN CONNECTIONS AND FOSTER POWERFUL CONVERSATIONS WHICH WE HOPE IS THE BEGINNING OF MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS.