About the Program

Program Design

The program is composed of independent courses collectively designed to provide western conservationists with the adaptive and pragmatic capacities and skills to more effectively engage in acts of leadership–regardless of title or tenure.

Upon completing our courses, participants acquire a greater awareness of their own behaviors and practices, as well as see the conservation system with a different lens. The intended outcome is that conservationists will have greater clarity on the complexity of western challenges before them and how to intervene within a larger system. They will have mastered how they respond to such situations using new behaviors and knowledge to influence others and to inform and/or make decisions.

For those interested in understanding how this program differs from other programs:

Three key elements set this program apart in design and delivery. First, western conservation challenges are the focal point in the work of leadership development. Second, by including participants from different agencies, organizations, disciplines, backgrounds, and geographic locations throughout the West, the course fosters diversity and inclusivity, collaborative thinking, and partnerships. Third, our courses are designed by western conservationists and a community of practice that collectively represent years of expertise and experience both in conservation and the work of leadership, resulting in leadership development that meets people where they are.

While this program has a foundation in adaptive leadership and work, we are in the process of building additional courses in partnership with leadership innovators and will be experimenting with new training opportunities in the near future.