Leadership Springfield values, engages, and includes the rich range of perspectives and lived experiences in our community. We are intentional about creating environments where every person feels a sense of belonging and has the opportunity to thrive and lead.

Leadership Springfield believes…

Everyone is a leader.

We recognize the influence we have on one another. Our mission is to inspire, develop, and connect leaders to work together for meaningful community impact.

Belonging makes us stronger.

We value respectful dialogue that embraces differing viewpoints and fosters a culture of mutual understanding. No single person or group holds all the answers, but by working together, we can shape Springfield into a community where everyone feels they belong.

The community needs you to lead.

Your voice, perspective, and lived experience matter. Strong communities are built when individuals from all backgrounds are welcomed, valued, and engaged in shaping our shared future.

Leadership is influence.

We are committed to equipping leaders who influence others for the greater good. Leadership can be constructive or destructive, effective or ineffective. We believe effective, inclusive leadership has the power to transform communities for the better.

We reject discrimination and exclusion.

We actively welcome input from individuals across all backgrounds and experiences. We acknowledge there is still progress to be made in our community to ensure true inclusion, belonging, and access for all. As a leadership organization, we are committed to standing against racism and all forms of exclusion—and working alongside community partners to promote equity and belonging across Springfield.

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Leadership Springfield is committed to ongoing action through the Inclusive Excellence framework developed by Dr. Damon A. Williams and the National Inclusive Excellence Leadership Academy™. Our efforts focus on continuous improvement in the following areas:

1. Access, Success, and Equity
   • Increase access through scholarship opportunities, relationship-building with historically underrepresented groups, hybrid program delivery, and enhanced accommodations.
   • Expand representation among staff, board, committees, volunteers, participants, and partners.
   • Identify and remove barriers that limit engagement or participation, and create welcoming, accessible pathways for all.
2. Learning & Development
   • Set clear expectations for inclusive excellence within our staff and board culture.
   • Provide regular learning opportunities focused on cultural awareness, bias, inclusion, and belonging.
   • Include inclusive leadership and cultural responsiveness in performance evaluations and staff development plans.
3. Organizational Culture & Engagement
   • Regularly assess the climate of inclusion, belonging, and respect across staff, board, and participants through our High Involvement Planning process.
   • Identify gaps in engagement with local industries and foster pathways to connection and collaboration.
   • Create brave spaces for dialogue, reflection, and learning that advance inclusion and strengthen community understanding.
   • Offer content and tools to help our alumni, staff, board, and participants grow in their own inclusive leadership journeys and bring inclusive practices into their organizations.
4. Institutional Accountability
   • Publish and share our organizational statement of commitment to inclusion, belonging, and access with all stakeholders.
   • Deepen partnerships with organizations that represent historically excluded communities and work to remove barriers to shared success.
   • Review policies and procedures annually to assess impact and ensure alignment with our commitment to inclusive excellence.