Leaders Lab
Leaders Lab is a new Hawaiʻi Leadership Forum (HLF) initiative that provides a more accessible way for emerging leaders to further develop their leadership skills to meet the challenges of today.
The application period for the 2024 Hawai‘i Leadership Forum Leaders Lab is now closed. Applicants will be emailed in May 2024 with an update on the status of their candidacy.
2024 Leaders Labs
Thematic Groups & Learning Goals
The Leaders Labs being offered in 2024 are organized into five thematic groups:
Educators and Academic Leaders
Wednesday, June 5
Health, Science, and Technology Leaders
Wednesday, July 10
Community Organizers and Nonprofit Leaders
Wednesday, August 21
Entrepreneurs, Business, and Labor Leaders
Wednesday, October 30
Public Officials and Government Leaders
Wednesday, November 20
The learning goals include:
- Transformed expectations of leadership
- Increased confidence and leadership competence, both individually and collectively
- Increased capacity to identify, understand, and make progress on significant challenges
- Increased collaboration, both within and across sectors
- Increased desire to catalyze positive change in Hawai‘i
Candidacy Criteria
Candidates should have at least ten years of professional experience leading and engaging others and be able to contribute to the learning process with their own perspectives. Experience in a particular role, such as CEO, executive director, or head of a division, is not required. Candidates must be committed to lead and being of service to Hawaiʻi.
A group of about 20 individuals with diverse professional experiences and backgrounds will be selected from across the state for each Leaders Lab.
Who is the ideal candidate?
The best candidates for a Leaders Lab are those who will lead here in Hawaiʻi, understand that societal change is driven by effective leadership, and are willing to experiment to increase their effectiveness. We seek professionals who have been entrepreneurial in their career and have had the experience and drive to be disrupters and transformative catalysts within organizational leadership and outside of formal roles. Successful applicants must be able to articulate their own motivations and vision for the future of Hawaiʻi, and how they hope to catalyze positive change.
Application Package
Resume
In two to three pages, prepare a resume with your leadership and supervisory experiences and the items below:
- Employment History: title, dates in position, scope of responsibilities, and achievements
- Professional Affiliations: name of organization or group, dates of involvement, and description of your role or activities
- Community/Civic Involvement: name of organization or group, dates of involvement, and description of your role or activities
- Professional Development: name of institution/program, year(s) attended, credential(s) awarded
- Formal Education: name of institution, years attended, degree(s) awarded
Reflection Questions
“Leadership is an activity, not a position or authority. It is an activity available to all of us. Leadership emerged in 1955 when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus. Leadership emerges whenever a new employee asks a question no one wants to answer. Leadership has nothing to do with role. It has everything to do with seeing and seizing moments to help a group move forward.”
– Excerpt from When Everyone Leads by Ed O'Malley and Julia Fabris McBride
In 250 words or less for each response, please answer each of the three questions below:
- Reflecting on the idea that “leadership is an activity,” tell us about a time when you believed you exercised leadership (that may or may not be evident on your resume).
- What is the issue you would like to affect with your leadership and how would it impact Hawaiʻi?
- What do you hope to learn in the Leaders Lab?
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the application deadline?
The Leaders Lab application deadline was 12:00 noon HST on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.
What is the cost to participate in a Leaders Lab?
The Hawaiʻi Leadership Forum will cover all program costs for each participant, including coach airfare and Oʻahu ground transportation by a taxi or a ride-sharing service to and from the Daniel K. Inouye Honolulu International Airport for neighbor island participants. Rental cars will not be covered.
Where will the Leaders Labs be held?
All Leaders Labs will convene at the Hawaiʻi Leadership Forum Office located in downtown Honolulu.
What time does each Leaders Lab start and end?
Leaders Labs will begin at 8:30 am for check-in and breakfast, with a formal program start at 9:00 am and end time at 4:30 pm.
What is the participant capacity of each Leaders Lab?
Each Leaders Lab will have approximately 20 participants.
When will applicants be notified about their candidacy?
Applicants will be emailed in May 2024 with an update on the status of their candidacy.
Who do I contact with questions?
Please email us at office@hawaiileadershipforum.org with questions.
