Why LEADS?
We understand that systemic problems cannot be changed in isolation. However, finding new ways to collaborate requires a fresh set of tools, relationships, and frameworks. LEADS combines the academic rigor of a Harvard Business School course with experiential learning opportunities to invest in local leadership capacity, yielding benefits for both individuals and communities.
LEADS combines the academic rigor of a
Harvard Business School course with experiential learning opportunities
Our Model
The LEADS model consists of two interdependent program elements designed to cultivate leaders and spark systems-level impact. LEADS connects leaders, ignites new ideas, and acts as a catalyst for change—benefiting individuals, businesses, and communities alike.
Our Values
Collaboration
LEADS fosters collaboration as a core principle, believing that strong partnerships across sectors are essential for driving positive change and innovation.
Equity
LEADS is committed to the intrinsic dignity of every individual, embracing diversity and ensuring that our actions consistently demonstrate cultural sensitivity, curiosity,fairness, and support for healthy, equitable lives.
Trust
Trust is at the heart of LEADS' mission. We uphold honesty, integrity, and transparency in all interactions with participants, partners, and the community. We encourage genuine curiosity about each other’s experiences and perspectives, striving to understand problems from diverse viewpoints.
Continuous Learning
LEADS emphasizes the importance of ongoing learning and personal growth, promoting leadership skills, self-awareness, and community-building as essential components of effective leadership.
Community Impact
LEADS is dedicated to creating measurable, positive impacts within communities, driven by the collaborative efforts of our leaders and programs.
Sustainability
LEADS is committed to ensuring the long-term success of our programs and the communities we serve, focusing on strategies that lead to lasting, positive change.
97% of LEADS participants cited a deeper appreciation of the need of collaborative approaches for large-scale change
Our History
Founded in 2018 as a pilot project in Lawrence, in collaboration with the Lawrence Partnership, the Alliance for Business Leadership, and professors from Harvard Business School, LEADS has since expanded to broader regions of Massachusetts. While we made an early impact in Lawrence, we quickly realized that many of the issues discussed in the cohort—ranging from housing availability and workforce pipelines to mental health and civic engagement—could not be adequately addressed at the local level. In response, we evolved our model to incorporate Regional Impact Clusters (RICs), filling a critical gap in cross-community alignment across Massachusetts.
Since its inception, LEADS (Leaders Engaged and Activated to Drive System-wide Change) has hosted multiple cohorts in the Merrimack Valley (Lawrence, Haverhill, and Lowell) as well as the North Shore (Greater Lynn, Salem, Peabody, and Beverly). Expansion to the South Coast (Greater New Bedford and Fall River) is currently underway. Ultimately, we are building a plan to engage across the state's many gateway cities.
❝I was very excited to have some different voices at the table, of people who don’t necessarily see themselves as leaders.❞
- John Andrews, LEADS 4.0
Spotlight on Success
Two LEADS Network members who met through the program are partnering on an effort to push Haverhill to adopt a Community Preservation Act, which would give the city access to millions of dollars per year for affordable housing, parks and recreation, and historic preservation. One respondent shared that this effort “would not have happened without LEADS. We had the relationships, the confidence, and the tools. I’m confident we’re going to get it done.”
Because of relationships built during LEADS, the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center is involved in Lawrence Community Work’s DyeWorks development project, which will include a grocery store, health services, youth programs, and community meeting space. As part of the project, GLFHC will build a new clinic to connect those in surrounding affordable housing to essential services. Construction is scheduled to complete in 2024.
