Illuminate Your Leadership
A 6-month group coaching program for nonprofit leaders who are ready to show up with more courage, confidence, and ease.
NEXT COHORT: EARLY 2023
TELL ME, LEADER…
Do you hold visions for a more just and inclusive society and know that you have an important role to play in driving your organization’s impact in the world?
Despite your intentions, do you find yourself doubting your instincts and hesitating to speak up about challenging issues?
Are your days full of endless meetings and tasks that leave you feeling depleted and disconnected from the purpose and joy you once found in your work?
Do you care about growing as a leader and advancing your career, but don't quite know how to get unstuck from where you are?
You are not alone. The nonprofit sector has taught us that leadership comes at a price - overwork, overwhelm and isolation. We’re conditioned to believe that our value is found in our to-do list and taking time to invest in, reckon with, and expand our leadership is a self-indulgent pursuit. And when we challenge cultural norms, we can be seen as a nuisance or threat, so over time we question, suppress, and silence ourselves.
I am here to tell you: there’s a different way to lead.
Imagine yourself ….
Confidently speaking up on behalf of the things you care about most, while staying humble and curious with others
Delegating, saying no, and setting boundaries with more ease, so that you can prioritize the work that lights you up and creates greater impact in your organization (and the world)
Spending way less time and energy doubting yourself, because you have learned to trust your voice, your strengths, and your instincts
Growing important skills in your leadership -- alongside an inclusive, collaborative, and courageous circle of leaders who will support you to rise to your greatest leadership potential
Rise to your next level of impact inside…
In this transformative 6-month experience, you’ll receive:
Practical and actionable training in the leadership skills that our organizations so desperately need right now, including: deep listening, giving and receiving feedback, and managing complexity.
Highly personalized development support to unlearn limiting patterns in your leadership and rebuild habits that will get you the results you want.
The power of community to provide you with support, wisdom, and loving accountability as you take courageous steps forward in your leadership.
Throughout the whole program, you can count on being held in a learning container that encourages support, connection, and experimentation.
This combination is guaranteed to create impactful and sustainable changes in your leadership (as long as you do the work!)
“Coaching with Jen has been one of the most powerful leadership development experiences I have ever had. I have grown as a leader more in the last 6 months than ever before.”
— Lori Sweeney, Managing Diretor, ANet Illinois
THIS IS FOR YOU IF…
You are a leader. I’m not talking about your position, title, or rank here. When I say leader, I mean you’re committed to shaping change and shifting culture alongside others - from whatever space you occupy, whatever role you hold. Illuminate will support you to lead with more confidence and freedom within and outside of your organization.
You’re ready to step into what’s next. You might not know exactly what that looks like yet, but you know you’ve got some untapped potential that’s ready to be unleashed. You feel a gap between where you are now and where you want to be. Growth and expansion are calling!
You’re committed to anti-racism. You’re doing the work and want to embody equity, inclusion, and belonging in all facets of how you lead. You strive to be a consistent and courageous advocate for change within your organization.
You don’t want to go it alone. You have felt the loneliness and isolation that can come with leadership (especially over these past two years), and you are eager to find fellow travelers on this journey. You are ready to give and receive generous support in a community space that is courageous, intimate, and collaborative.
You want to feel joy, nourishment, and connection in the work. You’re no stranger to the burnout and overwhelm that’s pervasive in the nonprofit sector. You’re working to unlearn habits of perfection and toxic over-work, so you can lead in a way that’s impactful without compromising your wellbeing and sustainability.
I stepped out on faith to say yes to Illuminate Your Leadership and as a result, I’ve grown a great deal in my leadership. I already see a difference in how I’m leading - with more courage and confidence. I admire how far we’ve come as individuals and as a group.
Teasha Pelham, HR Director, Academy Healthding
WHEN YOU JOIN, YOU’LL RECEIVE…
6 Monthly leadership labs. Interactive virtual gatherings (2.5 hrs each) to learn and practice new skills, build community, and grow alongside other leaders.
2 Individual coaching sessions. Receive personalized support to dive deep on any blocks or challenges you’re facing, so that you can move forward with powerful new insights and strategies.
Step-by-step video and audio lessons to walk you through skills, frameworks, and practices that you can begin applying immediately to up-level your leadership.
Robust feedback on your leadership from those who know you best. We’ll use a 360-degree leadership assessment to collect feedback that will bring new depth to your self-awareness and accelerate your growth and development.
Intimate peer support with 2-3 other group members, so you can give and receive wisdom and loving accountability in a small-group setting.
Real Community. The biggest bonus is that you’ll be learning and growing alongside other courageous nonprofit leaders, building collective wisdom and nourishing connections to fuel your world-changing work.
Free Access to our Membership Program. During the course of Illuminate Your Leadership, you’ll gain access to a larger community of generous, growth-minded nonprofit leaders who you can tap into for wisdom and connections and join for monthly workshops on relevant nonprofit leadership skills.
Leadership can be lonely, especially if you’re challenging norms and doing things your own way.
You don’t have to go it alone anymore.
Inside Illuminate Your Leadership, you’ll join a curated group of nonprofit leaders who are ready to step into the next level of their leadership - and support you as you do the same.
PROGRAM DATES:
MONTHLY LEADERSHIP LABS:
Dates to be determined
1-1 COACHING SESSIONS:
1:1 coaching sessions will be scheduled once the program begins and will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 9AM and 5PM ET.
“Coaching with Jen has allowed me to fully step into my leadership and see the possibilities and agency available to me in any given moment. I gained invaluable feedback from my colleagues and have been able to take practical steps to move away from things that weren’t working and towards things that are working in my leadership. And unlike other training I’ve done before, working with Jen has led to transformational and sustainable change, because it’s rewired my habits to be much more thoughtful, authentic, and aligned with the kind of leader I want to be. As a result, I’m building more collaborative and trusting relationships with my colleagues, elevating my level of impact in the organization, and feeling more fulfilled and connected–in and outside of work!”
Ashley Smith, Director of Finance, The Recycling Partnership
FAQs
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The time commitment is somewhere between 2 to 4 hours a week, including the time spent live (in our monthly group workshops, small group circles, and individual coaching sessions) and in integrating (through practice and reflection) what you're learning in the program.
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So much of this program's work (and value) is experienced through live practice, in community with others at our monthly group sessions. If you have several conflicts, or are generally concerned with being able to attend those sessions, then then this isn't the right program for you right now. If you have one immovable conflict, then please share that with us on your application, and we can talk about it together during our discovery call.
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This is an intimate program and we intentionally limit the group size to no more than 12 leaders to allow for an experience that is both highly-personalized and deeply communal. In the program you will also work with a small group of 2-3 other leaders who are committed to providing wisdom and accountability to support your goals.
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Yes, you will participate in two 1-on-1 coaching sessions (1 hour each) with Jen. The first will be held in late March/early April, and the second will be held late May/early June. Once you join the program, you will be invited to sign-up for coaching times that work for your schedule.
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Yes! We put together this guide that will give you everything you need to request (and receive!) financial support from your employer to join the program.
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Yes! We are offering a limited number of scholarships to BiPOC leaders. The nonprofit sector has a racial leadership gap, and while training and support to BiPOC leaders is insufficient to achieve equity, we would like to make our trainings more inclusive of participants from a variety fo racial and ethnic backgrounds.
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You aren't alone. Making the decision to invest in your development is a big one. A previous program participant described her decision to enroll as "stepping out on faith," and we can relate to that! When you get curious about your hesitation - where do you notice it coming from? Is it the whisper of your inner wisdom? Listen to that one. Or is it the voice of fear or guilt? Not very helpful guides. If you imagine applying, what do you notice in your body -- excitement and expansion, or heaviness and contraction? As 2022 gets started, what are your goals and intentions? Does this program support them?
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We're here to help! Please email Liz Rich at liz@lachmanco.com with any questions you may have.
Hi! I’m Jen Lachman (she/her), and I’m so glad you’re here.
For the past 10 years, I’ve coached and supported hundreds of social sector leaders who are tackling some of the most important issues of our time. I created Illuminate Your Leadership to provide leaders like you with support that is both deep and practical, individualized and communal, nurturing and challenging - so that you can expand your leadership to meet the demands of today.
As a former overworked Executive Director, I know what it’s like to go it alone. I’m here to cultivate nonprofit leadership as supportive and sustainable, so that you can make an impact without sacrificing your wellbeing in the process.
I am a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) and a graduate of Georgetown University’s Executive Certificate Program in Organizational Consulting and Change Leadership.
Nothing lights me up more than creating and holding spaces that cultivate deep connections, spark powerful insights, and generate courageous action.
If this program is speaking to you, apply now!
What alumni are saying…
“When I started Illuminate Your Leadership, I was feeling a lot of doubt, because the things that always felt like my strengths were starting to be questioned by others. I feel like I’m coming out the other side more confident in myself again, because I’ve learned how to hone my strengths and balance them with other aspects of my leadership style. What’s so great about this program and group is that you’re dedicating time to grow as a leader - something we rarely get to do as busy nonprofit leaders.”
Mei Powers, Chief Development Officer, Miriam's Kitchen
“I have my gumption back. I’m speaking up more in group settings and taking more ownership of both my professional and personal growth. I’ve kept up with habits that are changing the way I lead. I hope that we stay meaningfully connected and continue to support each other, because having other people who are going through the same challenges as you is so needed.”
Andrea Scallon, Director of Measurement, Evaluation, & Learning, Miriam's Kitchen
“This program has overlapped with a period of reckoning with my leadership, and I feel like I’ve come out the other end of a tunnel with a greater sense of belonging and much deeper trust in myself. I’ve grown a lot as a leader and have learned to trust my gut, be more open and patient with myself and others, and lead with more courage and confidence.”
Julia Kraeger, Senior Director of External Relations, Brookings Institution
“I just had a meeting with my boss, where she acknowledged and appreciated the ‘new Kathy’ she’s seeing showing up and speaking up more about her opinions and perspectives. I’m proud of that. Doing this work in community has given me the benefit of knowing that I’m not alone and hearing others’ experiences and guidance helped me develop my own solutions.”
Kathy Ralph, Director of Human Resources, John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity