Congress of cities offers learning experiences with Leadership Training Institute seminars.

Issues, solutions and skills critical to local leaders will be offered as part of in depth, interactive trainings during the 2008 Congress of Cities Pre-Conference offerings as part of the Leadership Training Institute (LTI) seminars.

During the LTI seminars to be held November 11 and 12, participants will have additional time to fully develop critical skills necessary for effective leadership as well as to learn practical strategies to implement solutions useful to their communities.

For example, at the 2008 conference, participants will find the Building Inclusive Communities curriculum offered for the first-time as an LTI seminar. Attendees will have an opportunity to explore the various strategies involved in building inclusive communities.

"The National League of Cities 'Inclusive Cities' initiative helped our community focus on issues that had previously been largely ignored," said Mayor Ted Ellis of the City of Bluffton, Ind. "Prospective businesses looking to locate in our area notice such efforts and have responded positively."

LTI seminars are offered in addition to the main Congress of Cities workshops and are not covered by the conference registration fee. To participate in LTI seminars, however, participants must also be registered for the main conference. Additional fees and registration are required and are provided in the listing below.

Participants in LTI seminars also have the option of participating in the Certificate of Achievement in Leadership program.

The program allows local elected officials to organize their professional development around critical skills with each LTI seminar addressing one or more competency areas.

To register for or learn more about the LTI seminars at the 2008 Congress of Cities, visit the conference website www.NLCCongressofCities.org.

To obtain more information or enroll in the Certificate of Achievement in Leadership program, contact the Leadership Training Institute hotline at (202) 626-3170.

Tuesday, November 11

FULL-DAY SEMINARS

9:00 a.m.--5:00 p.m.

Registration Fee: $175

L01--Building a Culture of Service: Creating a Community of Excellence

Explore vital tools that you can use as a leader and decision maker to evaluate the service culture of your community.

L02--Conducting Effective Public Meetings to Engage the Community in Dialogue

How can officials better engage the public in decision making? Examine the drawbacks of the traditional public meeting format and learn alternative methods of involving the public in a meaningful dialogue about public policy issues.

MORNING SEMINARS

9:00 a.m.--Noon

Registration Fee: $115

L03--Mentoring: Local Government Leaders Share a Legacy of Excellence

Explore mentoring as a professional role, a set of competencies, and an indicator of Emotional Intelligence.

L04--In Praise of Democracy: When Controversy and Conversation Collide

Learn how to engage citizens, literally inviting people to be part of the conversation. Discover how to overcome the fear and challenge of engaging citizens in order to build a more vibrant and exciting community.

L05--Community Branding: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Learn how to avoid the pitfalls that can waylay a successful community brand and how to organize community wide support for the development and implementation of programs, events and initiatives that will support your brand.

L06--Building Inclusive Communities Explore the various strategies involved in building inclusive communities. Examine the examples of cities that have used the Inclusive Communities model.

L07--Performance Budgeting in Government

Learn how to start with a set of results that matter to citizens and to allocate available dollars to each of those results.

AFTERNOON SEMINARS

1:30 p.m.--5:00 p.m.

Registration Fee: $115

L08--Managing Communication Style Differences

Identify different communication styles, appreciate their unique contributions and challenges, and become more adept in working with them to manage interactions with others in a constructive manner.

L09--Parliamentary Procedure II: Ten Mistakes Chairs Make and How to Avoid Them

Preside over your next council or committee meeting with greater confidence and skill. Uncover your action plan of what to practice to improve your presiding skills and make all of your meetings productive, democratic and on time.

L10--Going Green, What Does That Mean?

Learn how to develop a consensus on what is feasible for your community, create the action plan needed to implement the change, and identify the key partners needed to successfully implement the changes once you return home.

L11--Foreclosures, Vacant Buildings, and Effective Strategies for Strengthening the Ladder for Sustainable Homeownership

Learn how to address the crisis that cities face with rising foreclosed and vacant properties, along with the impacted residents and city budget.

L12--Local Economic Development: The Good, Bad, and Ugly

Know how to address the technical problem by learning the tools to discern the good from bad proposals. Understand the economic dynamics in three urban markets--housing, labor and education.

Wednesday, November 12

FULL-DAY SEMINARS

9:00 a.m.--5:00 p.m.

Registration Fee: $175

L13--Collaborative Leadership: Building Coalitions to Support Your City

Based on a comprehensive initiative put into action by the Municipal Association of South Carolina, broaden your understanding how and why collaborative leadership works.

L14--System Integration--Board Policy, Strategic Planning, and Performance Management

Broaden your understanding of a municipality's ability to plan strategically and effectively implement goals and strategies.

L15--Capital Budgeting and Planning: Balancing Pay As You Go vs. Debt Financing

Learn strategies and techniques to increase your proficiency and comfort in dealing with financial decision-making and oversight responsibilities.

MORNING SEMINARS

9:00 a.m.--Noon

Registration Fee: $115

L16--Dealing with Difficult Personalities

Learn to deal with difficult personalities as you develop a mastery of new tools and learn new ways to enhance group collaboration.

L17--Adaptive Leadership: Surviving in the Challenging Tiles of Change

Learn to address the challenges that involve conflicting values or situations where established practices and procedures don't apply and a new approach must be created.

L18--Perfecting Your Message: A Leader's Guide to Working with the Media

Learn how to develop concise messages and improve clarity and confidence in your media relationship.

L19--The High Performance Government: Council and Staff in Partnership

Learn what it takes to become a "high performing governing body," along with the obstacles to high performance and how to overcome them.

LEADERSHIP LUNCHEON

Noon--1:30 p.m.

Registration Fee: $40

L24--Leadership Luncheon Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze Certificate level recipients will be recognized

AFTERNOON SEMINARS

1:30 p.m.--5:00 p.m.

Registration Fee: $115

L20--Competent Leadership for Change through Crucial Conversations

Learn to recognize when conversations are truly crucial and the specific skills you need to use.

L21--Tune Management Skills for Effective Leadership

Learn how the same principles used in life coaching to help people get what they want out of life can be used to help make effective and dynamic community leaders

L22--Speak So They Will Listen

Learn how to improve your presentation abilities, how to handle yourself "in the hot seat," and realize how clear communication serves your constituents to better understand your leadership.

L23--Local Government Finance: Guarding the Public Checkbook

(Registration Fee: $135) * L23 participants also receive "Local Government Dollars & Sense: 225 Financial Tips for Guarding the Public Checkbook"

Learn strategies and techniques to increase your proficiency and comfort in dealing with financial oversight responsibilities.