The IOA Leadership Academy

NEW for 2024-2025

The IOA Leadership Academy is designed to build the ombuds leader in you by cultivating strong leadership behaviors and skills essential for ombuds navigating today's complex organizations. This comprehensive program equips ombuds with the tools needed to deepen conflict resolution and active communication skills, foster a culture of inclusion within their teams and across their organizations, and deepen their role in supporting the organization as visitor.

Our new Academy is tailored for intermediate organizational ombuds aiming to elevate their skills and impact. This comprehensive course, organized in small cohorts of no more than 20 participants will combine asynchronous pre-recorded materials and cohort orientation with six live sessions that take place each month led by seasoned ombuds from diverse sectors, backgrounds, and perspectives, along with special guest speakers. The Academy will culminate with an individual capstone project presented to the cohort and other leaders.

All participants will be expected to attend the monthly live session.

The cost of the program is $795, payable once individuals are accepted into the academy. The IOA Office will issue invoices for those accepted into the program. 

Sessions are on the third Friday of each month beginning November 15, 2024 at the following times: 

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM PT | 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM CET

The application period has now closed. Thank you to all who applied!

Core learning objectives include:

• Demonstrate leadership behaviors by inspiring others and guiding the organization toward a more inclusive culture.
• Proactively demonstrate inclusion in teams through upward feedback - sharing deep knowledge and understanding of equity issues, including a comprehensive awareness of different cultures, experiences, and perspectives.
• Model leadership skills when to working with upper management/organizational leaders
• Model active communication skills, enabling your workforce to articulate the value of diversity by engaging employees, and fostering a culture of inclusion.
• Embody conflict resolution skills- empathy and emotional intelligence, recognizing and validating the diverse employee experiences and needs

Who Should Apply?

• Ombuds with 4-8 years of Organizational Ombuds experience who want to advance their ability to effectively navigate their organizations although experience may warrant participation
• Ombuds who want to apply to be the head of an ombuds office/program
• Those new to managing others or interested in taking on a supervisory role
• Those who have completed the IOA Foundations of Organizational Ombuds Practice Course, or a comparable graduate degree in Conflict or Dispute Resolution with coursework in either ombuds or workplace conflict

Applications will be open July 25 and will close September 4. Applicants will be notified no later than October 15 about the status of their application. If you are accepted into the program, you will be expected to commit to completing all course content and attending all sessions. Please also note the Leadership Academy is only open to IOA members.

The application period has now closed. Thank you to all who applied!

Schedule:

• November 15, 2024: Kick-off and Cohort Orientation
• December 20, 2024: Understanding the Ombuds Role as a Leader (Leader in you)
• January 17, 2025: Leading an Ombuds Program
• February 21, 2025: The Supervisory Ombuds: Includes Office, People, and Program
• March 21, 2025: Upward Feedback: giving feedback to your leadership team
• April 18, 2025: Self-Reflection – Reflecting on your own individual practice as a leader, manager boss, program chief, and self
• May 16, 2025: Politics of Leading Offices
• June 20, 2025: Capstone Preparation and Advising
• July 18, 2025: Capstone Presentations