EPIP Chicago Spring Update

EPIP Chicago had a great first year in 2014, and we are really excited for 2015! As a growing chapter, we are always looking for ways to engage our members and provide programs that will strengthen emerging leaders in the social change sector in Chicago.

Read on to find out what we have been up to, and what’s coming up next. 

Spring Happy Hour

EPIP Chicago kicked off our second year with a Networking Happy Hour at Farmhouse Chicago. We saw some familiar faces, and some new ones. We heard from EPIP Chicago Co-Chairs, Hannah Clark, and Matt Ubrig on what EPIP Chicago can offer, and other membership benefits of EPIP. 

EPIP Chicago programming chair, Jennifer Shanks got everyone excited about our upcoming programs, which include our new series: Tool-kit for New Philanthropic Leaders. 

Emerging young professionals across the sector networked with each other over delicious appetizers and craft beers. Thank you Farmhouse Chicago for hosting us!

Workshop on Management and Leadership Skills

EPIP Chicago Chapter’s Tool-Kit for New Philanthropic Leaders aims to be a series of workshops built around EPIP national’s Measuring a Leader program. This program is designed to encourage emerging leaders to develop a particular set of skills and values necessary to be effective in building a just, equitable and sustainable society. The Tool-Kit workshops will use Measuring a Leader standards and ground them with local speakers and facilitators. 

On May 7, EPIP Chicago hosted our first workshop in the series on Leadership and Management. Sharmila Thakkar of The Siragusa Foundation and Julie Walther of Center on Halsted led the workshop.

The workshop started off with a discussion about leadership styles, and how to prepare emerging leaders to be effective leaders. 

Next, workshop attendees participated in a vision and value exercises. The purpose of these exercises is to identify personal values and interests to start thinking about your individual career path. 

The exercises are also designed to define what kind of leader you want to be, and what you can work on right now to achieve that.

Some Key Takeaways:

• There is no one-size-fits-all for leadership styles
• Management and Leadership require different skills, but a good leader will have good management skills.
• Realizing where you are on the spectrum is important, but so is recognizing how different situations will require you to be a different kind of leader

Participants also had the chance to create their own learning agenda which focused on what skills they already have, and the skills that they need to work on to get to where they want in the future.

Towards the end of the workshop, Sharmila and Julie shared their experiences on building their own leadership skills, and their career trajectories.

You can also get the resources on Leadership and Management skills here. Learn more about EPIP's Measuring a Leader program.

Register for our next workshop on facilitation skills here.