Pivotal Moments on the Leadership Journey

Transformational change requires transformational leadership—and to meet the challenges our world faces, we need more leaders to devote themselves to social change and more leaders to get the support they need to persevere through the hard times.

This series, sponsored by the McNulty Foundation and the Aspen Institute’s Aspen Global Leadership Network, will explore the pivotal moments along the leadership journey from the perspectives of funders, supporters, fellowships, incubators, and leaders themselves. We will look at how deeper self-understanding led these changemakers to more effectively lead others; how they seek clarity on the values and principles that guide decisions and actions; and how they renew that practice, time and time again. We will probe the life-changing and often deeply personal moments that inspire individuals to reorient their lives, and the support that is required to overcome burnout and loneliness in the face of sometimes insurmountable challenges.

Drawing on a wealth of personal experience and cross-sector study, contributors will grapple with many of the biggest questions that face leaders and their advocates: How do great leaders catalyze real, lasting change that moves our world forward—whether they’re leading an organization, a movement, a company, or a campaign? What are the most important traits of transformational leaders? How can leaders cultivate a moral compass? How can funders, fellowships, and incubators encourage more leaders to answer the call to put their values into action, and help to sustain them for the long haul? And how can long-time leaders be supported as they evolve their roles over time, transition, and pass the baton?

The lessons in this series are drawn from immersive leadership programs, active communities of practice, and practitioners and organizers in the field. Ultimately, our hope is that the perspectives shared in this series can inspire leaders, advance the field of leadership cultivation and support, and help create the conditions necessary to realize a more free, just, and equitable society.

^{(Series illustrations by Luca Di Bartolomeo)}