Exec Track Program: Growing Tomorrow's Leaders, Once Conversation at a Time

We did it! The Exec Track program officially launched this fall and I couldn't be happier. This has been a long time in the making and is more than a leadership class and definitely more than a list of “durable skills.” It’s a space for young people in our Partnered and CA school districts to explore who they are as emerging leaders, build genuine confidence, and learn how to navigate the messy, beautiful human side of leadership.

A Kick-Off Filled with Energy

We met our 2025-2026 cohort in October, and honestly, the energy in the room could have powered the lights (all the lights, not just the twinkle ones). These students were engaged, thoughtful, curious, and so mature for their age. They set such a promising tone for the entire year.

A huge thank you to the local professionals who joined us!

Your willingness to spend your off-hours investing in youth means more than you know. Your candor and honesty about the reality of the workplace made the experience richer for all of us.

November: Talking About Leadership… by Talking About Ourselves

In November, our conversations shifted to the heart of leadership: understanding ourselves. We explored emotional intelligence (EI) and the way our thoughts, feelings, and reactions shape our decisions and relationships.

Why?

Because this isn’t just a “soft skill.”

It’s a power tool.

Research backs this up:

• In a survey of 500 managers by Lee Hecht Harrison Penna,

  • 57% said emotional intelligence shows up most clearly in their highest performers,

  • and 75% use EI as a key factor in promotions and salary increases.

    
    

• The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 continues to list emotional intelligence among the top skills needed for the coming decade, right alongside AI literacy and problem-solving.

  
  

• Forbes is regularly reporting that empathy and EI are the future of leadership.

  
  

• Yale and Harvard’s leadership studies echo the same: EI is a predictor of success, especially in times of change.

I could keep going, but I think you get the point.

Self-awareness isn’t just “nice.” It’s necessary.

That’s why we’re giving every participant free access to AgileBrain, a neuroscience-based tool that helps students understand their emotional landscape and practice self-regulation, decision-making, and personal growth throughout the year.

I cannot wait to see how this year unfolds.

Here’s to growth, curiosity, and the next generation of leaders learning to lead with humanity!