About ACE Leadership

The ACE Leadership Program
Developed and Presented by the Minnesota High Tech Association

Program Overview

The purpose of the ACE Leadership Program is to develop and connect our region’s next generation technology company leaders and to assist them in preparing for the important roles they will play in making and keeping our region globally competitive.

MHTA and ACE Leadership Program advocates believe that effective leaders:

• Are aware of and understand their individual strengths and leadership skills;
• Can communicate their beliefs and use their leadership skills as advocates;
• Collaborate effectively, respecting differences in leadership styles; and
• Create lasting value for their companies and their communities by doing so.

The ACE Leadership Program is designed around these principles, and creates opportunities for participants to:

• Increase awareness of and explore their leadership strengths (and blind spots) in an applied, real-world setting;
• Explore issues that are important to make and keep their companies and our region’s tech-based economy globally competitive;
• Test and improve their ability to communicate and advocate for these issues, and
• Connect and collaborate with regional leaders and other next generation leaders to drive innovation and positively impact their organizations and communities.

The ACE Leadership Program employs a philosophy of Leaders teaching Leaders, where current senior executives from technology companies, government and education emphasize and teach in their areas of expertise. This provides opportunities for participants to meet with and learn from a number of senior leaders, observing their different approaches and leadership styles.

Another model employed is action learning, where participants receive and discuss new information, then apply it in their own organization as well as collectively as they collaborate in small groups with other next generation leaders. The ACE Leadership Program also involves mentors and facilitators, to reinforce learning. Homework and small group initiatives/activities create visibility and play a pivotal role in the learning, i.e. interview company management to understand application in participant’s business, roundtables with the media, identify venues (e.g. MHTA spring conference) to amplify competitiveness issues/opportunities, participate on a panel at spring conference.

2009 Program Logistics & Timing

The ACE Leadership Program consists of six full day sessions and several partial day sessions, spread over the course of a year.

Session I: January 14,  5 – 9 p.m. dinner, and January 15 full day session 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Session II: February 26, 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Session III: March 26, 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Session IV: May 7, 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Session V: June 11, 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Session VI: September 10, 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Presentation to the MHTA Board of Directors: October 9 , 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Graduation Reception: November 13,  2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The program kicks off with a “get to know you” dinner the evening before – and is also the grounding for the next day. Small work groups will meet between some sessions and there will be an evening social gathering during July/August, for continuity during the summer months. The small work groups will present their project/initiative ideas at the October MHTA board of directors’ meeting, as input to the board’s November, 2009 planning session. A post-program celebration will be held with program participants, the MHTA board and participant company executives.

The dinner and six full day sessions will be held at the McNamara Alumni Center on the U of M campus, 200 Oak Street SE, in the Gross Family Board Room, Suite 500. Various other locations may be used throughout the course to supplement individual topics, e.g. visit to the State Capitol/legislators. Session highlights, dates and anticipated outcomes are listed below.

Session Highlights

Sessions are designed to align with the Minnesota High Tech Association mission to accelerate the growth, success and sustainability of our technology-based economy through the ACE strategy: Advocacy, Collaboration and Education. The ACE Leadership Program delivers a powerful punch through this focus– along with healthy doses of innovation and global perspective.

Session I – Getting to Know YOU

January 14 , 5 – 9 p.m., & January 15 , 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Highlights:

• Dinner, program overview & introduction exercises to get to know each other
• Establish a baseline of awareness regarding individual leadership strengths
• Understand and appreciate different leadership styles, leadership skills exercises

Anticipated Outcomes:

• Understand ACE program philosophy, expectations & anticipated outcomes
• Begin to connect with & develop relationships with other next generation leaders
• Improve self-awareness & better understand their strengths and leadership skills
• Be able to identify and appreciate differences in leadership styles

Session II – Sustainability and Global Competitiveness of Our Technology-based Economy

February 26, 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Highlights:

• Introduction to issues that impact the growth and sustainability of our region’s tech-based economy, presented by executives from local technology companies
• Small working groups form to discuss, further explore individual issue areas
• Homework to determine importance of issues within individual companies

Anticipated Outcomes:

• Understand issues impacting our tech-based economy, opportunities for growth, and potential consequences if issues are not addressed
• Learn directly from senior executives of technology companies who care deeply about these issues
• Create frameworks to engage company leaders regarding importance of issues
• Begin to collaborate with other next generation leaders to positively impact outcomes, re these issues

Session III – Advocacy, Influence and Visibility

March 26, 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Highlights:

• Introduction to public policy initiatives, legislative agendas/networks, lobbying, including a visit with legislators, legislative committee meeting
• Explore visibility, influence, developing key messages, working with the media to create company/issue visibility, awareness
• Meet with and learn directly from senior government, business and media executives re the importance of influence, visibility, public policy
• Small group discussions to apply learning from Session II regarding issues

Anticipated Outcomes:

• Understand advocacy approaches, apply critical thinking skills to develop public policy initiatives that support company & regional tech-based economy interests
• Collaborate with class participants in small groups to deepen understanding in targeted policy areas
• Develop approaches to engage with company leaders re importance of visibility, influence
• Explore and apply advocacy, influence skills within individual companies

Session IV – Education and Innovation for Global Competitiveness

May 7, 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Highlights:

• Learn directly from senior education and business executives regarding education best practices and assessment of impact on corporate bottom line
• Explore innovative alternative approaches to the education crisis through real life success stories and case studies
• Examine the impact of education, innovation on your company as well as regional economy

Anticipated Outcomes:

• Understand the importance and implications of education in driving innovation and global competitiveness (K-12 through higher ed)
• Identify resources and opportunities for learning and supporting education
• Apply learning to determine importance of education and innovation within their organization

Session V – Collaboration & Innovation: When 1 + 1 = 3

June 11, 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Highlights:

• Learn from regional technology executives how creative partnering and collaboration have accelerated innovation and business development
• Participate in exercises to discover innovative approaches to solve dilemmas, create innovative product and service solutions
• Identify collaboration efforts/opportunities with others, e.g. MHTA member companies, applicable trade, education, govt. groups;

Anticipated Outcomes:

• Understand the critical elements for successful collaboration ventures
• Identify collaboration possibilities with other participant companies
• Employ new tools for solving dilemmas, driving innovation and collaboration

Summer Sessions – Social Gathering and Small Work Group Meetings

July - August

• Dates to be determined by participants for social gathering as well as small work group meeting times/locations.

Session VI – Putting it all together

September 10, 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Highlights:

• Small work groups finalize individual recommendations for initiatives
• and present ideas to full group to discover synergies, refine recommendations
• Final preparation, logistics for presentation to MHTA board – with board mentor
• Individual and group feedback on learning, strengths, areas for focus
• Plan group’s future (stay in tact, 2nd year of program with global partners, etc.)

Anticipated Outcomes:

• Be prepared to present findings to company management and MHTA Board
• Build confidence in their skills in developing and articulating important initiatives
• Learn the impact they have on others through development feedback

Post Session – Presenting Policy & Initiative Ideas to MHTA Board

October 9; 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Highlights:

• Small work groups present ideas to MHTA board, @ 20 minutes total
• Board interaction, Q & A, feedback and integration into Fall planning process
• October MHTA Board meeting, prior to November planning session

Anticipated Outcomes: At the end of this session participants will:

• Test their public policy and influence skills with the MHTA Board of Directors
• Connect with 25 - 30 senior leaders on the MHTA Board of Directors
• Influence MHTA’s public policy agenda and direction

Graduation Celebration – Celebrating Success!

November 13 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.,

• Specifics to be determined by ACE Leadership Program participants

Participant Selection Process

The 30 participants selected for the ACE Leadership Program will form a diverse cohort group relative to backgrounds and experiences in technology industries/careers, and will come from both emerging and established technology businesses. Potential participants should submit a written application, along with contact information for your manager or other senior company management.  Applications will be considered through September 30. All applicants will meet or speak with the MHTA President to ensure fit and that expectations align with program goals. Interviews will begin upon recieving application.

Application form content includes present job responsibilities (plus resume or brief bio), past and current professional and community involvement, a brief essay on the most significant issues facing our region’s technology companies, and what the applicant expects to gain by participation in the ACE Leadership Program.

Program Cost

Tuition is $2250 for participants from MHTA member companies and $3250 for non-member companies, and includes all program costs and materials as well as meals or other events that occur during the session. Not sure if your company is an MHTA member? Just check the member listing on the MHTA website – www.mhta.org. Included in the program cost is one free ticket to a 2009 CEO Forum as well as to the 2009 MHTA Spring Conference.

For Additional Information

Questions and requests for additional information should be directed to Kate Rubin, Minnesota High Tech Association President, at 952-230-4562 or krubin@mhta.org.