New Collaborative Leadership Program for Puget Sound Aims to Empower Future Leaders

The University of Washington’s Puget Sound Institute (PSI), in partnership with the Milgard School of Business and other partners, is launching an innovative Collaborative Leadership Program to train the next generation of leaders dedicated to protecting and restoring Puget Sound. This initiative, developed with support from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources, focuses on teaching collaborative skills essential for navigating complex challenges related to environmental protection, resource management, and public policy.

Building on years of work, including a series of oral histories and a documentary featuring prominent Washington leaders, the program is designed to foster intergenerational knowledge exchange. It will offer training in essential skills such as conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and interest-based negotiation. According to PSI, the program will emphasize learning from past successes in collaborative governance within Puget Sound, providing future leaders with tools to address current and emerging environmental challenges.

By building emotional intelligence and the collaboration capacity of these leaders, these groups will be able to navigate the intersectional challenges that come with different stakeholders. Many parties will come with varied levels of sophistication or be participants with different buckets of developmental areas and individual skills. They need to be good partners while representing the needs of their organization. 

Key Program Elements and Goals:

1. Collaborative Leadership Course: Developed by PSI and the UW Tacoma Milgard School, this course will incorporate insights from Puget Sound’s history and case studies. Open to students and professionals, the course aims to build collaborative competencies and leadership skills within the workforce.
2. Interdisciplinary Curriculum: With input from the UW Evans School of Public Policy, UW Earthlab, and the AgForestry Leadership Foundation, the curriculum will focus on Puget Sound examples, addressing themes like climate resilience, environmental justice, and diversity.
3. Cross-Sector Engagement: The program will create opportunities for participants to engage with public, private, and tribal sectors, strengthening partnerships and supporting regional resilience.