Meta-Leadership Summit

Last week Interfaith Ministries helped sponsor the Meta-Leadership Summit along with the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Neighborhood Centers, Inc., and the United Way of Greater Houston.  Participants came together to practice skills necessary for effective leadership during emergencies and identify partnerships that can be leveraged before, during and after a crisis.

The Summit was launched by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation, CDC, the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative – Harvard School of Public Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to foster greater cross-sector collaboration during emergencies. The dynamic curriculum is designed by Harvard University faculty and tailored to the challenges business, government and nonprofit leaders face.

The Meta-Leadership Summit for Preparedness cultivated the critical problem-solving skills and connectivity that leaders need to be effective meta-leaders during times of crisis.  Being a meta-leader requires a unique mindset and skill set, which often goes beyond the scope of an individual's previous experiences. And it requires building strong alliances with a diverse array of leaders before an event occurs.

When disaster strikes, meta-leaders reach across organizations and sectors to build cross-cutting strategies to protect the safety of their families, businesses and communities. They exchange information, share resources and coordinate systems and personnel. They use their influence and connections to guide a cooperative course of action.

Ongoing collaboration will continue though the Meta-leadership program to strengthen the bonds that were created at the summit and Interfaith Ministries will continue to strive to implement Meta-Leadership tools to better serve our clients, employees, and partners.