Applications now open for next cohort

The application for Managing to Leading cohort 8 is now open! Please read program details below and apply online by Friday, March 7, 2025.

Contact Brianna Fennell with any questions about the application or program.

Program overview

The Cedars-Sinai Community Clinic Initiative: Managing to Leading program (M2L) provides transformative leadership development for mid-career clinical and administrative staff at eligible community clinics in Los Angeles. The yearlong program equips emerging leaders with the knowledge, skills, resilience, and confidence to effectively manage change and improve health care in today's complex and uncertain environment.

The program's goals are to:

• Strengthen the leadership capacity of community health centers;
• Enhance communication, problem solving, and strategic thinking skills to better position organizations to adapt and improve care;
• Deepen connections among managers to strengthen collaboration across safety net organizations; and
• Increase individuals' resilience and leadership presence within their organizations and across the safety net field.

See the "Read more about M2L" links to learn about the proven effectiveness of this leadership program and others administered by Healthforce Center.

Why leadership development matters

Management leadership training is a process of individual discovery and transformation. It can involve coaching and peer network groups that develop participants' competencies in leadership skills, strategic thinking, business acumen, relationship management, data-driven decision-making, and more. We believe that leadership is the driving force for change, yet many health professionals have not had opportunities to fully develop their leadership and management skills. Evidence shows that investments in training equip leaders to drive strategy, navigate the shifting policy landscape, and improve the financial performance of their organizations.

With the goal of reducing disparities in health and health care for those most in need, Cedars-Sinai launched a multiyear Community Clinic Initiative that aims to strengthen Los Angeles's safety net. Managing to Leading is one of the programs of the Community Clinic Initiative. Healthforce Center at UCSF designed the program and has administered it since 2015.

M2L uses Healthforce Center's proven leadership curriculum, specifically tailored to the needs of Los Angeles's community health centers and includes:

• Interactive, experiential seminars to deepen knowledge and skills while fostering meaningful relationships;
• A focus on application and practice, including an applied learning component that emphasizes using analytic skills to identify, understand, and solve pain points within one's organization;
• Facilitated peer coaching to deepen self-awareness and make progress toward personal development goals; and
• Admission into a robust alumni network upon completion of the program.

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M2L program elements

Leadership development is an active process of individual discovery and transformation. M2L accelerates this transformation process through a leadership model centered around four key areas – Purpose, Process, Personal, and People. The core programmatic elements that have proven to drive results are:

• Seminars. Four in-person seminars that increase participants' knowledge and skills through interactive, experiential learning and field-specific content (overnight accommodations will be provided).
• Leadership development goals. Individualized leadership development goals informed by psychometric and qualitative assessments, peer coaching, and program feedback.
• Applied learning. Participants will be taught to (1) define a problem to be solved based on observation and analysis, (2) develop hypotheses about potential solutions, (3) test and refine the hypotheses by gathering input from those impacted by the planned change, and (4) communicate the proposed solution to stakeholders before implementation.
• Intersession work. Focused on application and practice; conducted within organization.
• Peer coaching. Facilitated peer coaching in small groups to deepen self-awareness and make progress towards personal development goals.
• Alumni network. Opportunities during and after the program to strengthen and leverage connections among alumni and across community health centers, including exposure to a wider network of alumni of Healthforce Center's many leadership programs.

Who can and should apply

M2L is intended for mid-career clinicians and administrative staff at eligible community clinics in Los Angeles who are:

• Planning and guiding the work of others, including formal supervisory roles;
• Eager to become a more effective team leader and communicator;
• Seeking to contribute to organizational priorities;
• Positioned to manage projects that span departments;
• Seeking to increase resilience and expand professional networks;
• Motivated to drive change within their organizations; and/or
• Eager to grow their knowledge of the Los Angeles health care safety net.

Managing to Leading will accept up to 32 individuals. Multiple individuals may be accepted from the same community health center. The program is limited to staff at community health centers in Service Planning Areas (SPAs) 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8. In addition, community health centers should be Section 330 health centers or Look-Alikes.

Please see the complete list of eligible clinics and the list of past program participants. Individuals interested in applying who do not find their organization on this list should contact Brianna Fennell to determine their eligibility.

Participant expectations

Managing to Leading (M2L) participants agree to fully engage in all aspects of the program. Specifically, participants agree to:

• Actively participate in all program activities, including attending all seminars, and engage in the alumni network upon completion of the program.
• Commit to working up to two hours weekly, during regular work hours, on further study and learning experiences, such as reading articles and participating in intersessions and peer group meetings.
• Commit to working during regular work hours to complete assignments associated with a Managing to Leading Project including meeting with direct supervisor regularly for support. (Note: Project assignments will be specific to each participant and the amount of time needed to complete them should be negotiated with supervisor.)
• Identify and implement leadership development goals and engage in regular conversations about professional growth with direct supervisor.
• Use overnight lodging options, the costs of which are covered by Cedars-Sinai's sponsorship, to support full participation in early morning and evening activities.
• Cover incidental travel costs related to attending seminars and other program events. Examples of incidental expenses include food and beverage on travel days. Cedars-Sinai's sponsorship covers most costs, including educational materials, lodging, and meals at seminars.
• Secure employer’s support for participation in the program, including time off during the regular work week to attend seminars and virtual sessions and time to engage in program work during regular work hours (e.g., Managing to Leading Project, intersession assignments, peer group meetings).
• Complete all seminar, virtual sessions, and overall evaluations of the program.
• Permit Healthforce Center and Cedars-Sinai to include their name, organizational information (name, title, address, etc.), biographical sketch, photo, audio, and video image in informational and promotional materials pertaining to the Cedars-Sinai Community Clinic Initiative and Healthforce Center at UCSF.

Apply now!

The application for Managing to Leading cohort 8 is now open! Please read program details below and apply online by Friday, March 7, 2025. Contact Brianna Fennell with any questions about the application or program.