Cincy Lead
Cincy Lead is a leadership development program for early-mid career advancing leaders who wish to focus on building their leadership skills and professional networks.
What is Cincy Lead?
Cincy Lead is our leadership development program designed for early- to mid-career advancing leaders who want to strengthen their leadership skills and build meaningful professional networks. In 2026, our Cincy Lead expanded to offer two tailored pathways that support professionals at different stages of their careers.
- Cincy Lead: Level Up –
is a program for established professionals with three or more years of professional experience to refresh and strengthen leadership and soft skills for leading teams effectively in a rapidly changing workplace.
- Cincy Lead: Next Gen – is a program for professionals in their first three years in the workforce to strengthen people skills and build strong foundations for career growth.is a program for professionals in their first three years in the workforce to strengthen people skills and build strong foundations for career growth.
Program Objectives
Cincy Lead: Level Up
- Strengthen advanced leadership skills to effectively lead teams in a dynamic workplace
- Improve their ability to manage up, down, and across the organization
- Apply emotional intelligence and strengths-based insights to enhance team performance
- Lead difficult conversations, feedback, and conflict with confidence
- Develop a strategic leadership action plan to increase their organizational impact
Cincy Lead: Next Gen
- Build a strong foundation in professional communication and workplace effectiveness
- Increase self-awareness through strengths and leadership assessments
- Strengthen collaboration skills for working with peers and supervisors
- Develop confidence in giving and receiving feedback
- Create a personal development plan to support early career growth
Target Participants:
Professionals at different stages of their careers who are seeking to build strong foundations and continue developing their leadership capacity.
Curriculum
Cincy Lead: Level up example topics include:
- Leadership & Influence
- Executive Communication
- Cultural Intelligence & Inclusion
- Career Advancement
- Sustainability
- Brand, Networks & Civic Impact
Cincy Lead: Next Gen example topics include:
- Professional Identity
- Workplace Communication
- Cultural Awareness
- Early-Career Growth & Balance
- Brand Building & Networking
Class 9 Program Timeframe
All sessions are held 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Cincy Lead: Level Up
April – June 2026
Session 1 (Kickoff): April 9, 2026
Session 2: April 23, 2026
Session 3: May 7, 2026
Session 4: May 21, 2026
Session 5: June 4, 2026
Cincy Lead: Next Gen
September – November 2026
Session 1 (Kickoff): September 18, 2026
Session 2: October 1, 2026
Session 3: October 15, 2026
Session 4: October 29, 2026
Session 5: November 19, 2026
Registrations
Applications for Cincy Lead: Level Up closes March 16, 2026
Applications for Cincy Lead: Next Gen opens June 29 and closes August 24, 2026
$50 (non-refundable). Registrants will be asked to pay via credit card at the end of the online registration process.
Registration Fee
Questions? Contact Kendra Perkins at kperkins@cincinnatichamber.com
Pricing
$50 (non-refundable) Fee. Registrants will be asked to pay via credit card at the end of the online registration process.
What past participants had to say...
There were several speakers throughout the sessions that really gave us pointers and different ideas on how to be a leader.
Adam Behm
I really enjoy this program because everybody’s so authentic. We talk about our issues and personalities, and how we make improvements. I definitely learned a lot, and also [was] able to network with other upcoming leaders in the Greater Cincinnati area.
Lei Zhao
Being one of the younger professionals in Cincy LEAD, it was really neat to learn from people who have been in different industries for 20 to 30 years and get to learn their struggles through the years.
Saijal Andreadis
Discover the Right Leadership Center Program for You
The Leadership Center at the Cincinnati Regional Chamber offers leadership development programs that are built to grow and strengthen the regional talent base by developing civic-minded leaders. If you’re an individual looking to apply or a talent leader interested in sending employees through our programs, let us help you find the programs best suited for your goals.