The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) shares this belief and is well-equipped to bolster the skills of Black executives by giving them the tools they need to not simply be prepared, but to be propelled toward the professional future of their dreams.

Yet, doing so requires a deeper understanding of how to overcome the systemic challenges that far too often plague the experiences of Black professionals. Such challenges include external obstacles: unspoken expectations, microaggressions, systematic oppression, unconscious bias, or attribution theory. Other obstacles come from within: imposter syndrome, double consciousness, and racial socialization. That’s why Black corporate professionals must demonstrate courage to see beyond the box these obstacles have put them in, and embrace the opportunity to further develop themselves while leaving an indelible mark on corporate America in the process.

The ELC’s Leadership Development Week (LDW) offers Black professionals that opportunity via an experience that is curated for us and by us. The LDW courses hold an intentional, developmental and “brave space” for Black professionals from across the country to accelerate their career development while also rejuvenating themselves among like-minded colleagues. This is a premier leadership development experience for Black professionals that helps them address the challenges and opportunities of being a Black leader today, by defying the odds and setting new standards for success.

Black executives who attend The ELC’s LDW leave the experience changed, carrying with them a strategic network of Black professionals who will support them along their leadership journeys. Unlike most professional seminars or leadership conferences, The ELC’s LDW is unique; all participants are Black, all facilitators are Black, and course content intentionally centers the Black corporate experience.