ABOUT THE LEE INSTITUTE

Founded in 1997 in honor of corporate and civic leader Bill Lee, The Lee Institute is built upon the values of civic leadership and collaboration. As Bill Lee built an exceptional professional and personal life – serving as the Chairman and CEO of Duke Power for more than 12 years - he also applied his rare form of leadership to literally hundreds of worthy endeavors. The Charlotte Observer stated in July of 1996 that “It isn’t much of a metaphorical stretch to say that during his lifetime Bill Lee poured as much energy into his community, state and profession as Duke Power poured into the homes and businesses of the Carolinas.”

The Lee Institute is a nonprofit organization that serves people, organizations, and the community through process design and facilitation, public engagement, leadership development, project management, and strategic planning and positioning. We believe that public good is best nurtured when a community seeks out and listens to a variety of voices and opinions. We have witnessed the transformational nature of well-designed and executed community planning processes, and are eager to share our practical experience.

Working with various clients across many fields, we developed the following 8 operating principles that guide our work:

• Well Begun is Half Done – how you start directly impacts where you end up.
• Build on Your Strengths – each person's greatest room for growth is in the areas of his or her greatest strengths. This goes for organizations too.
• It’s About What You Want to See More of – keep your focus here, rather than on what you don’t have.
• Involvement Is Key – the wisdom needed exists collectively within the group; tap into it!
• Context Matters – every situation requires an understanding of the context in which it operates.
• Conflict and Disagreement Add Value – they create opportunities to learn.
• Make Decisions by Consensus – consensus builds ownership.
• Keep the Process Transparent and Collaborative – this is at least as important as the final written product.

American Leadership Forum, the flagship program of The Lee Institute, embodies these core beliefs. It joins and strengthens established leaders in the Charlotte Region to better serve the public good through a year-long program that fosters learning and trust among the participants.

The Lee Institute is a part of the Lynnwood Foundation, a nonprofit organization established in 1996. The Lynnwood Foundation owns and operates The Duke Mansion, a historic inn and meeting place.

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS