I remember when I first became Executive Director at Equality North Carolina; like most Executive Directors, I was facing a number of substantial gaps in my skill set.

While I had learned a lot about state politics and built a good network in the state, I had no idea how to read a financial statement, and managing staff was a brand new challenge for me. There were even some things I didn't realize that I didn't know.

Throughout my first year on the job, I had to figure everything out, fill in my own gaps and piece together the support I needed to succeed. On more than one occasion, I wished for a safe place to get an orientation to the job I was taking on.

Fortunately, these days, new state leaders have one more source of support in their first year: Equality Federation Institute's New Executive Director Boot Camp.

For the last five years, our New ED Boot Camp has brought together the state-based movement’s newest executive directors for two days of intensive training. We focus on providing these new leaders, who have taken the helm of state equality groups in the past year, with some critical skills they’re sure to need in these challenges roles.

In November, all six of this year's new state EDs joined us in Chicago for Boot Camp: Mason Dunn of Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, Chris Hartman of Fairness Campaign (Kentucky),  Amber Royster of Equality New Mexico, Chris Saunders of Tennessee Equality Project,  Chris Sgro of Equality North Carolina, and Troy Stevenson of Garden State Equality. Several of these incredible leaders have given us positive feedback about the weekend.

According to Royster: “The New ED Bootcamp was a great opportunity to connect with other state leaders, pick up some best practices, and be assured that there are resources available for facing challenges."

"The New Executive Director Boot Camp is one of the most practical and useful programs in which I've ever participated. From logical best practices for board management and development, to some simple communication tools that have proved invaluable, there was never a moment in which I was not learning something new," said Hartman.

My colleague Fran Hutchins and I put together an exhaustive (and exhausting) program. Although we can't turn anyone into the perfect ED with a two-day training, we can ground new leaders in some key frameworks and skills that will help them lead their organizations to success. From working with boards and staff to financial management to the personal leadership it takes to act politically—we help state leaders know which questions to ask, what challenges to be prepared for, and where to seek out help.

The Boot Camp also provides new leaders the unique opportunity to connect with other new EDs and a few seasoned state leaders who come to share their experience and expertise. Those peer connections create an infrastructure for leaders to learn from and support each other, and we still see strong connections between EDs from past cohorts.

While we can't claim its all due to the Boot Camp, in the last five years, we've seen a dramatic increase in the average tenure of currently serving state EDs. We like to think the orientation, preparation, skills and relationship-building that happens at Boot Camp is one key part of that success.