The LIFT Scholarship stands for Leaders for Inclusion, Fairness and Transparency and is a scholarship that allows access to the Small Giants Leadership Academy to BIPOC business leaders in underserved communities.
The LIFT Scholarship stands for Leaders for Inclusion, Fairness and Transparency and is a scholarship that allows access to the Small Giants Leadership Academy to BIPOC business leaders in underserved communities.
Over the past few years, we’ve devoted our time, minds and hearts — individually and as a team — to deepening our understanding of and commitment to social justice and racial equality. Most importantly, we’ve been putting the wheels in motion to act: we are committed to making a real, lasting impact on the business world and we’re excited to continue those efforts through the LIFT Scholarship, and by bringing the topics of diversity, equity and inclusion to our content and curriculum.
Want to learn more about our plan to build a more inclusive business world?
Read a letter from our co-founder, Paul Spiegelman here.
Over the past few years, we’ve devoted our time, minds and hearts — individually and as a team — to deepening our understanding of and commitment to social justice and racial equality. Most importantly, we’ve been putting the wheels in motion to act: we are committed to making a real, lasting impact on the business world and we’re excited to continue those efforts through the LIFT Scholarship, and by bringing the topics of diversity, equity and inclusion to our content and curriculum.
Want to learn more about our plan to build a more inclusive business world?
Read a letter from our co-founder, Paul Spiegelman here.
Through LIFT, you’ll join a cohort of bright, inspiring purpose-driven business leaders from around the country for a year of leadership and organizational development and relationship building.
Are you a talented, purpose-driven BIPOC leader? Are you in business to leave a legacy for those who come after you and to help build up your community? Are you looking for valuable new tools to navigate business relationships and become a more purpose-driven leader? Apply for the LIFT Scholarship now — we can’t wait to meet you!
Through LIFT, you’ll join a cohort of bright, inspiring purpose-driven business leaders from around the country for a year of leadership and organizational development and relationship building. We’re launching LIFT in our hometown of Detroit, Michigan (more cities to come soon!). LIFT Scholars will be enrolled in the Small Giants Leadership Academy Class of 2022 which launches in October 2021.
Are you a talented, purpose-driven BIPOC leader based in the Detroit-metro area? Are you in business to leave a legacy for those who come after you and to help build up your community? Are you looking for valuable new tools to navigate business relationships and become a more purpose-driven leader? Apply for the LIFT Scholarship now — we can’t wait to meet you!
We’ll get to know each other and ourselves better when we explore our personal purpose, vision, and values. While most companies have articulated these for the organization, it’s important to know these identifiers for yourself as well. We’ll look at how you can solidify your personal purpose, vision, and values, and how these can tie into your identity as a leader.
We’ll take a broader look at your company’s culture, and how it measures up in terms of psychological safety. We’ll discuss exactly what a culture of mattering consists of and why it’s important for a healthy, successful organization. We’ll also identify key practices for creating a space that encourages vulnerability, team learning, and innovation.
Having a disciplined yet compassionate approach is important to any company’s hiring and firing practices. While these two topics are at opposite ends of an employee’s tenure with your company, they all tie back to whether or not you’re living your values authentically. We will look at best practices for recruiting, screening, and hiring, but also consider how to handle the tough decisions with both clarity and empathy.
While talking about mental health in the workplace can be uncomfortable, it has become a topic that’s not only unavoidable, but necessary for a people-focused culture. We’ll first explore tools to take care of your own mental health, and why it’s so important for your personal and professional well-being. Then, we’ll discuss how to create an environment where your employees are comfortable engaging in this topic about themselves and one another.
An ownership mentality means creating a culture where employees feel and act like owners regardless of their stake in the company. The first step we’ll learn is a decision-making tool that is both comprehensive and inclusive. We’ll then delve into the importance of transparency in the workplace (financial and otherwise) so employees feel educated and empowered.
The conversation of inclusion can be unnerving at first, but we’re going all-in. Together, we’ll learn ways to make it safe to not just talk about diversity, equity and inclusion, but to have meaningful conversations that will allow your entire team to share how these issues have impacted them. We’ll also develop a proactive strategy that goes beyond the numbers.
While Small Giants are committed to building a fun, intimate, and family-like environment, we are equally committed to measuring what matters and holding people accountable for performance. We’ll talk about specific methods of measurement and feedback systems, and we’ll learn how to track and communicate progress along the way.
The key to success in business and life is a lot simpler than you think: it’s all about relationships. Building and managing relationships is a critical leadership skill that will benefit you in all aspects of life. In this module, you’ll discover how to evaluate your own self-awareness and how to navigate important relationships with coworkers, customers and other stakeholders. We’ll delve into the practical tools needed to create safe space for genuine, tough and impactful conversations. In this module, we’ll cover:
In the old days, a command-and-control approach to leadership meant telling people what to do and not bothering to share why we’re asking them to do it. In fact, many leaders still operate this way today. But as purpose-driven leaders, we’ve come to realize that being vulnerable and transparent about where we are — including the details of our finances — creates a level of trust and collaboration we’ve never seen. Command and control is out of style: Small Giants leaders are open, honest, and unafraid to ask for help. And vulnerability pays off: when we’re transparent, we also unleash the ideas and innovation in the minds and hearts of those that we work with. In this module, we’ll cover:
A great culture: everyone wants it, many claim to have it, few have truly mastered it. Building a vibrant internal culture is the foundation of a Small Giants company, and that culture starts with leadership. In this module, we’ll explore the importance of purpose, vision, and values and see where your company rates on the continuum. We’ll use storytelling to discover how culture impacts the hiring process, operations, and the ability to grow. As a leader, your most important role is ensuring your team’s fulfillment and happiness at work, and we’ll share practical tools for how to show your co-workers you care about them in the totality of their lives. In this module, we’ll cover:
Building a Small Giants company is not about a stocked beer fridge or bringing your dog to work. While Small Giants are committed to building a fun, intimate, and family-like culture, we are equally committed to measuring what matters and holding people accountable for performance. That starts with you. We’ll talk about specific methods of measurement and feedback systems that result in a culture of kept promises. In this module, we’ll cover:
Is equity and inclusion an afterthought for your organization? You’re not alone – many companies have grown organically without a proactive strategy around diversity, inclusion and equity in the workplace. It’s a conversation that is hard to start, but not only are we going to start it, we’re going to show you how to develop an internal strategy that goes beyond the numbers. Together, we’ll learn ways to make it safe to not just talk about DE&I, but to have meaningful conversations that will allow your entire team to share how these issues have impacted them. You’ll learn to use compassion to create an environment where everyone feels equally valued. In this module, we’ll cover:
As we wrap up our year in the Leadership Academy, we won’t be handing out report cards or letter grades — the ultimate measure of success is if we gave you the tools to influence decision-making so that these practices can become part of the way your company operates over time. During this reflective end to the program, we’ll review best practices and lessons learned, engage in a final leadership development exercise, and send you on your way with the lifelong friendships you’ve developed with fellow participants. In this module, we’ll cover:
After you complete the form, a member of the Small Giants Community team will reach out to you via email to schedule a time to connect over Zoom.
We’ll schedule a casual Zoom interview where we’ll get to know you and your business, learn about your role and how you hope to grow, and share more details about the scholarship.
Complete an application and personal statement (written or even a quick video). We'll notify you once participants have been selected!
Psst! Do you know of non-profits or community organizations that could be potential referral sources for the LIFT Scholarship?
Think you have a great candidate you’d like to recommend for LIFT?
Want to partner with us to do more good?
Drop us a note and let’s schedule a call to learn more!
Below are commonly asked questions about the LIFT Scholarship. Want to dive deeper? Sign up for a coffee chat with one of our team members!
Yes. LIFT is not a separate program, but rather a scholarship that goes towards tuition into the Small Giants Leadership Academy.
Yes! We have loads of free content, blogs, podcasts and workshops that will enhance your leadership journey. We also host an annual Summit in Detroit, a live gathering of like-hearted leaders who enjoy learning, growing and breaking bread together.