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Next-Level Leaders: Feb. 5-6, 2027 — Brooklyn Park
Take your leadership skills to the next level.
You know the nuts and bolts of city government. Now it’s time to strengthen the leadership skills that help you navigate the harder parts of the job. The Elected Leaders Institute Next-Level Leaders Program is designed for experienced elected officials who want to sharpen how they communicate, make decisions and lead through challenging situations.
Take your leadership to the next level with practical sessions on responding to misinformation, creating alignment, keeping contentious meetings on track, and putting courage, civility and community impact into practice. You’ll have opportunities to apply new skills through hands-on group work, connect with fellow elected leaders, and hear from a panel of city leaders about trends shaping local government.
Who should attend?
The Next-Level Leaders program is designed for elected city officials who have served for more than two years. Topics are refreshed every year, so even if you have attended in the past, we will make sure you learn something new.
If you are new to office, the Newly Elected Leaders program may be a better fit.
Dates:
Feb. 5-6 – Elected Leaders Institute – Next-Level Leaders | Brooklyn Park, MN
See the full agenda for the in-person program.
Fee
$350. Lodging not included.
Are you a Mayor? Add the Mayors Program for $40 when you register.
Register
Register Next-Level Leaders – Brooklyn Park
Registration closes Jan. 29.
Location
The in-person program will take place at:
Minneapolis Marriott Northwest Hotel & Conference Center
7025 Northland Dr N
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428
Lodging
Lodging is available at the same location.
Room rate: $124
Phone: (763) 536-8300
Reservations can be made via phone or online with this booking link. To receive the special room rate via phone, ask for the “League of Minnesota Cities” group block when making reservations. Book by Jan. 15 to receive this special rate.
Program agenda
Friday, Feb. 5:
Next-Level Leaders Program – Day 1
10 a.m.
Check-in open!
10:45 a.m.
Greeting from host city
10:50 a.m.
Welcome from League of Minnesota Cities
11 a.m.
Creating Trust Before the Truth Gets Twisted
Sara Swenson, Vice President of Public Relations, Goff Public
Elected leaders know how quickly a rumor, half-truth or misleading claim can take on a life of its own. The relationships they’ve built, the trust they’ve earned and the way they communicate all shape whether people believe what they hear and where they turn for answers. In this session, Goff Public Vice President of Public Relations Sara Swenson will share practical tools for combating misinformation, deciding when and how to respond, and correcting the record with clarity and confidence. She’ll also discuss how strong community relationships can help leaders get ahead of misinformation and communicate more effectively when it matters most.
12:15 p.m.
Networking lunch
1:15 p.m.
The Questions that Move Us Forward: Listening, Perspective and Alignment
Damon Shoholm, President and Principal, Socratic Consulting
The questions we ask can shape the conversations we have and the outcomes we achieve. This session invites leaders to slow down, listen more intentionally, and explore how context, perspective, and judgment influence their understanding of challenges. This interactive session offers practical tools for recognizing the influence of perspective, asking better questions, and clarifying expectations. Participants will apply these approaches to real leadership challenges, building their capacity to navigate complexity and create alignment around shared goals and outcomes.
3 p.m.
Break
3:15 p.m.
Disruptive, Contentious, and Complicated Meetings
Soren Mattick, Shareholder, Campbell Knutson
Effectively managing and participating in city council meetings that are disruptive is one of the most challenging aspects of elected office. Civility is the expectation, but what happens when things get heated? The session will cover the basic ground rules for managing city council meetings that range in temperature from mild to spicy, placing parameters on public comment with tactics for enforcing those parameters, and effectively managing contentious topics with large citizen turnout.
4:30 p.m.
Social Time
5:30 p.m.
Dinner with remarks from League leadership and event sponsors
6:30 p.m.
Adjourn for the day
Saturday, Feb. 6:
Next-Level Leaders Program – Day 2
7:45 a.m. – 8:20 a.m.
Breakfast
8:30 a.m.
Elected Leaders Panel
Panelists coming soon!
Don’t miss this attendee favorite! Share the challenges you’re facing and get practical insights from a panel of city leaders who have navigated tough situations, found opportunities to move their communities forward and learned from the experience along the way.
9:45 a.m.
Break
10 a.m.
Leadership is a Muscle
Emily Colon, Partner, The Southern Group
Leadership is not simply a position, personality trait, or collection of technical skills. It is a discipline that must be practiced and strengthened over time. Like a muscle, leadership grows through consistent use, intentional reflection, and a willingness to step into difficult moments.
The program will explore three essential leadership pillars: courage, civility, and community impact.
At the conclusion of the program, participants will be better equipped to:
- Recognize leadership as an ongoing practice that requires intentional development.
- Apply courage, civility, and community impact as practical decision-making lenses.
- Strengthen relationships with fellow elected officials, city staff, and community members.
- Connect individual leadership behaviors to organizational and community outcomes.
