Springfield company launches ‘Lead with Impact’ program

A longtime Springfield business has spent the past year developing a program to help current and emerging leaders gain the skills they need to successfully manage others, improve communication and think critically.

Ollis/Akers/Arney is now accepting enrollment for the first cohort – of up to 15 – of its 12-month Lead with Impact program.

Richard Ollis, CEO of Ollis/Akers/Arney, said the leadership gap is growing because of increased retirements.

“The problem we’re seeing in the marketplace is that top performers are being promoted because of their strong track record,” Ollis said in a news release. “But the skills they developed to be great contributors aren’t the same skills they need to be successful leaders and managers.”

The company said Lead with Impact was created to strengthen the foundation needed to embody the role, skills and mindset of a leader.

Sherry Coker, organizational development adviser with the company, said the training will comprise a custom-designed curriculum and peer-to-peer exchanges that focus on applying the knowledge in actual work situations.

She said the program would strengthen communication and coaching skills, help the leaders make informed decisions and navigate conflict and change more successfully. Another goal is to improve employee engagement and accountability.

“We’re doing this because we want to share some of the hard-earned lessons that we have had over the years,” she said.

Coker said the training aims to close skill gaps for leaders who have moved up and are taking on greater responsibilities. The program is also open to existing leaders who want to fine-tune their skills.

“The goal is for us to meet you where you’re at and because we’re keeping the cohort size small, we can do that,” Coker said in an interview. “It would be so cool to have someone with 10 to 15 years of experience in the training along with someone who has zero or one year of experience.”

Coker said the leadership of Ollis/Akers/Arney will be involved in the training and be available to participants.

“This is more than just networking. This is more than making connections,” she said. “This is about … giving you the tools in your toolkit to be successful as a leader and to practice those skills.”

The 2026 Lead with Impact cohort begins Sept. 24, meeting in-person and virtually twice a month for a year. All in-person sessions are held at Ollis/Akers/Arney's headquarters located at 2274 E. Sunshine St.

The registration deadline is Sept. 17. The cost is $7,999.