Explore how the Wright Brothers' spirit of discovery can help today's local government leaders build cultures of innovation. 

If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true, there would be little hope of advance. 
Orville Wright
 

Innovation does not begin with certainty. It begins with curiosity, experimentation, and the courage to keep learning. In Dayton, Ohio, the spirit of ingenuity took flight with Wilbur and Orville Wright, whose persistence, problem-solving, and iterative approach changed what the world believed was possible. Their story is part of a broader Dayton legacy shaped by inventors, civic reformers, and community leaders who turned bold ideas and difficult challenges into lasting progress. 

Through this immersive leadership experience, you will connect the Wright Brothers' lessons in experimentation, resilience, collaboration, and disciplined learning to the realities facing local governments today. From the development of practical flight to Dayton's recovery from the 1913 flood and the emergence of the council-manager form of government, the city's history offers a powerful setting for exploring how leaders create the conditions for innovation, strengthen organizations, and prepare communities for the future.

What To Expect:

Your leadership journey will bring Dayton's leadership and innovation story to life through historic site visits, facilitated dialogue, experiential learning, and peer exchange. The experience will highlight the Wright Brothers' path from idea to experimentation to practical flight, including the places where they worked, tested, learned, and refined their approach. You will also explore the contributions of Dayton's inventors, entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and professional local government pioneers who helped shape Dayton's legacy as a center of innovation and the birthplace of modern professional local government management.
 

By connecting Dayton's history to contemporary organizational and community challenges, you will leave with new perspectives and practical strategies for fostering innovation, leading change, and strengthening public service.
 

What You Will Learn:

Immerse yourself in a dynamic three-day leadership experience centered on the Wright Brothers and Dayton's broader culture of ingenuity. Explore how innovators and civic leaders responded to uncertainty, tested new approaches, built supportive networks, and translated ideas into lasting impact. 

• Apply the Wright Brothers' Innovation Mindset: Examine how curiosity, disciplined experimentation, iterative testing, problem reframing, and persistence helped the Wright Brothers move from possibility to practical flight. Consider how these same practices can support thoughtful innovation in local government. 
• Create Conditions for Innovation: Explore how Dayton's inventors, engineers, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders benefited from spaces and networks where ideas could be shared, challenged, refined, and put into action. Identify ways to cultivate a culture of discovery, collaboration, and responsible experimentation in your organization and community. 
• Strengthen Your Capacity to Lead Change: Study how leaders navigated uncertainty, setbacks, and transformation during pivotal moments in Dayton's history, including the development of flight and the community's response to the 1913 flood. Translate these lessons into practical approaches for building resilience and adaptability. 
• Enhance Self-Awareness: Reflect on your leadership approach through guided discussion, experiential learning, and peer engagement. Identify strengths, recognize opportunities for growth, and consider how your leadership choices shape culture, learning, decision-making, and innovation. 
• Advance Professional Local Government Leadership: Explore Dayton's connection to the council-manager form of government and the enduring principles of professional management, stewardship, ethics, and public service. Consider how innovation and professional leadership can work together to strengthen community trust and results. 
• Cultivate a Leadership Network: Connect with local government leaders from across the country to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and explore emerging opportunities. Build relationships that can continue to support your leadership growth and innovation efforts after the institute. 
   

Who Should Attend: 

The ICMA Dayton Leadership Institute is designed for City, County and Town Managers and Assistant/Deputy Managers who are seeking to build a spirit of invention and systems for innovation to take flight in their organizations and their communities. Whether you lead in a community of 5,000 or 500,000, this program provides insights and tools designed to inspire and sustain team innovation.

As the birthplace of the council-manager movement that helped shape the local government profession, Dayton provides a unique setting for leaders to reflect on the principles of innovation, stewardship, resilience, and effective management. Participants will leave with new perspectives, stronger professional connections, and practical tools for leading communities through change.

Take the next step and enroll in the ICMA Dayton Leadership Institute!

Explore how the city that helped shape the profession of local government management can help shape your leadership journey.

This institute can help fulfill your annual professional development requirements as outlined in the guidelines for Tenet 8 of the ICMA Code of Ethics.