REDF’s Accelerator is designed to help support leaders of employment social enterprises (ESEs). Many Leaders enter the program, wanting to develop traditional business skills: to hone their finance knowledge, to grow their businesses, to develop employee success programs, and to support the economic power of their participants.
But they exit the program having learned so much more. Some Leaders have told us, “This program was life-changing.” Others have said, “This program made me a better mother.”
Here’s why: The Accelerator doesn’t just build technical skills. We also focus on what we call “heart work.”
What is Heart Work?
Heart work is the social and emotional learning relevant to adult leaders in the business world. Leaders complete a variety of heart work exercises during the Accelerator, from storytelling to holistic wellness to communication and leadership development.
The Accelerator’s Learning Philosophy hones in on the I-We-It framework. In typical business education environments, the “I” is typically ignored — but it is core to being able to grow as a Leader. The Accelerator spends a lot of time on the “I,” giving Leaders time to reflect on the kind of Leader that they want to be, and structure to figure out the steps they need to take in order to get there.
These personal development topics are ones that people know are important, but are often overshadowed by the perceived urgency of business tasks. The Accelerator provides space for Leaders to dig deeper on their own personal development, as a way to build connection with one another and increase self-confidence.
I am the Accelerator’s facilitator and experience manager; my background is in business administration and higher education pedagogy. In my experience, adult learning is about building competence and confidence.
While competence is often at the forefront of technical business training programs, confidence shouldn’t be overlooked — and it tends to require a more nuanced approach to teach.
The Business Case for Heart Work
As the amount of heart work increased in our programming, the Accelerator team began asking ourselves: is this too touchy feely, or too “woo” for our Leaders? We reflected these concerns back to our Leaders, and what they had to share back to us was surprising. 
Rather than it being a deterrent to our Leaders, the majority of Leaders believe that the way that we do heart work is central to the Accelerator’s value proposition. Leaders told us that heart work helped them feel more connected to fellow Leaders, and gave them a more transformational experience because our coursework impacted several areas of their lives, rather than solely considering their business.
The emphasis on heart work prioritizes community over competition — and for businesses focused on social impact, this is a crucial advantage. Through community and collaboration, ESEs are able to achieve more than they do when working in silos. Heart work debunks the concept of scarcity and showcases that abundance is found in community, which is what many of our ESE Leaders are doing through their work at their enterprises.
Doing heart work is an essential part of being an ESE Leader, not just for the sake of the culture of the ESE, but to achieve the overall impact that their missions are intended to accomplish.
Heart work also builds trust in a business environment. It is a core part of coaching business leaders to accelerate the growth of their ESEs and to successfully run an ESE. The more trust that Leaders have in the curriculum, the Accelerator team, and their peers, the more likely they are able to engage with the programming, to learn the material, and to receive the benefits of being in a cohort.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Accelerator, or participating in a future cohort, check out our Accelerator homepage.
