We are excited to share the organization’s official shift to a new leadership model.
Back in September 2020, Raymond A. Jetson, MetroMorphosis’ Founder and Chief Executive Catalyst, began co-leading the organization with Sherreta Harrison, long-time MetroMorphosis executive leader. After some initial success, we’re sharing the news and key learnings in hopes of increasing the number of organizations who see this model as a viable way to lead and sustain their work in the future.
What makes their partnership unique is the two form a dynamic, intergenerational team. Raymond, a Baby Boomer, and Sherreta, a Millennial, bring different yet complementary perspectives that help steer the social enterprise focused on transforming Baton Rouge’s urban communities from within.
Many of you may not know that Sherreta was introduced to the work of MetroMorphosis through her engagement in the second cohort of the Urban Leadership Development Initiative (ULDI), one of the organization’s earliest strategies. ULDI mobilizes young and emerging leaders and equips them to lead meaningful, sustainable change. Raymond recognized Sherreta’s invested interest in the development of others and the community.
He also noted early on the natural way he could cast and share a compelling vision that Sherreta would then use to develop a cohesive and clear process to achieve it. This was only the beginning of their discovery into new skills and opportunities to expand the team’s capacity, build sustainable solutions to persistent challenges, and promote inclusive leadership.
“Intergenerational co-leadership is intentional about viewing society’s most pressing issues through an intergenerational lens, about equipping and developing organizations for transitions and successions and co-generating solutions that last.”
– Sherreta R. Harrison, Sustainability Catalyst
This innovative model inspired a national organization, Encore.org, to follow suit. Encore.org works to elevate new ideas and diverse voices on the power of connection and collaboration across generational divides. Earlier this summer, they announced they will lead under the intergenerational co-leadership model.
“Co-generational leadership harnesses the diverse perspectives and life experiences of old and young leading in community by design — and nobody does that with more authenticity and heart than Raymond A. Jetson and Sherreta Harrison. Our friends at MetroMorphosis are boldly blazing a trail that we at Encore feel privileged to follow. We hope many more will join us on this journey!” — Eunice Lin Nichols, Co-CEO, Encore.org
We’re committed to sharing Raymond & Sherreta’s learnings with leaders around the world.
“For the first time we are operating in a workforce that includes five generations and we need to be intentional about meshing generational strengths and complementary features to provide the most well-rounded leadership and well-being of organizations. As practitioners of the intergenerational co- leadership model, we recognize the potential impact it can make on the success of organizations across the city and world. Thus, we’re digging deeper into the what, why and how throughout the remainder of the year. We’re excited to share these resources with fellow organizations.”
– Raymond A. Jetson, Chief Executive Catalyst, MetroMorphosis
Stay tuned as we release additional resources and insight into intergenerational co-leadership.
