Selection Process
The Leadership Tyler selection process is designed to be as objective as possible.
For detailed information regarding the Core Program and the Selections Process, Leadership Tyler hosts Information Sessions each year. The sessions scheduled for 2026 are as follows:
Monday, March 2nd at 12pm
Wednesday, March 4th at 5pm
Thursday, March 5th at 12pm
Wednesday, March 28th at 8am
All information sessions will be held in the Genecov Room at the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce (315 N. Broadway). To register, please email info@leadershiptyler.org.
There are two parts to the core program selection process:
Online Application and Essay Questions – Due May 29th
- Online applications should be fully completed truthfully and to the best of the candidate’s knowledge. Essay answers should be 250 words or less. Candidates should focus on content over syntax and structure when answering the questions.
- Each candidate is randomly assigned a number, and their essays are sent without names to LT alumni “readers” both in and out of state. “Readers” do not know the names of the applicants at any time. Each candidate’s essays are read by multiple “readers,” each of whom scores each essay. These scores are added together resulting in the written essay final score.
In-Person Interview – Conducted the First Two Weeks in June
- Interviews may be scheduled through the LT Executive Director’s office after submitting payment of the application fee, a completed application, a completed commitments for participation form, and a completed application & verification form. There are 40 possible points in the application process, 20 points from the interview and 20 points from the essay.
- Interview teams of three LT alumni each conduct all interviews. The LT Executive Director is present at all interviews to ensure consistency in the process, but has no role in assessing the candidates. Interview teams will not have seen the applicants’ application, essay answers, or essay scores.
- Interview teams are given the names of the candidates they will interview, 24 hours ahead of time. Interview team members are required to recuse themselves if they personally know an individual scheduled for an interview. Alternate interviewers are on-call to fill in should the need arise.
- During the 20 minute interview each candidate is asked the same series of questions, which are not available ahead of time.
For the sake of fairness, objectivity, and consistency between interview teams, interview team members are not permitted to ask follow-up questions or offer responses to a candidate. This is to keep the interview as objective as possible. Applicants should answer the questions as fully as they believe is necessary. Although the LT Executive Director has no official evaluation role in the process, she will be present at each interview to ensure fairness and consistency in the process.
When these two parts of the process are complete, the scores for each applicant are tabulated and ranked by LT administration. The Selections team will meet in late June to review the final scores and recommend a slate of candidates to the Leadership Tyler Board for approval.
The LT Executive Director will contact each candidate regarding the final decision by the end of July. The cost to participate in the Core Program is $2,750 payable prior to the opening retreat in September.