Online LILI Brings Distant Members Together

By Brendan Bernat

Over the course of two decades, NAIFA’s Leadership in Life Institute (LILI) has inspired curiosity. What do the candidates do for six months? Is it secretive? As thousands of NAIFA members have discovered, LILI candidates are immersed in a process of study, reflection and interaction. The result is that NAIFA leaders are created — leaders who are now empowered to bring their best selves to their homes, businesses and communities.

While the curriculum of LILI is no secret, LILI classes do inspire close personal connections based on trust. Considering one’s life with the end in mind is a transformative experience, and the transformation occurs together with other LILI candidates.

In 2020, NAIFA set out to adapt LILI to expand its availability as an online program. Among the design priorities for this new online LILI was maintaining the value and impact of LILI through the inclusion of existing curriculum elements. In addition, NAIFA sought to continue to provide candidates with a transformative experience characterized by co-learning, personal connections and shared growth experiences.

In April 2021, NAIFA announced the general availability of the online version of LILI. The first online LILI class began in May and is still ongoing. Each month a new cohort group will kick off its six- month program. Although some states were forced to conduct LILI online due to COVID-19 restrictions in 2020, this is the first time LILI is being offered based on a design specifically intended to be delivered online.

While state hosted in-person LILI classes continue, the new online LILI means that members may participate from anywhere in the United States, including Guam and Puerto Rico.

Instrumental in the creation of online LILI are the first online LILI Moderators, Aaron Ostler, ChFC, (loyal member since 2006) and Davin Bell (loyal member since 2004). Ostler also served as the volunteer subject matter expert during the instructional design phase of online LILI. He was asked for his initial thoughts after co-moderating the first online LILI class. “I’ve moderated in-person LILI three times and was excited but anxious going into the first class not knowing how this was going to work. After the class, the anxiety left, and excitement ramped up. The candidates have already started forging relationships, and I’m really looking forward to future sessions.”

Co-moderator

Bell was equally enthusiastic. “As any LILI alumni will attest, LILI has historically been an in-person experience. However, the COVID-19 lock-downs pressuretested the way we have been doing LILI and provided an opportunity to re-think a path forward. What has resulted is a whole new dimension to the LILI experience. With a virtual platform, candidates are no longer regional, but rather a sampling across the country. In-person will never go away, but with the virtual experience officially underway, we have ushered in a whole new opportunity to bring together NAIFA members like never before. I am forever grateful and thrilled to be a part of the on-going experiment we call LILI.”