Innovative Leadership Institute® Recognized as a 2026 Inc. Power Partner Award Winner

The annual Inc. Power Partner Awards recognize B2B companies that provide essential services and expertise to help entrepreneurs and businesses grow

COLUMBUS, OH, UNITED STATES, October 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Innovative Leadership Institute^® (ILI), a women-owned leadership think tank and advisory firm that helps CEOs, boards, and executive teams convert strategy into results, has been named a 2026 Inc. Power Partner Award winner, recognizing it as one of the leading B2B partners supporting entrepreneurs and businesses across the country.

The annual Inc. Power Partner Awards honor B2B companies with a track record of helping entrepreneurs and businesses navigate the challenges of building and growing their companies. From hiring and compliance to technology, infrastructure, fundraising, marketing, and more, these partners provide expertise and services that enable businesses to operate, scale, and pursue their ambitions.

“Business owners have no shortage of tools at their disposal, and B2B companies need to make clear why their products and services are worth the investment,” says Bonny Ghosh, editorial director at Inc. “The companies on this year’s Power Partners list have done just that. They don’t just have customers – they have superfans and evangelists. Across industries like marketing, financial services, and technology, they’ve proved their dedication to helping fellow business owners grow and succeed.”

“Growth stalls less often for lack of strategy than for lack of a leadership system that can carry it,” said Maureen Metcalf, founder and CEO of ILI. “Our clients are business owners and executive teams who chose to build that system deliberately. This recognition reflects their work as much as ours, and it arrives as AI is changing how quickly leaders must sense change, decide, and act together.”

ILI measures its work by the changes that occur for the leaders and organizations it serves. More than 260 participants have completed its Innovative Leadership IT Leaders™ program for technology executives in Central Ohio, as of September 2026. In the program’s first eight cohorts, 65 percent of participants have been promoted, and 22 participants (12 percent) have advanced to C-level roles.

In September 2026, the Innovative Leadership Think-Tank™ announced a research partnership with the James Madison University School of Strategic Leadership Studies (JMU SSLS). The research applies qualitative content analysis to more than 500 recorded conversations with senior leaders about leading with AI, and it extends Innovative Leadership Decision Velocity™, ILI’s research on how organizations sense change, decide, and act at the speed their environment demands. JMU SSLS and ILI will present the work at the International Leadership Association’s 2026 Global Conference in Toronto on October 29.

ILI’s podcast, Innovating Leadership: Co-Creating Our Future, reaches listeners in more than 121 countries and ranks in the top 1 percent of podcasts globally on Listen Notes. In 2026, ILI was named a finalist for six awards in the 23rd Stevie^® Awards for Women in Business; placements will be announced on November 16.

For more information on Inc.’s Power Partner Awards or to view the complete list of honorees, visit https://www.inc.com/power-partner-awards.

About Innovative Leadership Institute^®
Innovative Leadership Institute^® is a women-owned leadership think tank and advisory firm founded in 2001 and based in Columbus, Ohio. ILI advises CEOs, boards, and executive teams on strategy to execution; on innovation, complexity, and AI leadership; and on leadership continuity and succession. Its work is delivered through Innovative Executive Solutions™, leadership pathway programs, certification, and the Are You Ready^® assessments. Its research arm, The Innovative Leadership Think-Tank™, houses the Innovative Leadership Decision Velocity™ research hub. Founder and CEO Maureen Metcalf received the 2025 Gold Stevie^® Award for Female Executive of the Year. Learn more at innovativeleadershipinstitute.com.

About Inc.
Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

Maureen Metcalf
Innovative Leadership Institute
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