Building Leadership from the Ground Up

Good, strong leaders are critical to a vibrant community, successful business, effective non-profit organization. Setting the tone and the standards at the top sends ripples throughout. And while some say ‘great leaders are born, not made,' in fact, most take training and nurturing along the way.

After a year's hiatus, the Leadership Columbia County program returns this fall in a new, significantly enhanced format. It also returns to one of its several creators – the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce. Click here for an application.

“Developing future business and community leaders in Columbia County is a top priority of the Chamber,” says Chamber President & CEO David Colby.

The purpose of the program remains to help create a cadre of people to head up the community organizations and businesses that are integral to the future here.

“We want to inspire people to play a more active role in the community, to influence events,” says Chamber Board Chairman John Maiuri.

After a two-day opening retreat in late September, the 20 to 30 participants of the new Leadership Columbia County will meet one full day a month from October through May in a program that offers a close up look at key aspects of Columbia County as well as leadership skills training from experts.

Those close-ups of the county are key, says Joel Allen of Cornell Cooperative Extension – Columbia County , who helped run the program from its inception in 1991 until last year. “It was both rewarding and eye-opening to introduce natives of the county to places and organizations they were totally unfamiliar with,” says Allen. “We heard over and over again how participants had no idea what Columbia Memorial Hospital or Columbia-Greene Community College had to offer. Or they lived in Kinderhook, were oriented toward Albany and didn't even know where Livingston is.”

Under the direction of a Chamber Steering Committee, the new Leadership Columbia County 2007-2008 will take participants on an agriculture and business tour of the county, narrated by a knowledgeable representative and followed by a panel talking about the geographic as well as business landscape. Each month's session is in a different part of the county, showcasing different organizations and businesses.

Program alumna Holly Tanner, Columbia County Clerk, says one of the most valuable aspects of the program for her was visiting industries and farms. “It really taught me a lot about the county,” she says.

For then-newcomer Peter Rost, he values the behind-the-scenes look he got of the county, including of the recycling center in the Commerce Park . And he still uses the contacts he made with classmates. Since attending Leadership Columbia County , Rost has served on 14 different local boards, including as head of the Chamber board and as vice president of the Hudson City School District.

Art, history, tourism as well as health care, criminal justice, local government and education are all featured, to provide a picture of the resources in the county. Most of these sessions not only take place in a setting that imparts information but also includes a hands-on exercise that is both fun and informative. At a visit to the hospital, for example, the Leadership class might split into groups and be asked to create a wellness program that encourages healthy behavior and reduces sick leave for a fictitious company.

The other major element of the program focuses on leadership skills. Expert trainers will come in to talk about motivation, time and stress management, projecting a professional presence, and management theory. An Advanced Leadership Training session late in the year will help participants take away practical information on how they can continue their own personal leadership growth. They will also hear from a panel of local CEOs who will discuss some of the obstacles they have overcome to build successful companies.

Then, to put to good community use the leadership skills they have acquired, the group will participate in a community project, working for a day for the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity to help build a home. The class will also hear about what non-profit and volunteer opportunities exist in the county.

To put this new Leadership Columbia County program together, the Chamber Steering Committee tapped into leadership programs in Dutchess, Saratoga and Tech Valley , as well as the Leadership Institute in Troy . Kicking off the new program is Harriet Rifkin, a very experienced leadership trainer and group facilitator.

“Leadership is about influencing people,” says Rifkin, “and about getting involved outside your little world.” She will point the way in the opening retreat.

The program costs $750 and participants are nominated by their employer, who gains an employee with new leadership skills as well as savvy about the county in return for the tuition support and the time off from work.

The application deadline for the competitive process is June 4th . Participants are notified August 1st with the opening retreat slated for September 20-21. Monthly sessions are the third Thursday of the month, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., concluding with a graduation dinner June 4, 2008.

For more information or an application, call the Chamber of Commerce, 828-4417.