Leadership Program

MISSION STATEMENT

To provide an educational program where individuals practice leadership skills, deepen their understanding of community issues and prepare for leadership roles, thereby creating a network of individuals committed to the future of Pickett County.

Purpose

To identify potential and existing leaders and to help them prepare for community services. To provide leaders with an understanding of difficult issues and potential opportunities facing Pickett County. To improve communication with a broader commitment resulting in active participation in community activities.

The Pickett County Leadership Program is designed to build community leadership. Participants meet for seven half-day sessions and one full-day session (September through August). Sessions focus on building community leadership skills (i.e. consensus building, decision-making, team building) and raising awareness of community issues (i.e. healthcare, economic development). Participants also learn about the history, structure and resources of Pickett County communities. The program is made possible through a partnership of the Byrdstown-Pickett County Chamber of Commerce and local business and government stakeholders.

Don’t keep your leadership abilities bottled up!

Release your potential through Leadership Pickett - an exciting adventure in self-discovery - while examining the diverse world of social, economic, environment and political issues. The Leadership Pickett Program of Pickett County strengthens our community through preparing our leaders to effectively deal with today’s changing world. The social and economic issues facing our community require our best leadership. A simple definition of leadership is that leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act toward achieving a common goal. Put even more simply, the leader is the inspiration and director of the action. He or she is the person in the group who possesses the combination of personality and skills that makes others want to follow his or her direction.

Five Keys to Leadership

“Leadership is a winning combination of personal traits and the ability to think and act as a leader, a person who directs the activities of others for the good of all. Anyone can be a leader, even if the only person they’re leading is themselves.”

1. A leader plans. The core of leadership is being proactive rather than reactive. Sure, leaders are good in crises – but that doesn’t mean they sit around letting crises develop. Leadership involves identifying potential problems and solving them before they reach crisis proportions – and the ability to identify and reap potential windfalls. So, good leaders analyze and plan and adapt their plans to new circumstances and opportunities.

2. A leader has a vision. Vision is essential to good leadership. Vision provides direction, and without direction, there’s not much point to all that planning. Because it embodies your dreams and your passions, a vision statement will also serve as a leadership vision.

3. A leader shares his/her vision. Sharing your leadership vision helps your vision grow and your leadership develop. As you tell your leadership vision to others, you will strengthen your own belief in your vision and strengthen your determination to make your leadership vision become reality. And other people will start to see you as a person who’s “going places.” Your leadership skills will grow as you and other people recognize you as a person with leadership potential.

4. A leader takes charge. At this stage of leadership, you put together your planning and your leadership vision and take action. Whether it’s implementing a specific plan to improve the bottom line or responding to a crisis, you, as the leader, are the one who makes the decisions and sees that the appropriate actions are carried out. You can’t just “talk a good game” to be a leader; you need to act and to be seen as taking effective action for the good of your community.

5. A leader inspires through example. If asked, you could easily name three people whose leadership qualities inspire you. If asked why, you’d tell about the things these inspiring people did or are doing. Leadership is defined through action. Therefore, in developing your own leadership skills, you have to act in ways that are fitting to your leadership vision and your self – all the time. We can all name many actions of other people whom we admire, but what inspires us is the integrity that gives these actions meaning. Becoming a leader isn’t easy because it takes a conscious commitment and consistent effort to develop one’s leadership skills. But on the positive side, anyone who is willing to make the effort can become a good leader.