Yesterday our guest on “and then there’s that…” was Stacie Hunt, the CEO of Leadership Howard County. There are some in our community that have criticized LHC as being an elitist organization because it’s main program, Leadership Premiere, is largely populated with business and community leaders. After talking a bit about Leadership U, their highly successful program for high school students, I asked Stacie about this elitist characterization. She readily acknowledged that they were in fact elitist. “We looking for the high level leaders for Leadership Premiere and from that aspect we are elitist.”Good point. Her programs goal is take folks who have already demonstrated leadership qualities in the community and make them more knowledgeable about the workings of our county. It’s sort of like grad school for local leaders.
In the interest of full disclosure I should note here that not only was I member of the best Leadership class ever (the Class of ’95) I also served on the board back in 1999.
You can catch the podcast of our 11th episode here.
13 comments:
I can proudly say that I was part of the FIRST Leadership U class. Put a rose on my nose.
Here's a reason why people consider the organization elitist. Never has one of their graduates taken on the hardest volunteer position in Howard County, that of CA Board member. To make it worse the Columbia Association, especially under Maggie Brown, is a strong supporter of the organization. If you only use what you learn at Leadership Howard County to move your career forward, then you've wasted your time and your company's money. I've heard complaints for the past ten years about the quality of people running for the CA Board. LHC is developing the type of people that should be running for the CA Board, but to date I know of no graduate other than Miles Coffman who was already a Board member when he went through the course. Leadership is about making the hard decisions because it is the right decision. If you want a better CA Board the community should be drawing from this pool of potential leaders.
Put roses in my nose as well, because I was also a member of the first Leadership U class, way back in high-school. I wonder if I know you HoCoRising? I have to find the old picture from the Columbia Flier of everyone in our class.
Tom, I used many of the lessons I learned in Leadership U to get where I am today. I was Student Government President of my graduate school, started a successful small business, and now am volunteering for my community as a member of the River Hill Village Board. I am sure that other Leadership U and Leadership Howard County graduates have similar stories. There are many ways to lead without being on the CA board, be it through starting businesses to help our local economy, serving on boards of the numerous volunteer groups in HoCo, or serving in a political position. I would bet that it is only a matter of time before a graduate serves on the CA Board or in some other higher elected office.
It would be great to meet up Trevor. Us rose nosed individuals need to stick together...especially since Dennis refers to us as roughed diamonds in his podcast (just kidding, Dennis).
Tom,
I actually made an attempt (though admittedly somewhat half hearted) to serve on the Columbia Council. It was a rare three way race for Town Center seat.
I finished third.
-wb
Columbia Association--a tempest in a tea cup.
Have you ever notice that elitists tend to move on to bigger things?
And, frankly, I'm okay with that...seems to work for USAF SOC, Navy Seals, Army SF, Harvard Business School, Standford Computer Science, and so on. Yep, we need people to make license plates, but we also need extraordinary people who can take it to the limit.
Jine up!
The only reason anyone ever has a problem with "the elite" is because they probably think they're not good enough themselves to join it.
These comments are truly amusing to the nth degree. Particularly anon above, excluding folks from the 'club' as being not elite.
You alphas really need to broaden your view. There's lots more to this life than dominating, superiority, judging and condemning.
I guess it hasn't occurred that many don't like the term 'elite' because it leads to abuse of this 'elite power'.
Who wrote that thing about arrogance coming before the fall?
I think it was U2, but it might have been the Beatles.
According to my old friend, Bing, "Pride comes before disaster, and arrogance before a fall." (Prov 16:18 NEB).
WB
I would never have mentioned it but brought up the class of 95. There were a lot of notables in that class.. Dick Story, Maurice Simpkins, Carol Beatty, George Doetsch, Debbie Daskaloff, Joanne Davis, Scott Nicholson and others..
Even then you were politically involved. Remember the women of the class brokered a deal in the women's restroom to elect you to a particularly exalted and elitist leadership position in the class. You should be proud of your first political adventure brought about by your constituents.
HH
Glory days well they'll pass you by
Glory days in the wink of a young girl's eye
Glory days, glory days...
FM: Save me from tomorrow...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdeIZkZo2PM
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