Leadership development opportunity offered

Current leaders in Fort Scott are working to grow more leaders through a 10-session program called L.E.A.D Bourbon County.

L.E.A.D stands for Leadership, Exploration and Development.

A kick-off meeting for L.E.A.D. Bourbon County was Monday evening at Nate's Place Restuarant for people seeking information about the program.

The program is designed to develop and engage the leadership skills of potential and current leaders by providing an atmosphere that stimulates and fosters diverse viewpoints, according to the registration form for L.E.A.D. Bourbon County.

Parts of the program are providing an awareness of how things work in Bourbon County, connecting leaders with current issues, then providing opportunities to brainstorm potential solutions.

"You can never have enough leadership in your community," Floyd Jernigan, chair of the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Business and Resource Development Committee, said. "We hope to take current leaders and provide a forum for education through the Kansas Leadership Center. We also hope to identify and grow new leaders through this curriculum. We hope to make it engaging and fun. When participants finish the 10-month process (of) networking and educational opportunities, they'll take these skills back to their workplace and civic organizations...to give back."

People attending the kick-off who were seeking more information about the program were Rhonda Dunn, Bourbon County treasurer; Bill Michaud, Sleep Inn Suites manager; Justin Meeks, Bourbon County attorney; Holly Baker, Fort Scott National Historic Site chief of interpretation; and Carol Lydic, a realtor with Hammons Realty.

Members of the Chamber's board of directors who were on hand were Lindsay Madison, executive director; Jernigan; Ded Needleman; and Heather Smith, an ex-officio member.

Smith has signed up to go through the program, she said. She currently serves as the City of Fort Scott's economic development director. Jeringan is the publisher of the Fort Scott Tribune.

Leadership curriculum

"For the Common Good" curriculum from the Kansas Leadership Center will be used as the base of the sessions, Needleman, co-facilitator of LEAD, said.

"'For the Common Good: Redefining Civic Leadership' is a book about the ideas that drive the work of the Kansas Leadership Center," according to the kansasleadershipcenter.org website. "The authors, David D. Chrislip and Ed O'Malley, share their belief that 'civic leadership' needs to become more purposeful, provocative and engaging to cope with today's civic challenges and to help transform the civic culture of our communities and regions. Chrislip and O'Malley use the real-life leadership dilemmas of five Kansans to bring these ideas to life."

The book has been honored with a 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Award, in the current events/social change category, and has been named a finalist for the Foreword Reviews book of the year award in social science, according to the website.

"The whole idea is leadership is an action. It's not a role or position," Needleman said. "Anyone can be a leader."

Who should participate

Robert Uhler, also a co-facilitator, highlighted one issue of leadership.

"How do we keep young people in Bourbon County and eliminate some of the brain drain we are having? Those are some of the leadership issues we are facing," Uhler said.

Along those lines, a question of a current student being involved was asked.

"If we wanted to get a college or high school student (to participate), would they feel out of place?" Michaud asked.

"The idea is to grow your leaders young," Jernigan said. "But the scheduling, it's obviously during the school day."

"We talked about it and said we wouldn't go that route right now," Needleman said.

Ten participants are required to start L.E.A.D. Bourbon County.

"We have three committed," Smith said.

Besides Smith, Baker and Jodi Davis, employee of Sleep Inn Suites, are also committed.

"Before Jason Hogue left at the college, he said he felt sure they would have at least one from Fort Scott Community College," Jernigan said.

Hogue recently resigned as the public relations director to take a job in Nebraska.

"I think we are going to sponsor somebody from YPL (Young Professional League) to pay the tuition," Smith said, who is the current president of YPL.

Program participants should possess desire, motivation and an interest in personal development and serving the citizens of Bourbon County, according to the brochure passed out at the kick-off meeting.

"I know we have a small group tonight," Madison said. "But what I hope that you will take away is not only information for yourself, but go back and share with others: friends, co-workers, colleagues."

Basic information

L.E.A.D. Bourbon County will be from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. the second Thursday of each month, January through October. Program requirements are completion of reading assignments, active participation in a program project and attendance with no more than one session missed.

The sessions are at various locations throughout Bourbon County, with Mercy Hospital as the main site. There is a cost of $350 for tuition and materials for the program, with payment made to Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce. The phone number of the Chamber is (620) 223-3566.