Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutWe Must Seek Effective Leadership 1997 oe�r. - g o Winter I997 e a in CHANGE A Newsletter from The Texas A &M University System Building Community through Service, Excellence and Collaboration Leading Change: We Must Seek Effective Leadership Building Community through Service, Excellence and Collaboration " ° E. By Daniel Hernandez is a newsletter published by The Texas A &M Director of Community Development • University System Office of Community The Texas A &M University System Development, dedicated to keeping Texans ,, informed of the A &M System's efforts to partner its programs with communities. Someone once likened a wise leader to water: "water cleans and refreshes Our ultimate goal is to coordinate energies, all creatures without distinctions and judgment; water freely and fearlessly resources and strategies into a collabora- goes deep beneath the surface; water is fluid and responsive. The leader tive, results -based approach to improving works in any setting without complaint, with any person or issue; the leader our quality of life. speaks simply and honestly and intervenes to shed light and create har- We would appreciate any comments or mony...a leader is able to keep his or her peace while others discover for themselves." suggestions you may have on this publica- Evident by the stories we hear and read every day, our communities and institutions are in dire tion or the A &M System's community devel- need of individuals skilled in the art of leadership. Whether the issues involve race relations, opment initiative. Story ideas are welcomed. Please contact crime, environmental concerns, politics, educational reform or economic development, we need leaders capable of building sustainable and productive relationships. Daniel Hernandez Of course, our communities and institutions right now are not without management, solutions, Director of Community Development resources or vision. That's good. But what we need is leadership. The Texas A&M University System College Station, Texas 77843-1 127 Not all individuals create collaborative and community - building relationships that lead to the 409 - 862 -3436 FAX 409 - 862 -2713 empowerment and trust necessary to fuse our resources to solve problems. Dysfunctional E -mail: hernandez @sagomail.tamu.edu environments exist because of mistrust. Given the realities of our changing demographics and <http:/lcomm- dev.tamu.edu> economic and social environments, we must prepare leaders who can transform our neighbor - Produced by hoods, families, businesses, schools and governments through meaningful partnerships. Office of Communications Our leaders must be skilled in relationship- building, effective communication, intentional The Texas A &M University System listening and issue identification. And the measure of their ability should be based on how Director: Terri Parker effectively they lead and develop successful solutions. Editor: Kathy Harris Design: Todd Maggio We should insist on leaders who can embrace diverse and ambiguous environments and issues with confidence. We should insist on leaders who possess core competencies of effective lead- ership: effective communication skills, the ability to build coalition among groups with different interests, and the ability to serve by identifying with those they serve. We should insist on leaders who are successful in identifying individual, corporate and community resources and their connection to goals and values; identification of viable options for solutions; personal and pro- fessional ethics; the ability to create lasting solutions based on trust; the willingness to support and mentor others; and the ability to see beyond individual interests to the "big picture." These standards must be incorporated in our future leaders —those whom we entrust with leading initiatives that affect us. We must set expectations for ourselves and others without compromising the standards of leadership. The demographic, social and economic effects of a technologically changing society demand that more of us be capable of responding to issues. Our leaders must be prepared to implement comprehensive solutions that respond to our conflicted needs. Otherwise, our communities will continue to throw money, programs and new ideas into a deep hole. The fear of conflict should not deter us from addressing the important issues of our time. With essential core competencies, our leaders can turn conflicts into oppor- tunities for change and create value in all our relationships. Given our increasingly diverse and shrinking world, we should focus on a long -term rela- tionship model, and learn to work together despite our differences because unless we all suddenly disappear, no one is going anywhere. We are the generation of people capable of bringing the spiritual, emotional, personal, corporate and community together. This is the time.