Here’s my email to Leaders in Reno County from Monday, September 10…

I’ve been alluding in recent weeks to the latest journal of the Kansas Leadership Center.  One article in this issue might be especially relevant to us (especially this time of year): The Leadership Example of Bill Snyder.  Whether we cheer for K-State or not, we can all find relevant leadership applications in the life of this amazing leader.  I thought this summary from Mary Hale Tolar, who directs the School of Leadership Studies in Manhattan, was especially enlightening: “Coach Snyder’s belief in hard work and incremental improvement perhaps ring most true for me.  Exercising leadership consists of helping followers clarify their individual and collective goals, enrolling followers in a collective vision, and then doing the work necessary to improve.  He believes larger goals must be broken down into intermediate goals that are believable and achievable.  Exercising leadership takes hard work, a plan, ability to assess and adjust the plan, all in a pursuit of a goal – a purpose worth the effort.” 

Let this summary be your motivation today to do the hard work of leadership.  It is hard work but has amazing benefits to make progress on issues we care about.  Diagnose a situation, intervene skillfully, and energize others through it and see if it doesn’t help us make our community a better, healthier place.