Program teaches skills, not just leaders
Staff writer
Even people who don’t consider themselves to be in “leadership” positions can learn skills that will make them leaders in their realm of influence.
Marion County’s Leadership program is not just for people who are in “leadership positions,” County Administrator Tina Spencer said Tuesday. It’s for people who want to learn how they can practice leadership in their lives.
Anyone can improve his or her personal skills and positively influence communities, she said.
Classes will meet around the county as well as in a classroom, and participants will visit community businesses, brainstorm, make connections, gain insights about Marion County, and practice leadership skills to make progress on local challenges.
Participants will learn about community strengths and challenges using Kansas Leadership Center’s “When Everyone Leads” curriculum.
“A lot of it is about people learning that leadership is not a position, it’s a practice,” Spencer said. “It can be as simple as sharing kindness to someone else.”
Space is limited to 12 participants, and applicants must commit to actively participating in all sessions.
Registration costs $50. The fee sometimes is paid by an employer who wants an employee to take the course.
That should be the only expense for participants. Grant money covers meals, transportation, class materials, and tuition to Kansas Leadership Center.
Spencer said that if the enrollment fee was a hardship, a person could ask for accommodation.
“We don’t want people to miss out because they can’t afford the fee,” Spencer said.
All-day sessions will be Aug. 5 and 19, Sept. 2, 16, and 30, and Oct. 14. An evening meal at a date after the course is over will let participants get together one final time.
Applications, due July 3, are available online.
“The leadership committee, once we get the applications, will meet and decide on the applicants,” Spencer said.
Spencer thinks it’s been rewarding to watch people learn and grow through the program.
“When people can redefine ‘leadership’ as an action instead of a role or position, it can really unlock something powerful in their lives,” she said. “Empowering people to make progress is so important. It is also really fun to explore the county and learn new things about what we have right here.”
In recent years, the county has offered a youth leadership course in the spring.
More information is available from the Marion County administrator’s office at (620) 382-3318 or the Marion County clerk’s office at (620) 382-2185.