The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

  
Vol. 12, No. 23  April 18, 2006

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Kansas Ag Bankers Loan Documentation Seminar April 19
...Kansas Ag Statistics Weekly Crop Weather Reporting
...Thank You from Diann Gerstner
...Thank You from Belinda Oldham
...Kropf Retirement Reception
...Congratulations Reception for Sharolyn Flaming Jackson
...Tips for Web Authors
...Operation Military Kids - They Need Our Help
...More Additions to the Resource Center
...Kansas City Design Discovery
...Master Schedule

...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
"True Leadership only exists if people follow when they have the freedom not to." Quote from Collins' "Good to Great and the Social Sectors."

In the University setting and for that matter throughout the organizational structure of K-State Research and Extension, decision making can be often characterized as complex and diffuse. The norm is faculty governance with structures of committees and task forces to drive critical discussions and ultimate decision making.

The governance of nonbusiness organizations, Jim Collins points out, is often complex with diffuse power structures. He suggests the importance of two types of leadership skill: executive and legislative. Executive leadership happens where the leader has enough concentrated power to move forward with the right decisions. However, in legislative leadership, no individual has that power within the organizational structure to make the most important decisions by himself or herself. Could this describe the system of K-State Research and Extension?

Don't get me wrong, we all have certain power and authorities to make decisions. As quoted from Frances Hesselbein, CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA, on her lack of executive power, "Oh, you always have power, if you just know where to find it. There is the power of inclusion, and the power of language, and the power of shared interests, and the power of coalition. Power is all around you to draw upon, but it is rarely raw, rarely visible."

In Collins' book, he describes leaders on 5 levels, and is quick to point out that in the social sector a level 5 leader is particularly important. So what is a level 5 leader? Collins describes such a leader as being "..... ambitious first and foremost for the cause, the movement, the mission, the work---not themselves---and they have the will to do whatever it takes (whatever it takes) to make good on that ambition." Such is certainly a description I think of among those individuals throughout K-State Research and Extension who are the true leaders and for whom others of us aspire. Note that level 5 leadership does not limit itself to the top of an organization. Especially in a diffuse leadership model like K-State Research and Extension, level 5 leaders can and do show up in parts of the organization. Aspiring to become a level 5 leader is something each of us can take to heart. As Collins states:

As one social sector leader confided to Collins, "I've learned that level 5 leadership requires being clever for the greater good. In the end, it is my responsibility to ensure that the right decisions happen---even if I don't have the sole power to make those decisions, and even if those decisions could not win a popular vote. The only way I can achieve that is if people know that I'm motivated first and always for the greatness of our work, not myself."

So, next week, we'll focus on getting the right folks on the bus. Thanks for your continuing feedback and suggestions for this column. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

KANSAS AG BANKERS LOAN DOCUMENTATION SEMINAR APRIL 19
The Kansas Ag Bankers Loan Documentation Seminar will be held April 19, at the Wichita Marriott in Wichita, Kansas. This seminar will provide information on lien documentation procedures and requirements. The seminar will include a hands-on survey of loan documentation principles, requirements, best practices, policies, and procedures required for everyday loan documentation effectiveness.

The target audience for this seminar includes loan officers, credit analysts, note and credit department personnel, loan assistants and secretaries, internal auditors, loan review and compliance personnel, and any banker involved in the lending function.

Bob Ullom, founder and president of R.V. Ullom & Company, will present this year's program. For more information or to register online, go to www.dce.ksu.edu/conf/ksagbankers . --Continuing Education sinnpio@k-state.edu

KANSAS AG STATISTICS WEEKLY CROP WEATHER REPORTING
The Weekly Crop Weather reports have begun for 2006. Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service (KASS), in cooperation with the National Agricultural Statistics Service and K-State Research and Extension, have signed a cooperative agreement to produce the weekly crop progress and condition reports. Consistent reporting from ALL counties is very important for the success of the report. Kansas Agricultural Statistics conducts this survey for USDA/National Agricultural Statistics Service. Electronic/website submission of this survey has made reporting much easier. We are notified of counties which do not report.

An individual within each county/district office should be assigned the responsibility to provide this report. Your individual reports are the backbone for the crop weather reports from KASS. I encourage you to be faithful in completing the weekly reports on a timely basis. Some offices identify a person to be responsible for the report, plus a calendar check person to assure the reports are submitted on time.

If you have any technical questions about the process, please contact KASS at 1-800-258-4564. --Pat Murphy jmurphy@ksu.edu

THANK YOU FROM DIANN GERSTNER
Thank you so much for all the cards, e-mails, memorials and other expressions of sympathy shown when my mother passed away. It meant a lot to receive all your support. It's great to be back in Extension.

You're a great group. --Diann Gerstner and family Diann@ksu.edu

THANK YOU FROM BELINDA OLDHAM
I don't know where to begin to thank all of you for all of the cards, memorials and support sent to me following my dad's death. What a wonderful, caring group of Extension friends you all are. Thank you from the Wayne Marcy family. --Belinda Oldham boldham@oznet.ksu.edu

KROPF RETIREMENT RECEPTION
Dr. Don Kropf retired in January 2006 after 44 years of stellar service to KSU as a meat scientist. Recognition of his unique contributions to the State, National and International Livestock and Meat Industries and to KSU and our community is scheduled for Friday, May 12, 6:30 p.m., in Pottorf Hall at the Riley County Fairgrounds. A complete announcement including reservation information is available at http://www.asi.ksu.edu . --Melvin Hunt hhunt@ksu.edu

CONGRATULATIONS RECEPTION FOR SHAROLYN FLAMING JACKSON
The Riley County Extension office invites all to attend a reception in Sharolyn's honor on Tuesday, May 23, from 4-6 p.m.  Join us as we thank Sharolyn for her 18 years of Riley County service and wish her well in her new endeavors as the Northeast Area Family and Consumer Science Specialist. The come and go reception will be held at the Riley County Extension Office.  --Andrea Schmidt aschmidt@ksu.edu

TIPS FOR WEB AUTHORS
If you write about swine, but your users search on hogs or pigs, they may not find your page. Not all of your readers are academics. Web pages will be easier to find if you include synonyms. Use a detailed title with several keywords.

If your web page has hundreds of words, a particular word, used once, will score low in a search because it is less than 1% of the page's content. Editing for brevity makes the remaining words more searchable. People skim web pages, so that's another reason to keep the text short.

Adding metadata makes a page more visible to a search engine.

For more information, see:
Web Builder
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/webbuilder/metadata/links.asp
Techweb
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/techweb/ 
and
Help Google Find Your Page
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/Help_Google.htm
--Amy Hartman ahartman@oznet.ksu.edu

--May 2 - In Salina, at the Kansas Highway Patrol Building, 2025 East Iron Street
--May 4 - In the Kansas City area, at the Johnson County Extension Office, Sunset Office Building, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Olathe
--May 8 - In Scott City, at the William Carpenter Building, 608 Fairgrounds Road
--May 11 - In Eureka, at the Community Building, 110 S. Jefferson (fairgrounds)

To learn more about the sites, times, places and the training agenda, go to
http://4-h.k-state.edu/Events/RegOMK.pdf  . --Ann Domsch adomsch@ksu.edu  

You are invited to visit the library or to search databases of books, periodicals, and video and audio cassettes available from the Resource Center Website at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/prev/ . --Joann Zarger jzarger@ksu.edu

KANSAS CITY DESIGN DISCOVERY
Opportunity for your older 4-Hers? Kansas City Design Discovery is a one-week, studio-based program for high school and college students interested in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture, or Planning. Students will learn the basics of design through several introductory design projects. Matt Knox, the instructor, will be working one-on-one with students, and participants will also visit professional design offices and other professional sites.

The first of two sessions will be held June 5-9, with the second, June 12-16. Sessions will run from 9:30-4:00, Monday-Friday. The week-long program will be held in the Epperson House on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus.

For more information or any questions contact the Division of Continuing Education at 785-532-5566. --Continuing Education sinnpio@k-state.edu

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS. 

Tuesday, May 2, through Wednesday, May 3
.... Water Quality In-service Training, Emporia/LY, Eastern Kansas, Dan Devlin ddevlin@oznet.ksu.edu
 

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