November 5, 2019
Embarking on a New Journey
Monday, October 14, marked the beginning of a new challenge for me as the Regional Local Unit Director for ten Districts and four counties in Northwest and North Central Kansas. Thanks for all the welcoming comments, remarks, and messages. Your support and encouragement has meant a great deal as I embark on this new journey with K-State Research and Extension.
As of today I have had the opportunity to visit eight local units. The conversations I have had with the local agents and board members have solidified my belief that we can all be difference makers. Each day brings me new challenges and opportunities to work with dedicated Extension Agents and committed board members. Success stems from setting goals and being ambitious. A few goals I have set for myself include:
• Create relationships with key stakeholders in all communities and portray KSRE in the most positive light.
• Be an advocate for telling our story. What is your story and what makes it unique?
• Discover ways to keep the workplace exciting and keep the excitement flame alive in all staff.
• Be reliable, honest, act with integrity, and be accountable to the local units I serve.
• Team up with Local Unit Directors to help educate local board members and compel them to be more accountable.
Since Annual Conference I have been mulling around some strategies that I could experiment with to create some new and useful (innovative) approaches to solve Extension issues and share our story. I am looking for a partner to innovate with, so if you’re interested, give me a call or send me an email.
Effective communication is important to building strong relationships. It's a combination of good speaking and listening skills that leads to clear and concise messaging. Practical communication can help foster a good working relationship, which can in turn improve morale and efficiency. So don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Take time to introduce yourself and share your energy and enthusiasm for Extension with me.