February 21, 2023
Looking Forward. Moving Forward.
Looking Forward. Moving Forward.
When Gregg Hadley asked me to write about my experiences and thoughts as the new 4-H program leader this month, I was happy for the opportunity to process and reflect on the last three months.
It has been a whirl-wind getting settled into a new routine and learning new job responsibilities. As with any position, there are things that come with it that were not expected.
I did not think I could have more meetings than I did as an agent, yet it is very possible. I did not think the learning curve would be as great as it is, but thank goodness for wonderful mentors to help guide me along the way. A few of the important takeaways from serving in this position so far are discussed in this article.
Our state and regional team members are amazing. Our team has a diverse range of strengths and passions. This team is resilient. They listen. Our team is supportive and willing to help. They embrace change as we look to be more strategic and strive to implement the changes needed to continue to grow.
We have a great team of 4-H professionals on all levels across the state delivering positive youth development programming. Every member of the team is important and has their role to play. It is essential that all team members feel they belong, just like we assist our clubs in establishing an atmosphere of belonging for our 4-H members.
I was at a meeting last week where a speaker said: “Belonging is what brings attachment to an organization.” Belonging is a human need, and we need to take time to help all members of our team know they belong. As we continue to onboard new colleagues, it is important we remember, building a team is a continuous process and belonging is part of that.
We hire great people, so we need to support them and provide them the tools so they can do their job, then get out of their way so they can do what they were hired to do.
Change. Change is inevitable. Change is uncomfortable. Change takes time. We know change will happen and continue to be implemented because we strive to improve on what we are already doing.
Prioritization is key. Society changes. Technology changes. In our jobs, we are change agents. Socrates said: “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”
While we remember the historical aspects of our program, it is important to learn from the past and embrace the future. As we move the needle forward, it is essential to do so as a team and stay focused on the task at hand. Trust is essential. As a state and regional 4-H team, we are working hard to rebuild any trust that was lost, communicate effectively, and be transparent.
If there are any questions or concerns, I would love to have a conversation. My door is always open, and I want to make sure we are all working together towards the same goal.
After three months on the job, I know there will be a lot of new things yet to experience. You don’t know what you don’t know until you don’t know it. But what I do know is you can only do the best you can do.
Thank you to everyone who has been welcoming and encouraging of me in this role. Having great team members supporting and mentoring me is all I can ask for. I look forward to the next months and years to come. Please let me know what I can do to better support you as a member of the KSRE team.