Leadership Spokane Newsletter

The Servant Leader

A Publication of the Leadership Spokane Alumni Association

April 2009

Sharpening the Saw with Leadership Development
.
Linda Finney, Executive Director

One of the pleasant things about growing older is that your children grow older, too. If you're lucky, they emerge from their teenage years with straight teeth, a passing grade in algebra, and only one minor car crash. If you're really lucky, they get their act together after a few years and present you with a grandchild. So it was I found myself on a plane a few weeks ago, heading to Arizona to celebrate my granddaughter Charlotte's first birthday.

I was leafing through the in-flight magazine, and an excerpt from the Harvard Business Review caught my eye. The author, B. V. Krishnamurthy (Alliance Business Academy, Bangalore) raised a question that I've been thinking about a lot this spring as we're recruiting for the Leadership Spokane Class of 2010: "When times are tough, is professional development a luxury?"

Coming down on the side of the angels, Krishnamurthy's response is a clear "no!" He elaborates, "Often that's precisely when there is enough breathing room in the daily work flow to give your people the chance to better themselves." It's an opportune time to learn new skills, enhance old ones, or unlearn what's no longer working in the new environment.

Professional development helps you discover creative and efficient ways and new opportunities to do business. It improves morale and lessens fear. It increases your ability to collaborate and work effectively in teams. Finally, it positions you to catch the wave when the economy stabilizes.

The Leadership Spokane experience has another big plus: it's local and Spokane County-specific. The information and skills that you learn in class on Friday can go right into the office or factory or laboratory on Monday morning. The people you meet and the exposure to industries and organizations outside your own sector build your understanding. You learn how the Spokane system works and the way that your organization fits into the picture.

Leadership Spokane is always a great networking experience, but this year, in particular, I've observed the Class of 2009 in a lot of deep discussions. The recession is affecting all companies. The professional exchange and mutual encouragement in Leadership Spokane has afforded them a place to share ideas and strategies and think about how we can work together to sort out this mess.

The tuition is an investment--but one that reaps rewards, both short-term and long-term. This is a great time to get involved with Leadership Spokane, either as a student or by nominating a colleague. It's time to sharpen the saw.

Linda Finney can be reached at lfinney@leadershipspokane.org.

Message from the Chair

Allen Battle, Class of 2006

- Bernie Madoff ripps off billions of dollars from hundreds of unsuspecting individuals.
- The Dow hits 15 year low.
- Bankruptcies up ten-fold over the last 18 months.
- Forclosures up 150 percent in the last year.
- Unemployment close to all time high.
- Older Americans forced to keep working well past their retirement dates. (Not sure if the numbers are correct, but you know what I mean)

These are only a few of the headlines that we are subjected to on a daily basis. If you are like many individuals, it is the topic of conversation everywhere you turn. We have forgotten that we are not driven by fear, and there are far more important things in this life that bring us joy.

Like most of you, I took my training and the knowledge that I received from Leadership Spokane very seriously. Servant Leadership reminds us that, "The servant-leader is the servant first... It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead." It also states that we are "sharply" different from the one who is a "leader first." With that being said, we as "servant leaders" have to step-up and lead in a way that can inspire our community and our country at a time when we need it the most.

I believe that we now have to lead by reminding our neighbors that all of the above headlines are, to an extent, things that we have little(or zero) control over. I am sure that we all have a friend or two in our own lives that warrant much more attention than the headlines of the newspapers and Fox News.

I have a great friend who has experienced tremendous financial success, yet cries at his father's bedside on a nightly basis because of an illness that is incurable and would gladly give up all of his monetary success for another few days with his father. There is another who has been struck with a rare disease that has caused him to lose his vision at the age of 34 and will never be able to see his son when he is born in two weeks. NO THANKS!

Do you think that they are getting caught-up with all of the bad news on TV? I personally was able to get out of bed this morning without any assistance and go into my fridge and have more than one choice, I was then able to turn on my oven and cook a hot meal and eat until I was full. I then was able to go get into my truck and drive to a job that I love. Upon my arrival, my granddaughter called and asked if she could come and spend the weekend with her "PaPa," Do you really think that the stock market or the unemployment rate is going to take precedence over that? You decide what is "really important" in your life, and I guarantee you that you will look at CNN News in a whole different way.

Allen Battle can be reached at allen@thenextlevel-llc.com.

Nominate an Emerging Leader for the Leadership Spokane Class of 2010

It's time to engage, train and mobilize tomorrow's leaders. Our newly revised and updated application for the Leadership Spokane Class of 2010 is posted on the website at www.LeadershipSpokane.org. Please identify a couple colleagues who are ready for the challenge, take them to coffee, and encourage them to apply. If you send your candidates' contact information to Leadership@LeadershipSpokane.org, we can keep them in the loop.

All applications are due by 10 April 2009.

Spring Executive Welcome

12 March 2009 at the
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture

City of Spokane Chief of Police Anne Kirkpatrick and
Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich

City of Spokane Valley Mayor Munson and Sheriff Knezovich

Class notes

Career Moves

Tony Hinen (2005) has retired from the Air Force and now a Senior Operations Research Analyst for ManTech SRS Technologies in Tampa, Florida. Kitara McClure (2008), PONY TAILS, has completed her Master's Degree in Organizational Management. Tom Weldon (2007) is the Inland Northwest district manager of Colonial Life and the owner of Better Bed & Back in Spokane.