Intentional or not, the two topics of our day, local government and leading teams, spoke to three key themes throughout the day:
- Our role in local government
- People matter
- We each must own our part
The first half of our day was spent learning and speaking with local government leaders: Joe Ponte, Kenosha County Communication Manager; Susan Crane, Town of Brighton Chair; Brandi Ferree, Kenosha Common Council Alderperson, District 6; and Zachary Rodriguez, Kenosha County Board Supervisor, District 8. We learned what the local government does, the core functions, and how to get involved in community meetings, amongst many more topics.
Doug Labelle, from LaBelle Training, LLC, spent the second half of our day leading us through a workshop titled "Bringing out the Best in Your Team." We discussed what successful teams look like and how to make them. Doug shared that successful teams comprise people who (1) take personal ownership and (2) help others succeed. He then walked us through practices we can implement in our personal and professional lives.
Town of Brighton Chair Susan Crane said during our panel discussion, "Nothing is more important than caring about the people you serve." Susan's commitment to serving humbly and for the greater good of her community was evident in how she spoke about her role and decision-making process. This statement encapsulates and emphasizes the foundation of the day's key themes. We have to serve the people and places within our sphere of influence. We do not need an official role in local government to care about local government, just as we do not have to have a supervisory title to serve our team well. No matter our job, we serve other people within our community.
We also have to do our part. Our community is a team; we all want Kenosha to be great, grow, and prosper. Determining our role in Kenosha is vital as community members and leaders. We all can alter the mood, change the culture, or act within our spheres of influence.
But above all else, people matter. Like Susan Crane said, caring about the people we serve matters. When we central ourselves in the belief that people matter, how we serve matters, and our role in service matters, good things will come from it.
-Maggie Campbell
Posted on
December 20, 2023