On December 16, I had the honor of
presenting the 2013 COMPASS Leadership in Motion awards. The annual awards
ceremony is always a highlight of the year at COMPASS, and for me personally.
In my August 5 blog, when we were just
opening Leadership in Motion nominations, I posed the question of “what is a
leader?” As I reviewed this year’s nominations and award recipients, it was
clearly evident that the concept of “leader” and “leadership” were embodied in
the projects and individuals we were honoring.
I’d like to share a few of my personal
observations and experiences regarding this year’s recipients.
·
The
Kuna Downtown Corridor Plan, a joint effort by the City of Kuna and Ada County
Highway District, provides a model of how different agencies, with different
missions, can work together to create a plan that meets the needs not just of
the agencies themselves, but more importantly, the needs of the citizens. Being
able to jointly work toward a common goal of meeting the citizens’ needs is
exactly what “government” should do on a daily basis. However, it’s not always
as easy as it sounds. Both agencies showed tremendous leadership throughout the
planning process to truly build a plan for the citizens of Kuna.
·
It
takes vision to look at an old building and imagine what it might become; it
takes true leadership to turn that imagined “what if” into a solid plan that
not only preserves an old historic building, but also provides much-needed
local amenities. The Historic Mercy
Hospital Plan does just that. Unfortunately, history has shown that all too
often good plans sit on shelves and gather dust. It is my sincere hope that
this well thought-out plan will be implemented to turn that vision into
reality.
·
The
concept of serving the greater good through bicycles may sound far-fetched,
until you see what the Boise Bicycle Project has done. Many people and
organizations promote biking, but the Boise Bicycle Project goes far beyond advocacy…the
organization provides lessons on bike safety, classes on bike commuting, and
free and reduced cost bikes for children and others in need. The organization
does much more than support biking; they support the community.
·
Janie
Burns was asked to join the COMPASS Communities
in Motion 2040 Planning Team in 2012 to represent agriculture and farmland
interests. While Janie is a farmer, community volunteer, and a passionate
advocate for local foods and farmland preservation, she is not a transportation
planner and she did not have to say “yes,” when asked to serve. Yet, she did
say “yes,” and took on this new role with gusto, attending meetings, asking
questions, participating in work groups, and providing valuable input and
insight that have helped to create a better, more thoughtful plan. Janie
demonstrates leadership and the willingness to lead by getting her hands dirty
(literally as well as figurative) on a daily basis.
·
I
have had the honor of working with Kathleen Lacey and seeing her in action over
many years. While her professional
accomplishments are impressive, Kathleen the person―the leader―is even more so.
Kathleen is someone who leads by example; as an individual, she “walks the
walk” of the principles she espouses in her professional life. Even beyond
that, Kathleen exhibits leadership simply through who she is. She is a
consummate professional who truly is a team player—she is respectful,
thoughtful, and gracious with everyone she interacts with. Kathleen embodies
“leadership” simply by being herself.
·
Senator
Brackett may seem like an unlikely recipient of a COMPASS Leadership in Motion
award. After all, technically, he
doesn’t represent Ada or Canyon Counties. However, it is exactly that
that demonstrates his leadership—he is looking beyond his jurisdiction at the
big picture and advocating for increased transportation funding, which will
benefit the entire State of Idaho, including Ada and Canyon Counties. It takes
a courageous leader to strive for the common good, no matter how difficult the
task may be.
