Change happens – even in Monona County. Coping with unforeseen changes, creating positive changes, or adapting to changing leadership roles can happen in the family, at work, or in the community at large.
Iowa State University Monona County Extension is offering a six session course called “Developing Dynamic Leaders” that will focus on building individual leadership skills and applying those skills in a community setting. The cost for the six courses is $100 and the main cost of bringing the course to Monona County is being underwritten by a grant from the Monona County Community Partners Foundation.
The classes will be held at various locations throughout Monona County. All classes will be held on Thursday nights from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will include an evening meal. Classes begin January 10 and end March 13. The first session is scheduled for January 10, 2007, at the B & B Party Room in Onawa and the topic will be “Leadership in the Local Context.” It will focus on current issues and trends for Monona County and will be led by Cheri Hardison, Monona County Extension Education Director and Abbie Gaffey, ISU Extension Community & Economic Development Field Specialist for Western Iowa. Other sessions will focus on Community and Economic Development, conflict resolution and dealing with difficult behavior, communication and listening, personality, and innovations in groups and organizations.
“Some of our past community discussions have identified a desire for leadership development in Monona County and we are happy to make this opportunity available locally,” Hardison said. “New groups have formed in the area and new leaders are emerging. This class will be a networking opportunity to build on the positive changes happening in our county.”
A planning committee has been working for several months to select courses and make arrangements for the leadership road show. Planning Committee members have included Marsha Craig, Nazaria Kaderabek and Fred Standa of Mapleton, Bob Haack of Whiting, Denise Truckenmiller, Dick Schlitter and Jim Hunt of Onawa, and Lynn Corkery and Sara Struble of Monona County.
The deadline to register for the course is Thursday, January 3, 2008. Businesses, schools, city and county governments and nonprofits are encouraged to identify emerging leaders in their organizations and reserve a spot in the class. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available upon request for an additional $10 per session. For more information contact Cheri Hardison at (712) 423-2175 or chardi@iastate.edu.
DDL Participants in Action