TALLADEGA COUNTY — According to L. Ralph Stacey, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama, “when leaders of leaders emerge, that’s when communities excel.”As he opened up the Leadership of North Talladega County retreat Thursday afternoon, that was his main message to the 10-student class as to what separates leaders from everyday people.
“You need to be thinking, ‘What does our community need? What does Talladega County need?’” Stacey said. “A leader learns to leverage assets and make it better, make it so everyone comes out on top.”
It’s the first of many leadership lessons and training courses the candidates from Alabama Power, Talladega College, First National Bank, the Talladega County Judicial System and many other area employers will receive over the next two days at the Heritage Trail Conference Center in Fayetteville.
Sponsored by the Talladega County Extension Office and the Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership North Talladega County’s mission is to provide “leadership training for potential and existing leaders who are concerned and interested in Talladega County’s future.” It’s one that the Leadership chairs aim to accomplish and inspire in every resident of the county.
“To me, it’s about helping our county, getting more people involved and moving Talladega forward,” said Wanda Jurriaans, coordinator of the Talladega County Extension Office.
This class is the second in 2007, Jurriaans said, but the first to help lead the county, as well as the Leadership Training program, in a new direction. The North Talladega Leadership program recently received an $11,600 grant from the Rural Initiative program in Auburn University’s Economic and Community Development unit.
“Out of the 106 grants they awarded, we were actually the first to receive our grant,” Jurriaans said.
The money will go toward developing a new curriculum for the Leadership program, which won’t come together until after this class makes it through its nine-month training.
“We have to do a Leadership class. We’ll have one program each month for the next nine months on things like law enforcement, education, health care, historical events, quality of life, all in Talladega County. Then in April, we’ll have a graduation,” Jurriaans said.
Over the course of those months, this Leadership class will also have to develop and mold a project especially for the betterment of Talladega County. It has to be a community project aimed at involving everyone.
“We’re hoping that will get more people involved and promote our community so people will know that Talladega County is a great place to live,” Jurriaans said.
Among having to make decisions, not worrying about making everyone happy, operating in a moral system and having the ability to look ahead, Stacey also gave the group some encouragement with the six principles for success projects – simplification, participation, delegation, motivation, administrative and appreciation.
“Good luck. I know you’ll do well,” Stacey said.
