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You
might say a leader is someone who helps others to reach their potential.
A volunteer 4-H club leader helps young people build their sense of
belonging, independence, generosity and mastery. A corporate leader
helps his or her employees develop the capacity to reach toward a shared
vision of success. Leadership is not about telling people what to do,
but inspiring them to see what they are capable of doing and giving them
the tools they need to reach that level of success.
Effective
leadership is essential to achievement, whether it’s the volunteer
leader who works with youth or an executive of a large, international
corporation. But what makes a good leader? Research suggests there are
several key qualities: self-awareness, openness to change, personal
commitment, willingness to look to others for support and a yearning to
go the extra mile.
Self-awareness
is crucial in facing challenges or moral choices. The effective leader
has a strong sense of his or her values and priorities. For those of us
in 4-H, this means the key values of "Head, Hands, Heart and
Health" which we pledge to honor. The individual’s level of
self-awareness is extremely obvious in the ethics and actions of
government, religious and organizational leaders.
Openness
to change defines leadership. Change is one of life’s most obvious
factors, yet remains one of the most strongly resisted. Every
organization and every society is constantly in motion, continually
changing, forever adapting. Effective leaders recognize the value of
change and can aid in directing or channeling that change.
A
good leader is committed. He or she can be relied upon as a mentor, a
person who prompts others to be their best, someone who cares and
listens, someone confident in their own beliefs who is willing to be
there for the people who serve them and the organization.
Good
leaders know they don’t know everything. While the ultimate decision
and responsibility may lie with one person, it is incumbent upon her or
him to gather information and trust others’ points of view before
developing a plan-of-action.
Good
leaders go the extra mile. Many great leaders demonstrate a lifetime of
small acts of leadership. This leadership may show in something as
simple as a word of encouragement or something so great as a powerful
vision and a finely-tuned plan for reaching that vision.
2008
STATE 4-H ACHIEVEMENT
WINNERS
The
Alabama 4-H Achievement Awards identifies outstanding Alabama 4-H
members who have excelled in their 4-H career. Applications are judged
by a screening committee of Extension professionals, 4-H Volunteers and
appropriate industry representatives. Interviews for the awards were
held at the Alabama 4-H Center on April 26, 2008.
Amelia
Spradley, an
8-year 4-H member in Pike County, won the Beef Production Achievement
sponsored by the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association. Amelia has learned
to fit her steers and heifers for showing and teaches younger exhibitors
the tips she has developed.
Ellen
Rankins, a 6-year
4-H member in Lee County, won the Equine Science. Ellen volunteers at
Storybook Farm, a therapeutic riding center for children with autism.
Her club helped to expand the library for these children.
Anna
Leigh Peek, a
6-year 4-H member in Limestone County, won the Poultry Science sponsored
by the Alabama Poultry and Egg Association. Her Chef 4-H demonstrations
included the three different grades of eggs and how to safely prepare
egg dishes. She has competed in the National 4-H Poultry and Egg
Conference in Louisville, KY.
Sawyer
Spratlin, an
8-year member in Randolph County, won in Natural Resources. He is
challenged to use his imagination and creativity to view the world
through a different point-of-view. He has photographed, drawn, studied
and observed wildlife and nature. This project has taught Sawyer to
respect the environment and to work to share his skills with others.
Azeem
Ahmed, a
6-year member in Lee County, won for Community Service at Senior Level
II, ages 16-19. Azeem volunteers within the Auburn Community. He has
coordinated service projects with the Red Cross, East Alabama Food Bank,
Habitat for Humanity and the March of Dimes.
Aleem
Ahmed, a
6-year member in Lee County, won for Community Service at Senior Level
I, ages 14-15. Aleem has learned decision-making and
independent-thinking in 4-H. Skills learned through 4-H helped him make
phone calls, coordinate events, write emails and even writes a monthly
column in the local newspaper.
Erin
O’Mary, a
4-year member in Marion County, won the Leadership/Citizenship at Senior
Level I. Erin leads by example and has taught others to lead in their
projects and events. She serves as the Marion County 4-H Ambassador Club
treasurer and has coordinated travel for educational events.
Stephanie
Stanford, a
9-year member in Clay County, won the Leadership/Citizenship at Senior
Level II. Currently she is serving as Student Advisor to the State 4-H
Council. Stephanie distributed no-sew blankets to nursing homes and
collected can pull-tabs for the Ronald McDonald House.
Andrea
Williamson, a
3-year member in Morgan County, won the Performing and Creative Arts
sponsored by Rebecca and Ed Persons. Andrea’s interest in the arts,
drama and especially music and dance has provided opportunity to serve
others. She has worked with church groups and senior citizens, and
performed in a benefit talent show.
Others
who participated were Amber Henderson, Coffee County; Dalta
Garrett, Shelby County; Amanda Ellenburg, Marshall County and
Shellby Sands, Jackson County.
Achievement
Applications show the Essential Elements of 4-H. Those are belonging,
independence, generosity and mastery. For more information about
becoming a 4-H member or a 4-H leader, please contact your local Alabama
Cooperative Extension Office. The motto of 4-H is "To Make the Best
Better."
Many
rural children will be operating a family enterprise someday. Farms and
ranches are big businesses operating in a high-risk economic
environment. An essential management tool for farmers is financial
management - capital investment, marketing, debt management, savvy
purchasing, managing cash flow, accurate record keeping, income taxes,
etc. Farmers have to also reduce the inherent risks that go with every
farming season.
Children
and young adults won’t automatically know how to do this without
handling money and making decisions long before they reach management
levels. Often they are taught farming skills and practices but left in
the dark about business finances.
As
young adults returning to the family farm, they may not understand the
cost of new ideas or the risks involved. If adult children understand
money management, they make better partners. Management philosophy is
shared instead of being a point-of-conflict.
Learning
to be comfortable with risk-taking develops when children take part in
decisions, share in the risks, and experience the rewards and adverse
consequences of their actions. When parents take it all on themselves,
the next generation can feel paralyzed with fear when they eventually
takeover. Many farming operations fall apart in succeeding generations
because parents have been too controlling and haven’t shared
decision-making of dollars and cents financial management.
What
are some common mistakes? Don’t give children too much. Some parents
buy new vehicles and fancy clothes for their children so they experience
the rewards of life without earning them. The farm becomes a big piggy
bank they get to raid once in a while. A tax write-off for a new pickup
isn’t worth the inflated sense of value and expectations it creates.
Growing
up feeling entitled to the best of everything is a setup for future
disappointment. The children want to maintain their parent’s standard
of living right from the start and go into debt to do so. Parents with
considerable means have to be especially wise about what to give to
their children. They must make a connection between risk, work and
reward.
Another
big mistake happens when parents bail their children out from paying for
their own traffic tickets, car accident repairs, breakage, lost items or
other expenses incurred by their own negligence. Children don’t learn
to take responsibility – both personal and financial – for their
actions.
When
do you start teaching money management? Early - the younger the better.
Let them handle and spend their own money. Let them deal with limited
budgets where they have to make choices. When it’s gone, it’s gone.
They learn the first rule of finances – don’t outspend your income.
Let
them earn money for extra work beside their regular family duties. Their
pay should be in-line with community standards for certain jobs so they
get a connection between the world of labor and the cost of things.
Allowances can help children get a start on money management until they
reach an age when they can be rewarded for meaningful chores.
Some
families cover only necessities and expect their children to pay for
perks with their own money. Parents often strike deals with their
children so when children earn a percentage of something expensive, the
parents will make up the difference. Help them see how to shop sales and
make their money go further. They also need to be savvy about the
dangers of credit card interest.
Encourage
regular savings. Let them have their own checking and savings account;
encourage them to save toward future goals. Part of money management is
learning to be generous, give gifts and use money to do good things for
others.
Be
a role model by living within your means. Plan for purchases, save and
make the purchases with cash-on-hand. Talk about what is smart and what
is dumb - the hard times and the good times. Talk about examples in the
community.
Give
them a stake. Teenagers should be allowed to participate in family
business discussions, hear the decisions being kicked around, learn
about financial hazards and understand the big picture. Even if they don’t
have much to say, they will absorb information and learn about real
risks and how decisions are made. They will learn to reason with you
about business and money matters.
If
feasible, let them work for someone else. They will learn about fair
wages, how to deal with other employers, meet schedules and take
responsibility. Working for someone else will help them develop work
ethics and see their own farm a bit differently. Mom and Dad’s
expectations about work and money will then be seen in perspective.
Caring
and managing for their own livestock and other farm enterprises teaches
entrepreneurial attitudes and skills. They see how farming works and how
income is generated through buying and selling, breeding, good health
practices and about absorbing mini-enterprise risks. The proceeds will
help them pay for their college education.
Projects
in 4-H are great tools for teaching money and enterprise management. The
cost of input and labor are calculated and learned. They will see the
payoff and learn the downside too - good training for a future partner
someday! Make sure you do your part in this YOUTH EDUCATION!
Until
next time, God Bless!
James
Shropshire is the Alabama 4-H Regional Extension Agent for the Central
Alabama Region. E-mail him at shropja@aces.edu. |
