I want to thank Ms.Fuchs-Houghton and Ms. Kalob for their posts on Facebook challenging to me to answer their questions. You both exhibited one of the most critical characteristics of leadership…you stepped up and challenged the process. I gave you both a Facebook style answer.
You deserve more…so I dedicate this blog to both of you as well as our community.
I came late to this challenge of getting elected to represent your interests (as well as mine…hoping that one of you will be interested in buying my house one day…that is if the taxes aren’t too high) as as member of the Board of Selectmen, not because I lacked any commitment to serving (anyone who has read the blog in the past 9 months knows I have attended most meetings and I am committed to getting out the truth of how things are being done), it was because of the fear and anxiety expressed to me by a small group of individuals who have lived here most of their lives. Also, a group of young people reached out to me and asked why the town lacks the capability of speaking to them?
Both groups of individuals expressed real deep concerns about the direction and lack of acceptance to new ideas by the board’s leadership and a majority block of members.
Here is what I told them. Right now only two members, Tia Hooper and Ben Fortner are trying to move forward with some new ideas. Both get stymied and marginalized. I have discovered through, Right to Know requests, that a both were not fully briefed and were not copied on emails threads prior to meetings.
I then stated my four key points to being a good leader and productive member of a working group:
- CHALLENGE THE PROCESS: the working group must be open to new ways and ideas of solving recurring problems. Opening up creativity will give a new direction. New directions leads to…
- INSPIRE A SHARED VISION: working group members love directed creativity, it motivates commitment to finding that shared vision of a solution. As I wrote in my previous blog, “No single person has all the answers, but a well-informed community develops an abundance of ideas!“
- MODEL THE WAY: simply..If you Talk the Talk you better be able to Walk the Walk!
- ENABLE OTHERS TO ACT: empowering others to act leads to more creativity
I then asked those who contacted me if they felt that this was their goal for our town? And do their friends feel this way too?
To Aislinn Kalob, the answers to those Chamber questions, can be found in the threads that bind those four key elements of productive leadership and participation.
I want to thank you both, Khiara Bostrom and all those who hit the like button or messaged me for inspiring me to continue on with my endeavor of serving you. I hope I have earned your write -in vote!
Dr. Bruce J. Trivellini
Write-In Candidate for Selectmen