Chamber program promotes leadership skills

Leadership St. Mary participants on Tuesday toured The Daily Review on a day when KQKI radio and KWBJ Tv were also on the agenda.

The visits were part of the two-year mission of Leadership St. Mary, a project of the St. Mary Chamber of Commerce, to expose current and future leaders to information that will help them make the decisions important to the parish in years to come.

The future focus of these leaders will be on improving the following aspects: business, educational, governmental, and community environments.

Through this program, participants are exposed to a range of ideas and experiences that will best prepare them to guide St. Mary Parish toward achieving its highest potential.

Leadership St. Mary provides a continuing source of leaders by strengthening the following qualities essential to all who wish to serve effectively: knowledge of the parish, individual leadership and civic responsibility

In the course of the program, members will develop the skills needed to participate in the processes that form the foundation of civic leadership — coalition-building, significant dialog, creative problem-solving and consensus-building.
Leadership St. Mary is designed to promote diversity and expand awareness by recruiting candidates from all sectors of the parish: business, public agencies, nonprofits, education and other professions.

Each applicant, if accepted, must commit to participate in the two-year program.

The first year, the applicant must attend the monthly all-day sessions, which present varied approaches to the issues facing every community.

Group members share their ideas and learn from each other’s experiences, as well as participate in exercises, field trips, and presentations by local leaders.

After completion of the all-day sessions, participants graduate from Leadership St. Mary. During the second year, the graduating class completes a class project they selected based upon their learning experiences during the previous year.