1. Growing Leaders Short Course & Community Impressions

2. A five week leadership course to help participants strengthen leadership skills, gain confidence and work together on a local community development project.  

3. Who
Individuals who want to continue to learn about themselves, their organizations and communities.
Individuals who are open to broadening their perspectives.
Individuals who want to create the conditions for their organization and community to grow and prosper.
The course is for anyone who is willing to learn, grow and wants to make their community a better place.

4. What Effective Leadership attributes and communication skills
Understanding and managing conflict
Understanding the importance of service /volunteerism
Planning for the future

5. What your community needs
Creating effective community conversations
Understanding behavioral styles of individuals
Understanding the seven capitals of healthy communities

6. Where
Participants attend five five-hour sessions, every two, three or four weeks.
Sessions will take place at a single location or rotate locations within a region.

7. How The local committee will work to set the agenda for the course.
Participants will work on a project.
Class size may range from 10 to 30 participants.
Participants will commit to the 5 week course and pay the $ registration fee.

8. Results
“The short course helped to motivate me to become more involved in my community.”
Many great projects throughout the state.
Leadership Groups
Building Projects
Career Fairs
City and County Commissioners
Community Events
More leadership opportunities

9. We become immune to our everyday perfection and imperfections

10. Match Similar Communities
Consider: population, business community, and location.
Community Impressions provides an unbiased
assessment of a community from volunteers who
then receive the same unbiased assessment
from the exchange community’s volunteers.
The information that communities provide and
receive will:
Help identify positive attributes and
weaknesses in the community (Ex: community
services, housing, business, industry,
customer service, public infrastructure, health
care, social services, education)
Provide a basis for a community vision or plan
Identify issues needed for downtown
revitalization
Identify tourism strengths and weaknesses
Provide a sense of how a potential new
entrepreneur or business investor might view
your community
n Provide information about services and
infrastructure available to local businesses
n Assess customer service in the community

11. Team Ensure team readiness and commitment Orientation with team
Plan the visit
Make it happen

12. Visit the exchange community and record first impressions.
What do you see when you drive into the community from each direction?

13. Documenting the experience
10 minute impression
Downtown/Central Business District
Retail, Tourism, Housing, Business & Economy
More than does it just look pretty

14. Digging Deeper Education, Health, Social & Emergency Services
Government Infrastructure and Land Use
Recreation, Faith, Culture
Some research will be needed to learn more about the services provided.

15. Report Out
Sometimes an outside perspective helps get community buy in to make change happen.

16. Community Action Plan Improve Specific Areas
Improve add, upgrade tourist attractions
Improve the quality of local private and public services
Increase Investments in the local economy
Revitalize your downtown
Draw new business to the area

17. Andrea Bowman www.ag.ndsu.edu/ccv NDSU Extension Program Coordinator,
Leadership and Community Development
cell