The Milan News-Leader
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Cultivating leaders
Saline Leadership Institute graduates 10th class
By Sue G. Collins, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: February 21, 2008
The Saline Leadership Institute sent another group of graduates into the world last month armed with practical communication tools, valuable community connections and the confidence built over 10 months of class experiences to become stronger members of their groups, organizations and workplaces.
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The Saline Leadership Institute was founded by Bill Lavery and Dan Stotz, who decided a little over decade ago that it was time to establish a framework for helping people in the community develop leadership skills that would in turn feed the volunteer organizations that were helping Saline grow and mature.
Each year since then, 25 or so community loyalists have enrolled in the institute, representing commerce, education, government, business and philanthropies in and around Saline.
The group meets for an overnight goal-setting get-to-know-you retreat in April where participants start to develop relationships and skills that will last a lifetime, says Lavery, a Saline resident and behind-the-scenes conductor for some of the city's sustaining forces.
Stotz is director of executive education with the College of Management at Georgia Tech and a longtime friend of Lavery's.
After the bonding retreat, the class meets the third Thursday of the following nine months to hone personal mastery skills, learn about mental models, systems thinking, team building, shared vision and more.
Pat Everett was working for Saline Area Schools when she applied for the institute's first class in 1998. She subsequently helped on the planning team that handles administration and logistics, and now facilitates the Insight Workshop, a perennial favorite in which students complete a personality profile to discover their "true color," which ultimately explains their role in group dynamics.
"The workshop seems to always provide a few 'aha' moments, along with a lot of laughter," said Everett, who is now president of the Saline Music Parents.
Laughter, friendships, building trust and sharing insights are a big part of what happens during meetings.
"I feel like we all went to college together," said Becky Pazkowski, vice president of development and community relations for the Evangelical Homes of Michigan and a member of the eighth class.
Pazkowski's favorite lesson explained the importance of recognizing established mental models, or stereotypes.
"I learned about the idea of mental models, understanding that they are there, recognizing them, and then moving forward with that new knowledge," Pazkowski said.
Each lesson has a different instructor, professionals hand-picked by the planning team for their commitment to Saline, along with their unique message. All help to build strong leadership qualities and a broader understanding of how teams work successfully.
Lessons often ask students to get creative and share during a sort of "show and tell." Bruce Temby owns The UPS Store in Saline and recalls one of the rules his class wrote during the retreat: "What happens at Leadership, stays at Leadership."
"This gave us the confidence to say exactly what was on our mind and share our drawings or creative projects without judgment," he said. "This was important as we explored own personal mastery and tried things outside our comfort zone."
Enrollment continues to remain steady through the years, mostly due to graduates' personal referrals and word of mouth. The tuition remains just under $400.
"I recommended that my fellow principal, Steve Laatsch, and PTA leader, Heather Kellstrom, attend SLI based on my excellent experience and they both have been through," said Saline Middle School Principal David Raft. "For me, it was nice to network with other people who were in similar roles."
"I recommend SLI to anyone who wants to get more involved in the community, meet new people and learn more about themselves," Pazkowski said.
Architect David Milling was in the first class and has sponsored one of his employees as a participant in the Saline Leadership Institute nearly every subsequent year. His lessons learned were invaluable.
"For me, it was the emphasis on dialogue rather than discussion. In dialogue, people are eager to hear a different opinion and are prepared to change their minds. In discussion, all too often people hold to preconceived ideas and resist change," said Milling of David Milling & Associates.
The list of past participants is a veritable roll call of some of Saline's strongest leaders, from City Council members and employees to firefighters, police officers, clergy, school administrators, entrepreneurs and business owners.
Applications for Saline Leadership Institute are being accepted now and are available, along with more information, from the Saline District Library, City Hall, The Saline Reporter and at various locations around Saline.
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