The first thing is to know whats in peoples hearts; then you can go - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

“ The first thing is to know what’s in people’s hearts; then you can go for ward confidently and their hearts will rejoice when you get there.” -Mayor Joe Riley

 On October 12‐14, approximately 60 business and civic leaders travelled to Charleston, S.C. on 1A’s inaugural Leadership Exchange  The itinerary included panel discussions focused on regionalism, workforce development, community development, placemaking/urban revitalization, and transportation infrastructure  We also enjoyed a private audience with legendary Mayor Joe Riley, dined at some of Charleston’s finest restaurants, and took a guided boat tour of the harbor  The participants spent more than an hour in a final debrief session, which surfaced a number of key lessons from the trip  1A plans to organize a 2nd Leadership Exchange in the spring of 2017

“Thank you for embracing this trip, this is profound and will be transformative.” –Sue Soileau Brignac, 2015 co‐chair

Executive Summary:

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Lesson 1: Remember that good is the enemy of great

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• We’re pretty good right now…but we’ve got to think and act

differently

• Our biggest obstacle? Complacency
• We need to critically assess ourselves
• What got us here will NOT get us there

“We went to training camp with a team that won the Super Bowl.” ‐Monty Warren, 2015 participant “You need to be willing to get undressed and look at yourself naked in the mirror. That’s who you are.” –Dr. Mary

Thornley, Trident Technical College

• One Acadiana should be a story teller…where are we going

and why?

• We need the general story (overall community vision)
• Particular initiatives need a story, too (e.g., rationale for

workforce programs)

“Facts tell, stories sell.” –Dr. Mary Thornley, Trident Technical

College

“Start from your strength – passion of place is ours.” –Royal

Hill, 2015 participant

Lesson 2: Tell the story (and make it personal)

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Lesson 3: Cultivate inclusive, trusting relationships across the community

 As leaders, we need to own this role  We need much more of this across the public and private sectors  Real communication requires “talking with” rather than “talking at,” with a willingness to listen differently and engage the hard stuff  Seek to understand what different parts of the community need

“Change happens at the speed of trust.” –John Read, Tri‐County

Cradle to Career Collaborative

“We need to make sure we are sitting at the table with all the communities within the community.” –Jerry Vascocu, 2015

participant

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 When you have the right collaboration, it gets everyone on the same page  Focus on a common vision and collective impact . . . 1 + 1 = 3  When folks refuse to work with you, put them aside until they are ready

“It’s not your ingredients; it’s how you mix them.” –Bryan

Derreberry, President & CEO, Charleston Metro Chamber

“Every presenter was singing from the same sheet of music.”

–Mike Tarantino, 2015 participant

“Collaboration is a contact sport.” –John Read, Tri‐County Cradle

to Career Collaboration

Lesson 4: Collaborate in order to generate clearer strategy and stronger capacity

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Lesson 5: Make education a central part of the strategy

 PreK‐20 education and workforce development is the #1 focus of Charleston today  Generating your own talent is much more effective than trying to recruit it

“You need to ensure existing residents have access to educational opportunities; otherwise you create a subculture.”

–Bryan Derreberry, Charleston Metro Chamber

“The business community should not just be a customer of the school system, but be part of the team to build up talent.”

–Margaret Trahan, 2015 participant

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 Initial wins will build momentum  Everyone loves a winner; wins will bring more folks to the table  Rally around some specific opportunities and prove we can execute

“We need to pick something and go kick the #&% out of it.”

–Lenny Lemoine, 2015 co‐chair

“I’m ready to do something measurable and tangible.” –Carrie

Templeton, 2015 participant

“Get some things done, show progress – everyone wants to be a winner.” –Councilman Kenneth Boudreaux, 2015 participant

Lesson 6: Focus on near-term wins

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Lesson 7: Be doggedly persistent

 Do not “push off” ownership  The leaders in Charleston see projects through (urban revitalization, major transportation projects, etc.)  We must commit to NEVER QUIT…we’re going to make this happen  The difference is YOU

“We need your leadership even more than your investment.” –Joseph Zanco, 2015 participant “We need to remember how hard this was [for Charleston]…how much work went into it…they didn’t quit.”

–Quay McKnight, 2015 participant

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 Charleston’s leaders confirmed that 1A’s regional model is the best practice  We’re starting 20 years later than Charleston in creating a major regional initiative  Ideally, a single regional organization should do policy and business development  We’re moving in the right direction…time to accelerate

“The process of getting things done has changed tremendously from what the model was even 10 years ago.” –Ben Harrington,

2015 participant

“The Chamber has been so instrumental to everything in Charleston.” –Jerry Vascocu, 2015 participant

Lesson 8: Accelerate progress under new 1A model

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Lesson 9: Get serious now, while we’re in a position of relative strength

 Most places wait until their backs are against the wall  Everything starts with the leaders, especially business leaders  Reach out to others and engage them in One Acadiana now  Share the lessons of this trip and bring others to the table; we need to give them a role

“We need to recruit more people to join One Acadiana and focus on a win…we need a breakthrough.” –Lenny Lemoine,

2015 co‐chair

“Stop waiting for the elected officials…we need to be the ones to get things done.” –Kam Movassaghi, 2015 participant

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 Many communities have been doing leadership trips annually for many years (or even decades)  The purpose is to learn; not compare  Every ~18 months feels like the right pace  Next trip is spring 2017

“This is the best conference I’ve ever been to (and I’ve been to a lot)” –Simone Champagne, 2015 participant “This trip crystallized the vision of One Acadiana.” –Kyle

Bacon, 2015 participant

“This was so inspirational – we’ve been inspirational to each other.” –Rob Eddy, 2015 co‐chair

Lesson 10: Do more of these trips

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Attendees

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Chris Allain Vidox Motion Imagery Owner Simone Champagne City of Youngsville Chief Administrative Officer Kyle Bacon Jones Walker, LLP Attorney at Law Troy Cloutier MidSouth Bank Lafayette Market President Scotty Baudoin M & E Consulting, Inc. Electrical Engineer Francis Delhomme SLEMCO Governmental Affairs Ben Berthelot Lafayette Convention & Visitors Commission Executive Director Paul Durand

• St. Martin Bank & Trust Company

President & CEO Kevin Blanchard Lafayette Consolidated Government Director of Public Works Robert Eddy Pinnacle Group Financial Planner Lawrence Blanchette Associated Design Group, Inc. President Jason El Koubi One Acadiana President & CEO Jim Bourgeois One Acadiana Executive Director, Business Development Andre Fruge Business First Bank Lafayette Market President Katie Chiasson CLECO Director of Business & Economic Development Anne Falgout Vermilion Economic Development Alliance Executive Director Kenneth Boudreaux Lafayette Consolidated Government Councilman, District 4 Wayne Domingue Architects Southwest Architect Anita Begnaud One Acadiana Director, Marketing & Communications Thuyvan Bui GRS Property Development Gregg Gothreaux Lafayette Economic Development Authority President & CEO

• Dr. Natalie Harder

SLCC Chancellor Barry Meche iConvergence, Inc. CEO Michael Hare One Acadiana Vice President, Policy Initiatives Ben Harrington Uniglobe Associated Travel General Manager Steven Hebert Billeaud Companies CEO Terry Huval LUS Fiber Director Royal Hill SMILE Community Action Agency CEO Erick Knezek Truston Technologies CEO Blair Green One Acadiana Director, Events & Special Projects Lynn Guidry Lynn Guidry Architect Architect Flo Meadows Coldwell Banker Pelican Real Estate Real Estate Agent Billy Gunn The Advocate Reporter Lenny Lemoine The Lemoine Company, LLC CEO Marilyn McDonald Caffery Real Estate, Inc. Real Estate Agent Quay McKnight M & M International, LLC Vice President of Administration

Attendees

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Frank Neuner NeunerPate Managing Partner Nathan Norris Downtown Lafayette Unlimited CEO Elena Pecoraro Pecoraro Law Partner Danny Nugier The Southwest Group, LLC Partner Allyson Pharr Acadian Companies Senior VP, Legal & Governmental Affairs Doug Place Dupré Logistics, LLC CAO Bill Rodier

• St. Landry Parish Economic & Industrial Development

Executive Director Jill Savard Savard Marine Services, Inc. CEO Julie Simon-Dronet Cox / Cox Media Executive Director Sue Soileau Brignac Washington State Bank President & CEO Dee Stanley Lafayette Consolidated Government CAO Glenn Stewart GRS Property Development Owner Michael Tarantino Iberia Industrial Development Foundation Executive Director Carrie Templeton Lafayette General Surgical Hospital Administrator & CEO Amy Thibodeaux Crowley Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Lauren Thibodeaux One Acadiana Manager, Talent Development Margaret Trahan United Way of Acadiana President & CEO Patrick Trahan IBERIABANK Business Development Officer Jerry Vascocu IBERIABANK President, Acadiana Market Monty Warren Beau Box Commercial Partner Kris Wartelle The Daily Advertiser Society/Features & Causes Reporter Harry Weiss One Acadiana VP, Urban Revitalization & Development Joseph Zanco Home Bank Chief Financial Officer Kam Movassaghi Movassaghi, LLC President