From the Publishers Desk: Watching Good Leaders Lead

As many of you know, I have just come off of active duty orders from the Air Force Reserves and have returned to my role as a traditional reservist. My job in the Air Force is Air Crew Flight Equipment or AFE, where I ensure that anyone on the flight crew has properly functioning emergency and operational equipment, and that the user can properly operate it when needed. That includes helmets, air masks, parachutes, life jackets, and life rafts. This is a far cry from what I do with the GeneseeSun.com, and that was intentional. I wanted something that was both positive and a break from the grind of the news business.

I got a bonus from this experience. I’m sharpening my leadership skills by watching good leaders lead.

We as a community are benefiting from a similar perspective. We currently have a first-term Sheriff and a first-term District Attorney. Their respective predecessors held their positions for decades, so our new leaders have had the great benefit of learning from watching good leaders lead. This new leadership that also includes the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and a County Administrator, have all shown great signs of being strong leaders. Their success also shows that they learned a few things from the old guard but at the same time are bringing to the table a fresh perspective. The end result is that we are seeing our new leaders develop into great ones.

The biggest difference I’m seeing from the successful new leaders is that I am watching  them entrusting those around them to play a more integral role in success. You can see it in their press releases, you can see in the spirit of their departments, and you can see it in the strength of our community. When you know your boss has trust in you that enables you to perform better. Now that doesn’t mean that it’s a bed of roses by far – but a little bit of affirmation and a voice of confidence goes a long way.

Looking inward, the GeneseeSun.com is greatly improving every day. These improvements are as a result of my developing leadership skill and the growth of our interns. My personal improvements are as a result of being a member of the 914th Air Force Reserves and in being a resident of  Livingston County where I am watching our new leaders develop into great ones. These leaders have stepped into a great situation and have made it better.

Two perfect examples are the recent county wide welfare fraud crackdown and the success of the drug task force agency. On the welfare fraud crackdown multiple departments are working together in an effort to saving tax payers money and stop illegitimate freebies. The success of the Drug Task Force Agency shows that multiple law enforcement agencies are capable of teaming up, running down leads and using undercover operatives in the battle to rid our communities of the same drugs that pilfer the city of Rochester of it’s dignity.

I have yet to meet a perfect leader. The most likely time in which I do meet a perfect leader will be slightly after I die and that’s going to be a heck of a conversation.

I’m not comparing myself to these leaders. I’m saying we are greatly benefiting from them and we should all be paying attention to our leaders because they are paying attention to us.

Stay strong and as always, plow forward Genesee Valley,

Josh