Seminar 1 - Albuquerque, NM

NMAL Class 16 Orientation

Class 16 Orientation provided an overview of the program and expectations of the fellows. I enjoyed getting to know my classmates and participating in lively discussions on a variety of topics. NMAL Board President Bob Mayberry and Coordinator Tina Wilson did an excellent job launching the program and I am eager to learn more about the agricultural industry in New Mexico.

After reading Leading and Managing: Understanding the Difference by Abraham Zaleznik we had a great discussion about the difference between a leader and a manager. Highlighted leadership qualities included being bold, taking responsibility, motivating, giving credit and being a visionary. Highlighted characteristics of managers included being process driven, straightforward, and direct and dealing with crisis. We did discuss that individuals can be both a leader and a manager depending on the circumstances and that leaders are not always at the top of an organization.

I really appreciated the presentation by Traci Curry and Britney Larder with the Ag in the Classroom program. They did an excellent job of presenting the CORE Volunteer training to us and provided wonderful resources to assist us in having a stronger voice about the importance agriculture. Although the activities in their program are designed for students in a classroom, I found the activities to be a lot of fun and the results eye-opening.

I am looking forward to our next seminar in September and getting to know each of the fellows more as the program continues.

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