AMERICUS — Locate South Georgia announces the launch of its 21-county regional leadership development program for South Georgia. A partnership with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development at the University of Georgia, Locate South GeorgiaLEADS (LSGL) is the result of an 18-month strategic planning process looking at challenges, priorities and gaps in leadership across the region.
As the largest regional leadership program in the State, South Georgia is raising the bar for leadership, economic development and civic engagement for existing leaders. LSGL is an eight-month leadership experience for leaders throughout South Georgia designed to facilitate awareness of issues that are essential to the future success of the region by giving participants the necessary skills and training needed to effectively lead South Georgia in the 21st century economy.
LSGL links regional site visits and issue awareness to relevant leadership development content within the framework of the Locate South GeorgiaLEADS priorities. Emphasizing regional priorities throughout the program, each session directly links leadership skills training to issues of critical importance to South Georgia:
• Regional Identity & Influence
Includes creating a regional brand and identity for South Georgia that is recognized internally as well as externally, enhancing both perception and influence of the region across the State.
• Workforce Development
Includes the strategic alignment of public and private sectors — business, industry, and educational partners — to address key workforce development needs and challenges; and to increase the economic viability of South Georgia.
• Collective Visioning & Planning
Includes developing leaders who understand the changing South Georgia economy and culture; and recognize why it is essential to both think and act within a global context, working collaboratively to ensure the region’s success.
The purpose of Locate South GeorgiaLEADS is to develop informed, aware, and educated leaders to promote and grow South Georgia by:
• Increasing awareness of assets and resources;
• Creating a shared sense of regional pride and ownership in both action and solutions;
• Strengthening partnerships and alliances; and
• Enhancing political influence and acuity to support the needs and opportunities of South Georgia.
Tuition is $1,250 per participant, with scholarships available through the Ash Foundation of Coffee County and the One Sumter Economic Development Foundation.
GeorgiaLEADS Program Sessions, 2016-2017
• Session One/Kick-Off Retreat “Understanding Regional Leadership and Locate South GeorgiaLEADS,” Aug. 18-19, 2016 @ Sylvester-Worth County
• Session 2 “Agriculture and Innovation in the 21st Century Economy: What Regional Leaders Need to Know, How to Communicate with the Media and Engage the Millennial Workforce,” Sept. 29-30, 2016 @ Moultrie-Colquitt County; Tifton-Tift County
• Session 3 “All Arrows in the Quiver: Why Regional Leaders Must Understand How to Leverage Their Economic Assets and Grow Entrepreneurs in South Georgia,” Oct. 20, 2016 @ Americus-Sumter County
• Session 4 “What’s the Roadmap? How Regional Leaders Take Planning Beyond a ‘Check in the Box’ to Gain Economic Success Through Transportation and Infrastructure Development,” Nov.10, 2016 @ Cordele-Crisp County
• Session 5 “Leading Change in South Georgia: How Boundary Spanners and Visionary Leaders are Changing Approaches to Education and Workforce Development in the Region,” Jan. 19, 2017 @ Douglas-Coffee County
• Session 6 “Raising Brand Awareness Through Relational Leadership: Legislative and Political Influence in South Georgia,” Feb. 21-22, 2017 @ Atlanta-Fulton County
• Session 7/Graduation & Celebration “Finalizing the Regional Plan: Leadership Challenge and Next Steps for South Georgia,” March 16, 2017 @ Albany-Dougherty County
For more information contact Mary Beth Bass, executive director, One Sumter Economic Development Foundation Inc., at 229-815-1669; or at marybeth@onesumter.org.