Lesson 5: Be Sure Local People Lead

No one else, says MCCR’s VP of Organizational Advancement/HR, Kathy Callies , can possibly lead revitalization as effectively “as someone who sees themselves in the community for the next thirty years, as opposed to three years or so. Someone who says, ‘I’ll be here and people will know whether I succeeded or not.’”

While outside consultants can certainly play a role, it’s easy for them to make false assumptions in a small town. “We’ve had consultants come in who were credentialed and indeed impressive,” Kathy recalls. “But they’d talk about engaging our philanthropic organizations. We don’t have any. Beginning with the early planning process, you’ve got to have people leading the discussion who know the local environment.”

She sees a couple advantages rural leaders may have over those in larger places. “In Miner County there’s never been a ‘ruling class’ as you often see in places where great wealth is represented. We’re all more on the same level and leadership can stem from a very broad base of residents. And small town leaders who are well acquainted with their communities know who isn’t participating when it comes to offering opinions. That happened here and we phoned those people one on one. Many said their opinion had never been asked before.”

Kathy says that MCCR president Randy Parry stresses that rural leaders must demonstrate the same professionalism as those in cities. Otherwise they risk reinforcing a false and ugly stereotype that has hampered countless small towns: that people of lesser ability run rural communities, because those most capable leave to find success in bigger arenas. “But,” says Kathy, “that thinking is changing in Miner County , and it’s a big turning point for us. It used to be parents bragged exclusively about their grown children who left to find success. Now they’re also bragging about kids who have decided to come back.”

Miner County Lessons

Lesson 5: Be Sure Local People Lead