‘Get involved,’ leadership course told

Press, 11 March 1983, Page 23

‘Get involved,’ leadership course told

By

BEVAN WHITTY,

Meat and Wool Boards’ . Economic Service, Christchurch, who is on this year’s Kellog Farm Leadership Course

New Zealand needs strong, enlightened and committed leadership in the rural sector, speakers at this year's Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme emphasised. “Don't sit back, but get involved and make your point of view known,” was stressed by many speakers. Also emphasised was the present need for drastic action to reactivate the faltering economy. The solutions are there, rural people attending the course were told, but the necessary resolve to enact such action appeared to be lacking at all levels of our community. “Rural leadership is it training or motivation?” was considered by the . fourth intake of the Kellogg Rural Leadership Award during 10 days at Lincoln College on the first section of the 1983 course last month. Motivation must take first priority as most of these young rural leaders have already made their mark in their communities but all agreed that there ,was plenty of room for improvement and felt that the opportunity to add to their education and hone up leadership and communication skills had been of immeasurable value.

The Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme began in 1979 and is the brainchild of Lincoln College research fellow, Mr John Pryde who successfully approached the W. K. Kellogg Foundation of Michigan, U.S.A. for funding. It aims at selecting each year 24 individuals who had demonstrated rural leadership qualities in their communities and adding to and improving these skills for* greater effectiveness in the future. It is a course unique in New Zealand and introduces the successful applicants to areas as diverse as critical thinking and analysis, economic concepts, entrepeneurial skills, pressure groups, local body government, producer boards, stress factors, the media, political decision making, foreign policy, multicultural society, the role of Government in overseas trade, to name a few. A small Lincoln group headed by Mr Pryde and assisted by Mr Graham Tate, senior lecturer, rural extension, and Dr Alistair McArthur, reader, agricultural economics, manages the course.

Top people from the academic, media, business and political arenas in New Zealand also make contributions. This, year some of these were Professor Bruce Ross, Lincoln College, Mr Norman Geary, general manager. Air New Zealand, Mr Alf Kirk, economist, Federation of Labour, Mr Rod Weir, man-

aging director, Crown Consolidated; Mr Max Bradford, Employers’ Federation, Mr Peter Elworthy, senior vicepresident, Federated Farmers; Mr Ken Lawn, planner, Paparua County Council, Mr Reg Garters, Institute of Management; Mr Peter Barry, deputy chairman, Wool Board, Mr David Lange, Leader of the Opposition; Mr John Elvidge, counsellor, Campbell Centre, Christchurch, Mr Adam Begg, chairman, Meat Board. The annual programme consists of three separate units. The first and just completed section at Lincoln College in late February introduces the people who attend to a process aimed at broadening their leadership skills.

The second is a study programme of the individual’s choice which culminates in the completion of a report by September each year. The third and final session is divided between Lincoln and Wellington where research projects are evaluated, further components of leadership studied, and participants are exposed to a study of the machinery of Government and political processes. This year’s 24 participants include individuals from Northland to Southland with varied experience in the areas of local body government, Federated Farmers, and political parties, and have all demonstrated a strong commitment to community affairs. All are actively engaged in farming to some degree with two being employed in the mercantile and producer board area.

In order to introduce its members to varied stimuli and perhaps add experiences not encountered before the course visited some Christchurch institutions. These included the National Marae, Nga Hau e Wha, and Kingslea Girls Residential School. A visit which has become an annual event is that to Paparua Prison, where those on the course clash with the inmates debating team. All involved have completed the initial session of the. course very much better equipped to fulfil their chosen roles in the community and each will be monitored by Mr Pryde to establish whether the potential perceived in each is further realised in the future.