Leadership Institutes Simulate Challenges, Enhance Skills
More than 70 local officials are better equipped to lead their cities and counties with the help of a training activity that gives new meaning to the importance of communication and collaboration.
The professional development took place at the Advanced Leadership Institute for county officials, held September 8-10 in Athens, and the Robert Knox, Jr., Municipal Leadership Institute, held September 15-18 in Macon. The leadership programs are carried out by the Vinson Institute in partnership with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and the Georgia Municipal Association.
The activity named SIMSOC is a highly interactive learning simulation reflecting the challenges of society. Participants start from scratch to create a community complete with political parties, industries, and economic classes. Along the way, they are confronted with the daily problems of governing and learn how to work effectively with parts of their communities previously unfamiliar to them, explains Gordon Maner, Vinson Institute faculty member and local government training manager.
“Effective local leaders know how to positively impact the broad and economically diverse sectors that exist within their cities or counties. For many participants, the powerful lessons learned in SIMSOC are immediately transferrable to their own leadership roles,” he adds.
The officials taking part in the session seem to agree. Several noted that they gained valuable insight into how trust, accurate information, respect for different perspectives, and understanding connections between socioeconomic groups contribute to leadership success.
