Connecting the Dots of a Good Education

I love when the critical thinking skills kick in.  This is particularly enjoyable when I am able to incorporate information from several classes that I have taken at Virginia Tech and apply them to real life situations.  Today it just so happens to be integrating knowledge from my Introduction to Appalachian Studies and Leadership Effectiveness for Professionals in Agricultural Organizations classes.  You’re probably thinking: “What? No way!”  But I promise you, it will all make sense in the end. 

In the Appalachian Studies course we discussed what is known as “The White Man’s Burden” Although this is most often considered a concept from colonial times; I have seen some form of it in the present through missionary works.  Now it’s time to tie in the Leadership course.  In our last unit of study we discussed diversity in leadership.  Many leaders feel drawn to help those less fortunate than them, but sometimes it can send a wrong message.  When helping others, sometimes individuals put those in need below them and are demeaning.  Although they often do not realize that they are doing it, they are not portraying good leadership qualities.

Depiction of what "The White Man's Burden" means.  

Sometimes “The White Man’s Burden” is hard to avoid, but there is one Virginia Tech organization that has gained early success partially because of avoiding that type of assistance.  Austin Larrowe, President and CEO of Feed By Seed, has made it clear that working with, not above, those who you are assisting is the best way to approach a situation.  Austin truly exemplifies the five competencies of a cross-cultural leader, as listed in The Art of Leadership.  The third one “working simultaneously with people from many different countries,” is the one I feel that Feed By Seed expresses the most, and is the most important overall. 

            How can service organizations be successful and avoid “The White Man’s Burden?”  In my leadership class, our team is evaluating Feed By Seed and creating a case study to do just that.  Feed By Seed is currently in the process of utilizing a leadership team and building up the Virginia Tech Chapter.  Austin and Vice President Morgan Slaven, have structured the team to be high performing by utilizing appreciative inquiry.  The leadership team is to help gear the group in a direction so that Feed By Seed can become into an national collegiate organization.  We hope that with our case study, we will help other organizations to build successful service groups like Feed By Seed. 

Morgan Slaven, Vice President of Feed By Seed promoting during Gobblerfest with the Hokie Bird.

Empowering Virginia's Young Farmers

This year as Virginia Farm Bureau Ambassador I have had the opportunity to travel throughout the state and interact with their members.  Farm Bureau members can be involved in what is known as Women’s Committee and Young Farmers.  Women’s Committees are open to any female Farm Bureau member and Young Farmer’s is specified any individual between the ages of 18 and 35.  Although I have not been to every single county Farm Bureau or every type of event in which both of the groups have, it is evident that there is at least one pattern amongst the two groups.

Carroll County Farm Bureau Women's Committee members

The pattern that I have noticed that distinguishes the two groups is their involvement and activeness as members.   This statement is in no way meant to offend or lessen any Young Farmer group or the organization as a whole.  But it appears that most events and outreach programs provided by Farm Bureau are organized by the Women’s Committees.  From my observation I feel that this is caused mostly by time availability.  Many of the Women’s Committee members are older, retired ladies whereas the Young Farmer members are newer to the work force and often are beginning their own families.

Steve and Jordan Berryman 2011 Young Farmers of the Year

So what can Virginia Farm Bureau do to better empower the Young Farmer members to increase their impact in their communities with the limited time they have?  In Bradshaw and Rudd’s study: A Leadership Development Needs Assessment for Virginia Farm Bureau Young Farmers, it concluded that there needs to more opportunity for younger members to build the leadership skills important to them.  This opportunity will need to come from the top down.  I feel in order to overcome this barrier the executives of Virginia Farm Bureau need to better implement the Upside-Down Pyramid Approach to Leadership.  Furthermore another leadership aspect that The Art of Leadership mentions, which I feel has great relevance to this issue is the quality movement.  Because Young Farmers are often busy, yet very community based, I see that more emphasis from the Farm Bureau as a whole on this movement will result in more active Young Farmer members.