Kentucky Society of Certified Public Managers®

By Janice Earnest, CPM
Janice.Earnest@ky.gov

The Kentucky Society of Certified Public Managers® (KSCPM) held its summer speaker luncheon July 25 on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond. KSCPM members at the Department of Criminal Justice Training were the hosts for this annual event.

Dr. Aaron Thompson, Associate Provost and professor of Sociology at Eastern Kentucky University, spoke about “The Role of Leadership in Effective Management.” Some significant points of his presentation were:

Dr. Aaron Thompson

• Good leaders listen more than they talk.
• Leaders take people on journeys based on truth.
• Learning and listening are the key elements of leadership.
• Leaders can’t motivate people—they must find the job (role) to fit the particular person.
• Good leaders need the skills of diagnosing, adapting, and communicating clearly.
• Sometimes leaders make bad decisions based on assumptions.
• Good leaders take someone somewhere they would not go by themselves.
• Don’t ignore overachievers.
• Leaders must avoid isolation—with text messaging, voice mail and e-mail, one may make decisions without consulting others.
• Mission statements are for people within the organization. Those outside it don’t care.
• Teach people to have responsibility, don’t always rescue them.

Dr. Thompson cited a recent report that noted a decrease in the number of close associates and friends among the general population. Some of this can be attributed to today’s technology—we can send a few words in a quick e-mail instead of talking directly to people. The study noted that people have more diversity in their relationships, but fewer friends. He said more isolation means worse decisions are being made, but good leaders will figure out ways to combat this trend.

The luncheon concluded with a drawing for door prizes, followed by a brief meeting of the AACPM Conference Committee.

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