The right leadership

Every community has potential and it can be found in its people, its businesses, its natural resources and in the hope residents have for the future of their community. Progress alone is not created by just potential. Moving a community forward requires strong leadership and having the right people in the right leadership positions makes all the difference.

The Blakely-Early County Chamber of Commerce’s first Career Fair under the direction of Beth Chandler Noland held this past Friday demonstrated this very thing perfectly. That morning when I arrived at the office, I almost had to fight my way through the front door. The lobby was filled with people filling out job applications and those trying to get into the conference room full of vendors.

So many times people forget that leadership is more than holding a title, occupying a seat at the table or having the authority to make decisions. Effective leadership is about understanding the responsibility that comes with that position and using it to serve something bigger than yourself.

Honestly, it had been a tough week in the Office of Economic Development and I was glad it was the end of the week. I wasn’t feeling my best and my voice was almost completely gone, but witnessing a community in motion that morning was just what I needed to quickly recover.

Seeing all those people filling out job applications and meeting with our local and regional businesses confirmed that we as a community are in the midst of something much bigger than just one person or entity.

The right leaders see possibilities where others see obstacles. They understand that progress rarely happens because one person has all the answers. Instead, it happens when people are willing to listen, collaborate, learn and bring others into the process. In various meetings throughout the past few years, I heard that job fairs were a waste of time and ineffective. Always too much work for so little of a return. As the room reverberated with conversations between businesses and prospective employees, those claims were quickly debunked. Beth and her team never saw it as an obstacle. It was seen as an opportunity to connect people. Nothing should ever be too great of an obstacle when it comes to the community’s future.

Good leaders recognize talent in others. They surround themselves with people who bring different knowledge and perspectives to the table. Rather than feeling threatened by capable people, strong leaders empower them. They understand that another person’s success does not diminish theirs. It strengthens the entire organization and, ultimately, the entire community.

What so many communities like ours need is for that kind of leadership to become contagious.

When people see leaders working together and treating others with respect, they become more willing to participate themselves. Business owners invest. Volunteers step forward. Young people begin imagining a future in their hometown. Organizations develop new partnerships.

Ideas that may have once seemed impossible suddenly become conversations about how and when they can be accomplished. I heard many of those conversations Friday morning and it was very encouraging to know our community is headed in the right direction because many of the right leaders are helping to guide a path forward.

As cliche as it may sound: our greatest resource is people and always has been. Every person willing to serve, mentor, volunteer, invest, teach, create or lead represents another avenue to strengthen Early County. The right leaders understand that their roles are not to control every opportunity. Their job is to help create an environment where opportunities can be planted and grow.

Ultimately, successful communities are built when the right people are willing to step forward for the right reasons. Leadership is never simply about who gets the credit. It is about who creates the opportunity for others to succeed. I would never attempt to take an ounce of credit for the Career Fair. That opportunity to succeed was created by the Chamber of Commerce, its team of volunteers and businesses that were inspired by the right person at the right time.

To be connected to current and future exciting opportunities in Early County, I highly encourage you to join the Blakely Early County Chamber of Commerce. Members are made up of not only businesses, but also individuals, families and nonprofit organizations. It really is the right entity that connects people and businesses through the right leadership. Give them a call and connect with the community as soon as possible at (229) 723-3741.

JOIN THE CHAMBER!

Published in the Early County News on September 9, 2026.