A Walk in the Woods: Leadership, Professionalism, and Activism in Natural Resources A Walk in the Woods: Leadership, Professionalism, and Activism in Natural Resources

Frederick Cubbage
2020 unpublished
We all have many opportunities to engage in leadership and management. Leadership consists of aligning an organization's resources and actions with its real stated intentions. Articulating a clearly stated vision and doing what you say can move organizations forward and resolve issues. Conversely, vague missions or inconsistent missions, statements, and rewards systems can lead to disillusionment, reduced loyalty, and poor performance. Good leaders do many things when successful. They identify,
more » ... affirm, and implement an organizational vision, and develop a strategy and tactics to achieve that vision. They listen and learn from staff and customers; discern changes that can improve the organization or community they work with; and lead new efforts to change the status quo and make improvements. Leaders try to work within existing polices, rules, and regulations to achieve success, and identify and make new rules and policies to help achieve their vision. Leaders try to build collegial, effective, and enduring organizational teams, and reform rules to institutionalize improvements. I provide three personal case studies of leadership based on these principles-for service as mid-level manager in two research and academic organizations; as a president of a professional society and NGO; and as an activist in a development versus environmental protection debate. Each of these experiences required a clear vision; fair and equitable methods to pursue the vision; open and transparent tactics; and considerable determination in order to achieve some change and enhance sustainable natural resource management and economic development.
doi:10.13140/rg.2.2.12907.28962 fatcat:ag2rrfh3gfdkflaaevn75bzama