<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252">
<style type="text/css" style="display:none;"> P {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;} </style>
</head>
<body dir="ltr">
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;">Hey, everyone!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;">I know from my own personal experience, and from speaking with many of you, that when it comes to the mysterious enigma that is "leadership," it can sometimes feel like some of us are destined to just muddle on ... while other people
are just naturally proficient at leading others.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;">It can be tempting to say, "I'm not a leader"-- to believe that some of us are born with the metacognitive skills, concepts, and habits of mind necessary for leadership, and the rest of us are out of luck. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;">After 6 years or so in my current position, while I would not deem myself a poster child for a "good leader," I
<i>can</i> say I have greatly improved. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;">Leadership can be learned, and </span><span style="color: black;">I've learned a lot the hard way-- the "failing fast" and "learning from your mistakes" kind of way. With reflection, guidance, and mentoring, that kind of learning
is effective ... and super painful. The cost-- to yourself and to others-- can be high.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;">Yet every once in a while, a training comes around that helps you, years later, say, "that was a turning point for me" ... you experience a major paradigm shift; you see things differently; you have new language to name your experience
and new things (technical term) to try out on Monday. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">AND </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">the
learning is fun, energizing, and makes you hopeful for the future-- both your own and the people you serve.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;">For me, every training I've taken with Paul Horton of the Athena Group has been the latter kind of learning.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;"><br>
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Franklin Gothic Medium", "Avenir Next Condensed Medium", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<span style="color: black;">Paul and his colleagues are offering their <i>Art of Participatory Leadership</i> training March 3 to 5, 2020, and they have a few spots left open.</span><br>
</div>
<div id="Signature">
<div>
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="color:black"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="color:black">This year, they will be using the work the City of Olympia has done to apply the principles of participatory leadership to the creation of its Homelessness Response Plan as a sort of case study. Paul </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">provided
training and consulting support to key planning department staff, and in particular, Senior Planner Stacey Ray, through the process. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;"><br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">Here’s a</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;"> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6aiFzx9Jbk&feature=youtu.be" title="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6aiFzx9Jbk&feature=youtu.be" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color:#0563C1">2-minute
video</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">on the topic that Stacey and Paul recorded with
the help of the Association of Washington Communities.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;"><br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">Questions? Please contact Paul Horton at paulh@athenaplace.com</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: black;">His full contact information is below.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size:11.5pt; color:#014D77">Paul Horton, Principal</span></b><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-size:11.5pt; color:#014D77">The Athena Group</span></b><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size:11.5pt; color:#014D77">Mobile: (360) 918-1079</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size:11.5pt; color:#014D77">Office: (360) 754-1954</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size:11.5pt; color:#1F4E79">112 4th Ave E, Suite 200</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size:11.5pt; color:#014D77">Olympia, WA 98501</span><span style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="color:black"><a href="http://www.athenaplace.com/"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; color:#954F72">www.athenaplace.com</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt"><img border="0" width="95" height="79" id="Picture_x0020_1" alt="signature_1318462361" style="width:.9895in; height:.8229in" data-outlook-trace="F:1|T:1" src="cid:image001.png@01D5DCE1.7CF570F0"></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>