A preview of Encore with Watauga Leadership Institute's Dr. Jim Street

Registration opened this week for the 3rd installment of the Encore program, the latest offering from the Watauga Leadership Institute. 

On this week's Mind Your Business, we visit with Dr. Jim Street, Curriculum Coordinator for the Watauga Leadership Institute and Founder of Ridgeline Leadership. He'll preview this year's Encore program, and we'll talk about the value of team and individual skill development, and how that applies to work, life, and helps define ones sense of community.

Encore is a cohort-style course offers attendees the opportunity to expand their leadership knowledge, mindset, and skills. Each two-hour session will examine a specialty topic that builds off the core elements of the Watauga Leadership Institute curriculum, while encouraging the self-renewal of your guiding leadership principles.

We'll also provide updates on two important and highly visible traffic projects currently underway in the Town of Boone.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Leadership Development, a key component to growth in businesses large and small. Whether it's making the team stronger or finding your own next step, we'll explain how the Watoka Leadership Institute has something for you. From the Boon Area Chamber of Commerce, this is Mind Your Business.

SPEAKER_03 0:19

Mind Your Business. Brought to you by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate, providing professional commercial real estate services. Visit AppalachianCRE.com.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

Hello and welcome into Mind Your Business. I'm David Jackson, President and CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. Thanks for joining us once again this week, whether that's through the airwaves of WATA here in Boone, or as a subscriber of the podcast version of the program, which is made possible each week by our good friends at Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. If you haven't subscribed to the show just yet, that is not a problem at all. Just search for Mind Your Business wherever you get those podcasts. There you can gain access to full archives, occasional bonus content, extended episodes, and plenty more as we connect you with the business news that you can use from right here in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Happy August to each of you, the final sprint before re-engaging the routine. It's funny that no matter how long you've personally been out of school, school still sets the calendar. Here in Boone, we are in changeover season, with Appalachian State students slowly beginning to arrive in town. And by this time next week, we'll be saying hello to a new crop of freshman students. Families are getting their last summer trips in, football fans planning their tailgates. We are indeed upon one of those transitional periods for our community and for many of us personally. We've talked in the past on this program about transitional periods and how they're oftentimes a great opportunity for reflection. The end of summer, though we may not be officially there yet, is a great time to contemplate what comes next for your career, for your personal life, or for the greater community around us. It's from these periods of self-evaluation that we often look for the tools to help us unlock what is next for us. Professional development truly looks different based on the profession. There are some lines of work where team building strategy sessions and company retreats, that's the norm. And there is usually a leadership development component to those activities. But what if you're a solopreneur? How is the one-person shop or the ultra-small business supposed to add leadership and personal development to an already hefty pile of work on top of the desk? For those businesses, the thought of five days away to work on vision or the next big project must be balanced with making sure you don't simply fall five days behind. Since the late 1980s, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce has offered leadership programming as one of our core programs of work. This effort has evolved into what we now call the Wataga Leadership Institute, which houses three different programs that have been specifically designed to suit the needs of high country businesses, from the content that is introduced to the timing of our gatherings. There are options for emerging leaders and for those that are new to the area. There's a deep dive into the leader that is you and how your style will help set up those around you for success. And then there is continuing leadership education for those that simply cannot get enough. On this week's Mind Your Business, we'll visit with our old friend Dr. Jim Street, curriculum coordinator of the Wataga Leadership Institute, and founder and owner of Ridgeline Leadership. Dr. Street has been prepping for the third year of Encore. That's the newest program under the Wataga Leadership Umbrella, and a course that just opened for registration this week. We'll discuss what sets Encore apart from other programs, what's in store for this year's slate of classes, and we'll also talk about what participants are looking for most when signing up for these types of programs. We've also got some news and notes style info for you about a variety of topics simply because there's just a lot going on as we move through this early part of the month of August. We'll get to all of this when we come back. You are listening to mind your business.

SPEAKER_03 4:22

Appalachian Commercial Real Estate provides professional commercial real estate services in the Boone area. They provide sales, leasing, consulting, and appraisal services to owners and users of commercial real estate. For more information, go to their website at Appalachian CRE.com.

SPEAKER_01 4:41

Welcome back to Mind Your Business. I'm David Jackson. Before we talk leadership development, let us talk first about someone who is ready to lead the development of your next transformational commercial project. That, of course, is James Milner and Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. They solve simple and complex commercial real estate problems in and around the Boone area and beyond. Whether you own or lease commercial real estate, regardless of the property type, have an advocate on your side, along with expertise and experience to assist you and your business. For more information, check him out on the web, AppalachianCRE.com. James Milner, a proud Watauga Leadership Institute alumnus, three times over, in fact, and one of nearly 400 local professionals that have been through Wataga Leadership Programming since the 1980s. Thanks to James for always supporting this aspect of our chamber's scope of work. Now, as I mentioned a few moments ago, leadership development content comes in a variety of applications. One of the key components of Wataga Leadership Institute programming is that it's local, both from a travel standpoint, you know, less time away from the office, from the family, but it's also local in the sense that many of the examples of the leadership principles that are discussed in the courses are then backed up by a person or business that you see every day, thus making growth feel a bit more attainable when you can measure yourself and your growth against someone or something that you can see regularly. The Wataga Leadership Institute is a comprehensive leadership development program led by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation and designed to meet our community's need for the active participation of informed and educated leaders. Graduates of WLI programs enjoy lifelong networking opportunities with over 400 program alumni. Earlier this week, we opened the registration period for Encore, which is a cohort-style course that meets once a month for two hours per session and offers attendees the opportunity to expand their leadership knowledge, mindset, and skills. As I said earlier, think about this as continuing ed for those who have been through leadership training before, or this could also be your peek into what the Wataga Leadership Institute is all about and what we hold as our core principles, and that could encourage future participation in other classes down the road. No matter which class you signed up for, you will get time with Dr. Jim Street. After 36 years in higher education as a leadership educator, much of that spent at Appalachian State, Dr. Street created Ridgeline Leadership, a boon-based entity that works with businesses and corporations on strategy and team development. He's also a certified coach by the International Coaching Federation and helps individuals fine-tune their skills. Now he may be an accomplished PhD and longtime partner of ours, but he's also a longtime high country resident who isn't afraid to have a little fun along the way. For example, we start this conversation with a simple question. Dr. Street, what has influenced your personal leadership journey?

SPEAKER_02 7:47

I'm gonna have to like go walk up to the top of Howard Knob to contemplate this. My journey. When I was first told that leadership is not about position, that it is more about process and more about influence. That's when I realized that I could make a difference. I had always tied it to position, uh people in positions of power and positions of leadership. Once I learned that power is not always positional, that you can have power through expertise, or you can have power just because you're a decent person with good ideas, I realized that um leadership is available to all of us. And that changed the course for me. And uh I realized I could be a person of influence just based on the fact that I had a sense of what was important to me and what I valued. And if um I could offer that to a team or an organization, um then I could find where I fit within that organization.

SPEAKER_01 9:15

So you've had a long history in leadership coaching, leadership development, both on campus at Appalachian State, uh in the private sector, working with different companies. What are some of the positives that you most often hear about people who have experienced different types of leadership programs or or leadership development? What are they most getting out of those experiences?

SPEAKER_02 9:38

You know, what I hope people get is I often get people to think about how they can learn in terms of knowing, being, and doing. First is just knowing something about the leadership process and how they fit in that. Doing all of our leadership programs in the chamber and all the leadership programs that I've been a part of focus on skill development because uh folks need to think about what is it they that they are going to do differently than what they did before. In terms of being, this is being more confident. And one thing that I have noticed from a lot of folks who leave our programs is that they leave with a greater sense of self-awareness and a greater sense of confidence, and they can go back into that organization or that team and have a greater impact.

SPEAKER_01 10:39

So you mentioned programs. Uh, in your work as the uh curriculum coordinator for Wataga Leadership Institute, there are three different programs now that are under the umbrella. The traditional Wataga Leadership Challenge, Wataga Leadership Development, some might refer to that as 2.0. Then there is Encore, which we'll talk about a little bit more later. How do people figure which course is right for them? How are these programs aligned to help people in different stages of their leadership journey?

SPEAKER_02 11:10

You know, Wataga Leadership Challenge was the original. And in a lot of ways, I look at that one as the program that uh, especially for folks who are newer to the area or just starting out their leadership journey, it's a first, it's a it's a great first program. It's a it's a nice mix of leadership development and getting to know this community better. Wataga Leadership Development is a deeper dive into leadership. So it's it's the perfect second program. It also gets into some higher level skill development that you would expect in an advanced course, like uh using coaching as a leadership technique or uh conflict resolution um tools. So sometimes, though, we do have folks consider Wataga leadership development because they have been in the uh leadership uh position for a long time and they just really want that deep dive into leadership. Encore really meets the needs. I can I can think of three different groups of folks. Uh there are those who, because Wataga leadership challenge and development are time intensive, it could be that someone doesn't feel like they have time to invest at that level. The beauty of Encore, it's four programs. Each program is a couple of hours. So it's perfect if you cannot invest that much time. Uh the other group are those folks who are just going to be too busy in January, February, March, and April, which is in when Wataga Leadership Challenge and Development happen. Uh and if it's if that time of the year is too busy, then they have uh Encore. The third group are those folks, and we get a lot of these, who do Wataga Leadership Challenge and Development, and they simply want more. They get so excited about what happens in those programs, and they come back and say, we want more, and Encore is for them.

SPEAKER_01 13:22

Encore in its third year of existence. This was really interesting because the first year Encore was being offered in the midst of Hurricane Helene. Then last year, felt like a lot of Encore's programming was kind of about where we are a year later. Um what did you notice in those first two? Uh, before we get into what's in year three, what did you notice about the the opportunity to have a cohort together for what were some defining community issues that we were dealing with and being able to talk through those and and and kind of uh process together, if you will?

SPEAKER_02 14:01

You know, it was interesting when we when we started uh Encore. It was not gonna be a cohort-based program. It was here are four programs, which is not enough time really to develop a esprit de core, a sense of a cohort. Um and, you know, they're spread out once a month. So let's not worry too much about it becoming a cohort. Right off the bat, they wanted to become a cohort. So we learned an important lesson. Even uh in a program like Encore, people are looking for an opportunity to network and connect and have a sense of belonging. Uh and especially given the dynamics with Hurricane Helene that brought that group together. Uh, the second year, without something to rally around, we still saw that people like to come together and create those connections. So going into this year, we let's just call Encore. It is also a cohort-based program.

SPEAKER_01 15:11

Uh, because that's what folks are looking for. We'll take a quick break and continue our conversation with Dr. Jim Street in just a moment. You are listening to Mind Your Business. Each fall, the Boon Area Chamber of Commerce leads a celebration of community, the people and businesses that make us unique, the leaders that make the high country strong. This celebration captures the spirit of boon. Join us Thursday, September 24th from 5:30 to 9 o'clock in the Brandview Ballroom at Kid Brewer Stadium as the Chamber hosts Spirit of Boon. Connect and network with nearly 400 fellow business and community leaders. Enjoy a delicious dinner, proof to the live sounds of Watauga County's own Adam Church, and help us celebrate the accomplishments of the Chamber's annual community award on a Reeves. Spirit of Boon is the Chamber's largest fundraiser of the year with event proceeds that fuel our mission-driven work, programs, and projects. Seating is limited, and this event has sold out in past years. Tickets and corporate tables are available now at Boonchamber.com. Join us as we celebrate the Spirit of Boon. Reserve your seats today at BoonChamber.com. Welcome back to Mind Your Business. I'm David Jackson. We continue our conversation with Dr. Jim Street of Ridgeline Leadership and the Wataga Leadership Institute as we discuss what's on the agenda for this year's Encore cohort.

SPEAKER_02 16:33

I'm really excited about this list of topics. First of all, let's say that uh what we decided is Encore being for topics, let's change them every year. Whereas uh the two programs in Wataga Leadership Institute, Challenge, and Development have similar curricula from year to year. Uh we're gonna change it up. That means that someone who did Encore in year one and year two can participate in year three, and it's gonna be totally different. Uh this year, uh our topics include um we have Eric Schlinker coming in. Uh he uh works in the entrepreneur center at Appalachia State University, and he's going to talk about applying that entrepreneur spirit to the individual person. And he's gonna bring some incredible energy. Love uh having Eric as a part of our program. Uh we have uh Julie Gates, who is a retired VP from Domino's, coming in and talking about tough conversations and conflict resolution. We've touched on this topic in Wataga Leadership Development, but she will take a different angle. So even folks who did development will get something special from this program. And then I will be leading uh two different uh programs, one which is close to my heart uh and and that is recognizing how we uh keep ourselves committed. When we do these leadership programs, um we're always getting people to think about hey the how they can honestly change, and change is difficult. How can someone keep their commitment to change? And so we're gonna explore that. Uh the other topic, and this was a a topic that was a surprise to me, uh, I was asked to do this one. It uh hit me kind of hard in in in a fun way. I I facilitate conversations without really thinking how I do it. And uh the person said, uh can you give us our secrets on how you facilitate? So this will be a fun one because I'll actually actually have to uncover what do I do when I facilitate conversations and how can I give those tools to people so that they can use them so that they become masters of facilitation. So I'm looking forward to that one.

SPEAKER_01 19:21

We'll have uh details to the links to register for these shows and a little bit more description information in the show notes. And for those of you chamber members out there, you can check it out in your chamber report email uh that comes to members each and every Thursday. A few final questions for you before we we get off this topic of leadership here. You know, leaders come in all different shapes and sizes in terms of the amount of staff they lead or the type of organization that they may have. Um, how has this year's Encore programming and really the programming of Wataga leadership overall um been designed to account for the fact that, yeah, you might lead an army of 300 or you might be a solopreneur sitting in an office in somebody else's building by yourself and still need some of these same kind of tactics and characteristics? How do you address that?

SPEAKER_02 20:08

You know, uh so this began in um David, our earlier days together with Wataga leadership, just recognizing the people in the room and making sure that we were meeting the needs of everyone in the room. And so we try to find topics that can hit everyone regardless of where they are in an organizational structure, or if they are the only one in their business. So we really try to find those things that will reach everyone.

SPEAKER_01 20:46

What are you talking to leaders most about right now?

SPEAKER_02 20:49

You know, that is an interesting question. It it'd be fun to look back over the past 15 years and see how this has evolved. I I will say uh right now there seems to be more of a request uh for topics around uh tough conversations, uh accountability, uh dealing with conflict. That always seems to be a hot topic. The other one, and and this is related, um and that is you know, out of all the different components of self, I think the one that can make the biggest difference with people in terms of being successful, engaging in leadership, and less successful is our awareness of our emotions and the impact that it has on us and the impact that it has on others. So I I th emotional intelligence uh seems to be showing up, definitely showing up more in in my programs and my conversations. And it's I I see that topic coming up more and more as I look at what's happening in the in the the the world of leadership.

SPEAKER_01 22:08

So you work with us on Wataga Leadership Institute, but you've got your own thriving business, Ridgeline Leadership, that that allows you to get into different types of facilitation uh really all over the country for that matter. What types of of courses are you offering and and how do you inform what you're teaching others by by some of the experiences that you've had in in cohort style programs that you've had along the way?

SPEAKER_02 22:36

Uh thank you for asking, David. Um You know, we have uh I have been able to do um similar programs that that I'm doing for the chamber for particular organizations. Uh the hospital, I do their leadership programs. I've done some for some individual businesses. Uh some other businesses want just that one-day retreat. One of the things that I think is most critical that organizations and businesses do not do enough of is do reflection. Usually we get into our flow of work and that's really all we do. Anytime that we can take time out and have a conversation about how are we doing? Are we doing things the best way could we be doing? Where are our pain points? Where's our tension? And what can we do to resolve some of that tension? I think organizations need to do a lot more of that reflective work, and that's that's the thing that I really enjoy doing the most with organizations.

SPEAKER_01 23:40

So where do you pull your style from? There's no shortage really of leadership coaching opportunities, uh, you know, just just type leadership in the internet, right? You get all of these people that are offering these services. But what's informed you? What you know, when when you think about what works in those settings like with a corporate environment like uh UNC Health Appalachian or uh Wataga Leadership Cohort, um, what are some of the things that you you lean into as your your way or your your favorite topics to cover?

SPEAKER_02 24:09

Wow. That's a hard question to answer. You're you know, uh it's it's it's just years of of developing a particular style and a particular approach. But if I were to take a step back and look at it, um you know, I I always see this model of of in the core of it is understanding self, understanding yourself, what are my values, my motivations, my my style, my emotions. Um and then from that, who am I in relation to others, others on teams and others in the organization? So it really starts with that home base of self and then looking at all the different layers. Uh that probably has driven my work. The other thing that I thought about when you asked that uh was I I um there are a lot of models out there to follow. Um and I take a more organic approach. I like to um have conversations with that other person or that the the company and really hear what they have going on and then let's just build something together.

SPEAKER_01 25:30

Final question for you. Um, you know, there are people that that I think are on the the self-help train always looking for that next advantage for them, whether that's personally, professionally, what have you. Uh for those that may be stuck as to, hey, do I really have the time for this, or is the money right? Or or you know, let's list our excuses as to why we might not start. What's your encouragement for starting?

SPEAKER_02 25:53

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 25:54

Change is hard enough.

SPEAKER_02 25:56

Um, and it's hard to do it alone. Uh when you find yourself in a room full of others uh who are going through a similar thing, uh there is value in the herd. Um or when you can pair up with a coach who can hold you accountable, uh that's what makes change more likely. So if you feel feel stuck, either either taking a coach or becoming a po part of a cohort is what can move that needle for you.

SPEAKER_01 26:45

Well, we certainly appreciate the the breakdown of all of this. Look forward to seeing you at Encore starting September 17th. More details available at Boonechamber.com. Dr. Street, always a pleasure. Thank you, David. Thanks to Dr. Street for his time this week. If you are interested in signing up for Encore, head over to Boonechamber.com and get registered today. Again, this is a work program of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, with leadership education serving as one of the many ways the foundation's work aims to positively impact the entire high country community. Encore starts September 17th and runs monthly through December. We are also not far away from the sign-up window for our legacy programs. The Wataga Leadership Challenge class gives participants the opportunity to broaden their understanding of leadership and to see themselves as agents of change in their associations, their places of work, their community, and in their own lives. To develop the capacity to lead, one must have a keen sense of self-awareness, understanding of others, a recognition of how people work together in teams and organizations, and an awareness of the greater community. Wataga Leadership Challenge strikes a balance between understanding leadership and understanding the community around you. Participants in these classes will have the opportunity to interact with business and community leaders who are finding ways to bring people together for positive change. Now, the Wataga Leadership Development course provides participants the opportunity to take a deeper dive into understanding leadership and the competencies required for effective leadership in work, community, and life. This program focuses on authentic leadership and covers competencies that are critical in the leadership process. Both of these courses meet twice per month, starting with a retreat day in late January, and classes running twice per month, February through April. Signups for the 2027 cohorts of Wataga Leadership Challenge and Development will open later this fall. You are listening to Mind Your Business.

SPEAKER_00 28:51

Are you a young professional looking to expand your network? The High Country Young Professionals, affectionately dubbed the High Country YoPros, is a dedicated group of 200 plus professional young adults under the age of 40 serving in various industries across the high country. Join us for a casual networking event on the first Tuesday of each month from 5 to 7 p.m. As we visit locations across the high country. Events are free of charge. However, donations are appreciated. Not a chamber member? That's okay. No membership needed to join us. You just have to be under 40. Learn more about High Country YoPros at Boonchamber.com slash H C Y P.

SPEAKER_03 29:32

Mind Your Business. Brought to you by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate, offering sales, leasing, consulting, and appraisal services. Visit Appalachian CRE.com.

SPEAKER_01 29:44

Okay, this is not quite a mailbag segment, but hey, it should be, right? And speaking of, we have a few new features of Mind Your Business that we'll be rolling out this fall. So keep your ears and your eyes tuned. Maybe one of those will be a mailbag. What would you even ask? Start thinking about it, seriously. So a few what's going on over there type updates. You may have noticed some road construction on Blowing Rock Road, that's US 321 for those prefer highway terminology, near the intersection of Highway 105. Crews are installing a new island and crosswalk at Blowing Rock Road and Winklers Creek Road. That's right in front of Bojangles, and that will make Winklers Creek right in, right out only, which also means there will be no more left turn access to Winklers Creek off of Blowing Rock Road. This is both a popular cut through and a source of congestion, especially during peak traffic. The island will also include a safer crosswalk for the sidewalk that runs alongside Blowing Rock Road. And that's a point of clarification. We received some calls this week from folks thinking that a crosswalk was going at that intersection that crossed Blowing Rock Road. And that's a hard no. Short of a sky bridge being installed there, that would be less safe crossing than any game of Frogger you have ever played. Speaking of other road projects, Howard Street construction continues to progress in downtown Boone. The base layer of asphalt is in throughout the corridor, and the town has implemented one-way traffic on Howard Street from Appalachian Street to Depot Street. Crews are installing parking meters along the roadway and finishing some final streetscape work on that side. To access this area, use Appalachian Street, which is the turn directly across from Boon Bagelry off King Street. Love using local businesses as landmarks. On the other side of Depot Street, Howard Street is still open to two-way traffic for now, and that's largely due to construction crews needing to access the area. They are installing similar features like pavers and benches. You can see those in place on the other side of Howard Street. That work will be going on for the next few weeks, so use caution if you are in the area, especially once Appstate students start flooding that area with the return of class here in a few weeks. One final note several of you have asked about the power lines that are still visible in that corridor, as that was a major part of the streetscape improvement, right? The removal of those power lines. Deep underneath Howard Street is a duct bank that contains miles of conduit and lines for about a half a dozen vendors, give or take. That's New River Light and Power, New Water and Sewer lines, internet, fiber, you name it, it's under there. Crews from those individual vendors have started making new connections to the buildings they serve in the area. Once that process is complete, the overhead lines and the poles come down. Now that's not going to happen overnight. Have you ever counted the number of buildings there are downtown and the number of wires that go to each one of those? That's an individual vendor each time. The good news is the heavy lifting of placing the lines in the literal miles of conduit is complete. And soon you will see Howard Street's new and improved corridor completed. We'll catch up with Lane Moody from the town of Boone a little bit later this month to get further updates, especially as work on the Borel Street side of Howard Street continues. You are listening to mind your business.

SPEAKER_03 33:12

Appalachian Commercial Real Estate provides professional commercial real estate services in the Boone area. They provide sales, leasing, consulting, and appraisal services to owners and users of commercial real estate. For more information, go to their website at Appalachian CRE.com.

SPEAKER_01 33:31

Next week is the week where we publicly announced our nine community award winners that will be the focus of the program at It's Your Spirit of Boon. Get your tickets now for this event, September 24th. Circle the date on your calendar. If you are planning to attend, you gotta get those tickets because we have sold half of the allotment so far. Once those names are announced, the rest will fly off the shelves as they have in the past. Corporate tables are already sold out. Now we can still accommodate multiple members of your team at a table. Just make sure you get those seats while you can at BoonCamber.com. That'll do it for this week's Mind Your Business. This program is written and produced each week by the Boon Area Chamber of Commerce. Thanks to WATA for placing us on the Airwaves each and every week. And thanks as always to James Milner and the team at Appalachian Commercial Real Estate for making the podcast version of this program possible. If you have yet to subscribe to the podcast, fix that today. Search for Mind Your Business wherever you get your podcast. Leave us a review, let us know what you'd like to hear about. You can comment, write to us, we'll get that feedback. You can also visit us online anytime at foodchamber.com. Until next week, so long, everybody.