Lessons in Leadership: Travis Tharp's Leadership Livingston 2022 Class Address
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Uncertainty.
I was once given a great piece of advice. I was told if you ever need to deliver harsh or uncomfortable words to someone, don’t do it yourself. Instead quote someone else.
Daphne Koller one of the founders of Coursera said, “The world is noisy and messy.
You need to deal with the noise and uncertainty.”
Leadership Livingston’s 10th graduating class had to deal with the noise and uncertainty.
Our very first meeting on August 9th, 2021, had to be changed to a virtual platform.
A decision made out of an abundance of caution due to a surge in Covid 19 cases.
The world is a different place now. On that same day a 15-year fixed mortgage sat at 2.125% and a gallon of unleaded gas $2.75. Today, mortgage rates are more than double at 4.81% and that gallon of gas is $4.51. A lot of change in a very short period of time.
Uncertainty.
August 26th— Hurricane Ida brings the highest recorded winds ever to our parish.
Damaging much property and leaving many without power for over a month.
Uncertainty.
September 21st— Our first in-person meeting. We played the Name Game, we meet Ali alligator and the alliteration all-stars as we are introduced to Bill, Bradley, Brandon, Chantel, James, Jamie, Jody, LeAnn and Leslie, Sheila and Sean, Taylor, Travis, and Trisha,
and then there is the “k”s Karen, Kay, Katelyn, Kathleen, Kayla, Kelsie, Kristi, and Kim
and Kim… and Kim.
We learned there will be no overnight retreat. Many were looking forward to have this night of fun that is often talked about by previous classes.
Covid. Once again, more uncertainty.
I learned that our class was made up of bankers, real estate agents and mortgage brokers, some with political aspirations, healthcare workers, government officials, law enforcement officers, sales representatives, self-employed entrepreneurs, and a couple of in-the flesh angels. One who launches the most vulnerable among us to new heights, and the other gives a life without lock to those that deserve second chances.
I can think of no other group of people who I would want to face the uncertainty of this time with. You are agents of change and your desire is to make this world a better place.
We also had lots of fun. On City and Parish Government Day, we got to visit the brown head waters of Gray’s Creek on Forest Delate Road. This was certainly not the fun day on the water some of the Leadership Livingston alumni had told me about.
And we were treated to lunch in the Walker Town Hall penthouse, even though there were no floors or walls.
We attended Live2Lead and learned that the baton shouldn’t be passed when the founder is ready, but instead when the team is ready, and that vision rarely repeated is quickly forgotten.
We learned that a freeman built Carter plantation, and that Hungarian settlement is something we should be proud of.
We dined with congressmen and ascended a 449-foot tower and surveyed Huey P’s kingdom.
Our education system is among the best in the state. We saw how Albany high differed from Walker high school. We saw how our money is being spent and also where it is not being spent.
I don’t think a penny has been used to upgrade the executive offices at the school board since Mr. Cecil Harris Kicked that famous 66-yard punt.
In the Marine Corps every rank has a required reading list. It’s called Commandant’s Professional Reading List.
This collection of books builds upon concepts of war and leadership. This insures that by looking at an officer or enlisted person’s stripes, stars, and bars a commander knows what concepts and tactics the soldier should understand. I have thought several times over the last year the Leadership Livingston program is similar to the Comandantes Professional reading list.
I think that when I see an alumnus of the program, they should have a better understanding of how our parish works and why we should be proud to be residents. Together we should use this understanding to better our community.
To borrow another moray from the Marine corps: I encourage you to employ a bias for action.
Together we can create better government, better schools, better communities, but we have to act. The job is ours.
Will Livingston parish continue to grow and prosper even in this time of uncertainty?
Will the Livingston Chamber of commerce continue drive economic development?
Will the 10 Leadership Livingston classes that have now graduated make a difference in our parish?
I think the answer to all those questions is yes.
With Certainty.
Travis Tharp is a Liaison Officer for the City of Denham Springs and a graduate of the Leadership Livingston Class of 2022.
I was once given a great piece of advice. I was told if you ever need to deliver harsh or uncomfortable words to someone, don’t do it yourself. Instead quote someone else.
Daphne Koller one of the founders of Coursera said, “The world is noisy and messy.
You need to deal with the noise and uncertainty.”
Leadership Livingston’s 10th graduating class had to deal with the noise and uncertainty.
Our very first meeting on August 9th, 2021, had to be changed to a virtual platform.
A decision made out of an abundance of caution due to a surge in Covid 19 cases.
The world is a different place now. On that same day a 15-year fixed mortgage sat at 2.125% and a gallon of unleaded gas $2.75. Today, mortgage rates are more than double at 4.81% and that gallon of gas is $4.51. A lot of change in a very short period of time.
Uncertainty.
August 26th— Hurricane Ida brings the highest recorded winds ever to our parish.
Damaging much property and leaving many without power for over a month.
Uncertainty.
September 21st— Our first in-person meeting. We played the Name Game, we meet Ali alligator and the alliteration all-stars as we are introduced to Bill, Bradley, Brandon, Chantel, James, Jamie, Jody, LeAnn and Leslie, Sheila and Sean, Taylor, Travis, and Trisha,
and then there is the “k”s Karen, Kay, Katelyn, Kathleen, Kayla, Kelsie, Kristi, and Kim
and Kim… and Kim.
We learned there will be no overnight retreat. Many were looking forward to have this night of fun that is often talked about by previous classes.
Covid. Once again, more uncertainty.
I learned that our class was made up of bankers, real estate agents and mortgage brokers, some with political aspirations, healthcare workers, government officials, law enforcement officers, sales representatives, self-employed entrepreneurs, and a couple of in-the flesh angels. One who launches the most vulnerable among us to new heights, and the other gives a life without lock to those that deserve second chances.
I can think of no other group of people who I would want to face the uncertainty of this time with. You are agents of change and your desire is to make this world a better place.
We also had lots of fun. On City and Parish Government Day, we got to visit the brown head waters of Gray’s Creek on Forest Delate Road. This was certainly not the fun day on the water some of the Leadership Livingston alumni had told me about.
And we were treated to lunch in the Walker Town Hall penthouse, even though there were no floors or walls.
We attended Live2Lead and learned that the baton shouldn’t be passed when the founder is ready, but instead when the team is ready, and that vision rarely repeated is quickly forgotten.
We learned that a freeman built Carter plantation, and that Hungarian settlement is something we should be proud of.
We dined with congressmen and ascended a 449-foot tower and surveyed Huey P’s kingdom.
Our education system is among the best in the state. We saw how Albany high differed from Walker high school. We saw how our money is being spent and also where it is not being spent.
I don’t think a penny has been used to upgrade the executive offices at the school board since Mr. Cecil Harris Kicked that famous 66-yard punt.
In the Marine Corps every rank has a required reading list. It’s called Commandant’s Professional Reading List.
This collection of books builds upon concepts of war and leadership. This insures that by looking at an officer or enlisted person’s stripes, stars, and bars a commander knows what concepts and tactics the soldier should understand. I have thought several times over the last year the Leadership Livingston program is similar to the Comandantes Professional reading list.
I think that when I see an alumnus of the program, they should have a better understanding of how our parish works and why we should be proud to be residents. Together we should use this understanding to better our community.
To borrow another moray from the Marine corps: I encourage you to employ a bias for action.
Together we can create better government, better schools, better communities, but we have to act. The job is ours.
Will Livingston parish continue to grow and prosper even in this time of uncertainty?
Will the Livingston Chamber of commerce continue drive economic development?
Will the 10 Leadership Livingston classes that have now graduated make a difference in our parish?
I think the answer to all those questions is yes.
With Certainty.
Travis Tharp is a Liaison Officer for the City of Denham Springs and a graduate of the Leadership Livingston Class of 2022.
