by Craig McFarland, Mayor of Casa Grande
Leadership attributes are found in the “7 Mindsets.” They remind me every day that everything is possible because we are passionate about Casa Grande; we are connected to each other and each other’s success, and it’s about giving back, remembering our attitude of gratitude and that the time is now! Now is the time to make a difference in our community.
Defining “leadership,” on the other hand, can be a challenge. A friend shared a quote that I think does a good job of defining “leadership.” It’s a quote from Douglas MacArthur, and it says, “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. In the end, leaders are much like eagles… they don’t flock, you find them one at a time.”
We are not given leadership; it is earned! Your Casa Grande City Council is full of leaders. They have the “courage to make tough decisions and the compassion to listen to the needs of others” (others being Casa Grande’s residents). Even when we disagree, every councilmember’s actions are made with integrity and made in the best interest of the city. They are leaders – all of them.
Leadership is linked to personality styles; they vary between the glass is half empty to the glass is half full. My style has always been the glass is half full, or more succinctly, a positive approach when dealing with people. Over the last nine months, I have had many opportunities to speak with individuals and groups about Casa Grande. So, my approach to city matters has been to highlight the positive and to find ways to support, promote and market our community.
So where is this leadership taking us? Casa Grande is positioned for tremendous growth. We need to be prepared and manage this growth. As my colleague Councilman Dick Powell said, “From 2018 forward. there are literally thousands of new jobs projected in connection to several of the large projects expected”. Additionally – and I agree 100 percent with Councilman Powell – he has said, “The best communities are those most-livable, sustainable and that provide the best quality of life to residents.” I couldn’t have said it better myself!
From here, we can build on a plan to positively promote our community. With this great leadership, we can manage growth, and more importantly, manage what growth looks like. I believe that we all want a community that has things for the people, has things to do, has managed growth and ultimately is a place that is “livable, sustainable and provides the best quality of life.”
Learn more!
Don’t forget to look in the center of this edition of the Golden Corridor LIVING Magazine. There’s an insert called “Casa Grande – A Growing Horizon.” It is a campaign to promote what is good about Casa Grande. Please enjoy reading it, and share it with your friends and business associates.
